Before we move on, let’s stop for a minute and think about the ground we have covered so far. There are the mechanics and technique of interpretation, the exercises to get anyone started on the necessary cognitive training, the Bible-specific terms and knowledge, and a whole bunch of quirky information peppered here and there. Sincerely, hats off to all of you who have been following along this far. And for those of you who are faithfully committing to the exercises, you have been giving your brain a unique upgrade that benefits you in more ways than mere interpretation.
Again, those exercises were taken from the pages of training materials for professional interpreters such as those working for the EU. They too have to practice the various forms of shadowing. They too must equip themselves with the necessary domain knowledge. They too need to emerge through the field tests of conferences and political assemblies. But when the mic turns on, we part ways.
What distinguishes us from professional interpreters is the nature of the messages we interpret. An interpreter for the EU or UN is responsible for getting accurate information across. We would share that same responsibility if not for the fact that our pastors do more than just read off a PowerPoint. Pastors preach, and that goes far beyond information. The delivery of that information is equally important. They employ emphasis, pacing, intonation, and gestures to plant the seeds and so must we for those relying on us to hear the message, the whole message.
As mentioned previously on stage manner, we do that by following the pastors’ delivery style. If they get emphatic, we get emphatic. If they talk light-heartedly, we follow suit. Of course, we can’t mimic their every move, but we can, in a way, “preach” the same message in a different language.
After all, what we do is ultimately about the message, not the language. Our pastors seek God’s messages to His people every week, organize them, and deliver them to the congregation the best way they can. Since they can only address one language group at a time, we simply fill in the gap so God’s words can reach the rest of us, preferably without discount.
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