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Off topic: Article: Interpreters are wizards – at times they seem to have read my mind. AI could never compete
Thread poster: Caryl Swift
Caryl Swift
Caryl Swift  Identity Verified
Poland
Local time: 08:14
Polish to English
+ ...
Nov 1, 2023

I've just read this essay:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/nov/01/interpreters-ai-words-sentences-artificial-intelligence-john-banville

Edited to correct a typo

[Edited at 2023-11-01 15:14 GMT]

[Subject edited by staff or moderator 2023-11-03 11:51 GMT]

Christopher Schröder
Becca Resnik
P.L.F. Persio
MollyRose
Jennifer Levey
Philip Lees
Marina Aleyeva
 
Jennifer Levey
Jennifer Levey  Identity Verified
Chile
Local time: 02:14
Spanish to English
+ ...
Some of the readers' comments ... Nov 1, 2023

... are worth reading, too

Christopher Schröder
P.L.F. Persio
Liviu-Lee Roth
Michele Fauble
 
Philip Lees
Philip Lees  Identity Verified
Greece
Local time: 09:14
Greek to English
Meaning Nov 2, 2023

The ones I feel sorry for are those who have to translate propagandistic drivel consisting of streams of buzzwords that mean essentially nothing at all and may have no equivalent in the target language.

Over the years, I've had to turn down a few jobs because the source text was meaningless gobbledygook. But if you're a live interpreter you don't have that luxury.

Baran Keki
P.L.F. Persio
 
Eva Stoppa
Eva Stoppa  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 08:14
English to German
+ ...
My deepest respect Nov 2, 2023

...to those who have the courage to do this highly difficult job every day.

P.L.F. Persio
 
Lingua 5B
Lingua 5B  Identity Verified
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 08:14
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
Can't compare Nov 3, 2023

Philip Lees wrote:

The ones I feel sorry for are those who have to translate propagandistic drivel consisting of streams of buzzwords that mean essentially nothing at all and may have no equivalent in the target language.

Over the years, I've had to turn down a few jobs because the source text was meaningless gobbledygook. But if you're a live interpreter you don't have that luxury.


You can't really compare written language and spoken language, two different worlds.

Some types of interpretations (usually SI) will involve speakers who read from a paper, a prepared speech or a prepared script, like a robot. Pretty similar dynamic to written language. People who manage these projects know a lot about equipment, mics and booths, but have no idea that this written speech or some variants of it could be sent to interpreters in advance. The presenter's reading speed of a really dense text with long sentences has to match interpreter's thinking speed, which is ridiculous.

Others, such as business meetings, will usually be semi-planned, semi-spontaneous.

Some, such a radio show guest (the host will be prepared), the guest will answer some questions live for the first time, which they did not prepare in advance. Then, if you have a very poetic guest, you may get all sorts of weird things to interpret - live, while broadcasting. With weird expressions, you can just improvise and transcreate.

But generally, don't compare spoken and written language, as they have completely different dynamics. Spoken language is generally simpler and less wordy. But listening/speaking is more tiring than reading and subvocalization.

P.L.F. Persio
Adieu
 


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