Know more about interpretation.......Part III

Friends,
today we had internet video conferencing with "Inochino Uta Bunka Kouryuu Kyoukai", an NPO from Japan. We were lucky enough to get the opportunity to send some messages from India to the Aichi Expo 2005. Our message was broadcasted publicly at the venue and it was really nice to experience the Expo atmosphere.
Well on the Interpretation assignment front, we have status quo. No contact, no information. i will have to wait for the call tomorrow morning, take an auto as soon as i get the call and leave. No homework, nothing. Will just revise some basic vocabulary regarding horns and phonetics. Expecting a busy week ahead.
So that's it from my end. Really tired today. But looking forward to tomorrow.
Regards,
P r a s a d....

Know more about interpretation.......Part II

Hi Friends,
as we progress on the journey of my interpretation assignment, this is another update on my side.
i was awakened by my cellphone that started ringing in the morning. Cursing the person who spoiled my sound sleep (mind you i slept after updating the blog yesterday), i picked up the phone. It was the Indian client who wanted to confirm my services for the assignment starting from Monday. He said he would contact me in later as he himself was short on info. Fagged and half-asleep, i just registered his name in my mind and thanked him for the call. That was how i got up today.
He called me again around noon. This time i was more alert and asked him the details of the assignment. This is what i got in reply.
"Well Mr. Prasad, since the Japanese clients don't understand English, we would like to hire your services."
i was amazed! i thought i was going there to have dinner and then attend a dance party! Well, jokes apart, this is how most interpreters are treated. However, there was a silver lining to this dark cloud. I was told to contact someone who was in charge of this project and given his phone number. But, there is status quo. i will be notified the exact time on Monday morning. This means i will have to be waiting for the phone call, and as soon as it comes, make a dash for the Hotel. The schedule and the program of the assignment will all be provided on the spot on Monday.
When i tried to get in touch with this person in charge, i got no response. "He must be busy in some high-level meeting." i try to pacify myself.
And, as soon as i got some time on hand, i shot to update the blog. In fact, i am really enjoying this!
So i have tomorrow to prepare for the assignment. But i don't know what the Japanese are going to do, neither do i have any clue what the Indians are plotting. But this is a life of an interpreter. You have to be prepared for anything and everything. And give it your best shot.
So that's it from here. Will update the blog as soon as there is some more info. Till then, byeeee !!!
Regards,
P r a s a d....

Know more about interpretation.......

Well friends,
since the blog was quite inactive for a few days (almost two weeks), i thought i would flood it with posts as soon as i get back. But as usual i am short on matter, my knowledge database being extremely meager. So then it is natural that my usual defence mechanism is triggered!
You've guessed it right..........Japanese!
Although i can't claim any authority on the language, nor do i think i would be able to make any claims in future, i think i would like to tell you about something interesting that i do here. Or rather i can just take you all through a virtual ride of my interpretation assignment which will start from Monday, May 9. This happens to be one of the few chances that we students get to interact with the corporate life, and mind you, it is much much more than just a learning experience.
In fact, another purpose for this particular post is that i would like you all to know more about the field of interpretation. A list of the FAQs asked to me whenever i tell about my educational qualifications is "What will you do after studying Japanese language ? How would you use it in future ? Will you do your Ph.D. in literature ?" Actuallly, anyone who learns Japanese language full time faces these questions frequently. The answer, as i had given in my last post is simple. Wherever there is interaction between Japanese Language and English (or other Indian Languages), we Language Experts (!!!???) come handy. The scope becomes really wide with this explanation, so i would like to concentrate on Interpretation today.
The first thing is Interpretation is different from Translation. How ? Well, Interpretation is done when one is speaking with another person. Translation is of a text. So, we can say that when a japanese speaks and i speak out the same things in English, it's Interpretation. And when he sends me a written document in Japanese which i turn into English, it is Translation. Thus, you have more time at hand in case of Translation, whereas on the other hand, Interpretation requires spontaneity. This is the basic difference between the two. At the same time, some think Interpretation is simpler than Translation and vice versa. Mind you, both are tough, and require good command over both, the source language and the target language.
Now why am i telling you all this ? Because i (rather we Interpreters) find that the awareness of common people towards this field is really low. That is why we need to carry out a lot of Client Education here.
Let me give you a background of what i am going to do from Monday.
One of our professors told me today that there was work for a week's time, starting from 9th . He asked whether i was free in that period. i gave my consent. Then i got a phone call from the Indian client who is a manufacturer of automobile horns. Whatever i could make out from the info he gave me on phone was that
1. this person is probably going to receive a japanese expert on automobile horns,
2. i have to accompany this guest to all the factories and production units,
3. they may also have business talks with one of the major motown companies.
Now this is the data i have at present. The guy said he will call me tomorrow to confirm the proceedings. And i have to see through it that the communication flows smoothly throughout.
Seems challenging ? Well, it is tough, but worth all the money you earn.
i think i shouldn't bore you much. Let me keep on updating the blog so that you enjoy this assignment with me and let me know your reflections.
Hope i have the energy to update the blog everyday and make reading interesting for all of you.
Regards,
P r a s a d....

I am back.....!

Hi Friends,
Nice to be back to the blog once again. And at what time ??!! It is 3 a.m. here in Delhi and i am enjoying the first night after my M.A. first year. Time really flies and i am really filled with terror when i think that i have barely 12 months left for my Masters to end. So much to do.....So much to learn......
i would like to start this revival of the blog with two heart-rending experiences i had yesterday. As i was waiting anxiously and thinking about whether i would reach in time for my appointment, i saw a youth in a posh sedan open the door of the car. i wondered why he had opened it, when i caught sight of something......a crumpled ball of waste-paper! i immediately understood the gentlman's "noble" intentions. Yes, the road was a dust-bin for our young executive with G4 cellphone peeking out of his pocket.
Just when i was thinking of this, two ladies approached my auto-rickshaw (a three-wheeler mode of public transport pretty common in Delhi). To me, they seemed like beggars. The elder of the two asked me to give some money as the younger one was pregnant and she had to take her to the hospital. And the younger lady did seem to be pregnant. i did give the lady money, but she asked for more. i was not able to spare any more, so told her that. By that time the red light had gone green and my auto-driver made a dash with other vehicles honking behind us.
i don't know what has happened of the lady. Whether the child was born or not, whether it was all a farce, is none of my concern. i just want you all to be aware of the painful fact that human security is not good in our country. i don't want to criticize india. i know we have our limitations and don't want to shirk my responsibilities too. Just that we all don't turn a blind eye to some of the problems in our country and become insensitive, it is a small endeavour to make us all think.
i hope i have not made you all lose interest in this blog. In fact, i think this is a place for us to give vent to all such feelings and frustrations, and come together to think constructively. Let us make this place better to live in. Looking forward to your comments.
Kudos !
Regards,
P r a s a d....

Wait a bit more.....

Friends,
Our end-sem exams started today. I wanted to revive the blog much earlier, but could not do it due to some practical problems on my side. Will let you all know about them as soon as the exams are over.
Looking forward to inputs from your side whenever you all are free.
Take care.
Regards,
P r a s a d....