Interpreters--Is it just me?

[Quyen]

Or are they getting increasingly lazy? Based upon my experience in the past few years, it seems to me that interpreters are no longer bringing pen and notepad with which to take notes to aid in their interpretation. And, if they do bring them, they don't seem to want to use them. Instead, they sit VEEERRRY closely to me, which drives me just freakin' bat-shit crazy! Sometimes so closely that I feel like inviting them to take a seat in my lap. Some of them could use a fresh shower and/or should brush their teeth.  Yes, they sit THAT closely! And they don't sit so closely to me because I'm just so darned cute and loveable; it's so that they can read the free real-time. Some even specifically ask to do so.

Yeah, yeah, I know. There are reporters who will say, well, it speeds things along. Well, for one, I don't want them reading my real-time if I'm not on a real-time job; it's not a free service--for anyone. Two, why should I do half of the interpreter's job for them and make their job easier for them when no one is making my job easier for me or paying me additional fees to do the interpreter's job? How did interpreters do their job before there were computers and real-time?

Also, the fact that the interpreters rely on my real-time to do their job interferes with my ability to do my job. In an ongoing case that I was working on, the attorney spit out the questions that were five to ten lines long like an AK-47. I had to hang on for dear life and write as fast as I could. The attorney liked to have his questions read back. The interpreter would look at my screen in order to interpret. I edit on the fly all day long. I will go back several paragraphs or even to parts much earlier in the day (transcript) or to wherever to edit. Whenever I moved my screen elsewhere, the interpreters couldn't interpret because they couldn't remember the question. So I had to go back to the question so that they can read from the screen. This creates more homework for me and is frustrating beyond belief. I told one interpreter that she was interfering with my ability to do my job. She told me to just go ahead as normal and to ignore her, so I did. Of course, when I moved to a different spot in the transcript, she couldn't interpret, so I had to go back. Aaarrrggh!

Another thing, sometimes I just want to be lazy and not have to write perfectly simply because I don't feel like it and if I don't have to. On one occasion, a word came up incorrectly, and the interpreter interpreted the wrong word. I knew it was wrong; she didn't. I had to correct her (and the transcript). I don't feel I should have to correct it or write real-time for the interpreters simply because I don't feel like it. Why should I?  There are other times where I don't want them to read my screen, especially the ones who practically sit in my lap to do so. Sometimes I actually don't mind. I reserve the right to PMS whenever I please, right?

In another case, the attorney actually asked me to move my coffee mug so the interpreter could read my screen. Well, she (the attorney) should pay for the real-time, then, no? That's what they do in the IP/tech/patent cases, where one or both parties will pay for the real-time for their interpreter(s). 

So . . . a couple questions.  Has any of you ever refused to let an interpreter read your screen?  Would I be a big you-know-what to just flat out refuse to let them read from my screen? I find myself getting more and more frustrated with interpreters. :/

Just one last comment:  It takes skill/concentration (and SLEEP) to provide excellent real-time.  It is not a service that should be provided for free to anyone--EVER.

[Quyen]

O . . . M . . . G . . .

I feel your pain, Ana. I got one--JUST LIKE YOURS! UGH!!! And the witness had a HEAVY accent, spoke broken English, refused to use the interpreter, and interrupted just about every . . . single . . . question. Kill me now. Grrrrrr!!! >:(

[Lisa Berryhill]

It's not your imagination. I've noticed it too.They used to ALWAYS provide the spellings. Now it's more often that they don't.

Another thing I noticed - they'll mouth a spelling or a word to me, like I'm supposed to read their lips while I'm taking down the testimony.

[Lisa Berryhill]

And you're right about correcting the interpreter - that's definitely not your job and you shouldn't take on that responsibility. Way beyond our pay grade. No wonder they're making them state their qualifications on the record. Some of them seem really incompetent these days

[Courtney Cohen]

This week I had an interpreter swivel my laptop around so he could get a better look. I was really hoping he was a limited edition of rude.

[Quyen]

Lol! Love your comment!

I wold have said, "Touch my equipment again and you lost a limb."

[Courtney Cohen]

Now, how do you say that in Farsi? lol

[Susan Gioffre]

oh, nooooooooooooooooo.   I have had interpreters wanting to look at my screen.   Absolutely not.   I told them to tell their hiring attorney to order real time and then they can look.   Bottom line,  if there's an issue and they read back the question wrong,  you DO NOT know what they're saying.  DO NOT let them use your screen.   And stand firm on that one.  If they ask why not,  number one,  you're not providing the interpreting services, they are.  Number two,  we write in code and what she THINKS she's sees on the screen may not be correct.  If I am NOT outputting real time, I like to relax and just write.  If they're reading your screen,  it is realtime

[Lorraine Diesel]

You are one hundred percent correct.  Not only that, interpreters make twice the money you do, in case you didn't know.

[Mary Jo Cochran]

Speak up.  "I am here to make the record.  I need to focus and I need a little space around me. It is distracting for you to be reading my screen.  Please move back a little."