Presenting InterpretBank, a new generation of terminology tools for interpreters

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LilianNekipelov
LilianNekipelov  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 19:34
Russian to English
+ ...
Another absurd thing Jul 13, 2017

There is nothing that can aid interpreters, other than hard word, top competence in both languages, and practice, years of practice--first just at home, for months, or years. I think he is not an interpreter himself--otherwise he would have known that such a program does not have much use, due to the limitations of time.

 
Diana Coada (X)
Diana Coada (X)  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:34
Portuguese to English
+ ...
But he is an interpreter! Jul 13, 2017

And this software is very useful indeed for glossary building, term memorisation and yes, even term searches while interpreting.

 
Stephen Franke
Stephen Franke
United States
Local time: 16:34
English to Arabic
+ ...
Software may be a useful tool for translators, but dubious usefulness to interpreters Jul 13, 2017

Greetings.

May I observe -- with all due respect to all parties -- that while this searchable software may be a useful tool for translators, it has dubious-to-little usefulness to interpreters when they are engaged in supporting the participants during a bidirectionally-interactive and dynamic communicative event.

Unreasonable, if not hazardous to being kept on that assignment (much less being asked back again), if an interpreter must interrupt the principals, and then eff
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Greetings.

May I observe -- with all due respect to all parties -- that while this searchable software may be a useful tool for translators, it has dubious-to-little usefulness to interpreters when they are engaged in supporting the participants during a bidirectionally-interactive and dynamic communicative event.

Unreasonable, if not hazardous to being kept on that assignment (much less being asked back again), if an interpreter must interrupt the principals, and then effectively forces them to wait while the interpreter uses a device with that program to look up a possibly-apropos and correct term with accurate and clear correspondence between L1 and L2.

While this software may be somewhat useful to an interpreter in researching and compiling relevant terms / glossary, concepts and subject-specific expressions / jargon -- on an expectation that the principal party engaging the interpreter has provided that interpreter with the agenda, main points and text BEFORE the event which involves interpreting -- that application, as shown, relates to pre-event translating, not interpreting.

During pre-event preparation, I use some of the few reliable and accurate searchable programs for online term-searches between Arabic and English which produce the term, including its variants inside most-likely contexts, i.e. general, legal, industrial, commercial, governmental, technical, etc.

* One of those programs is especially useful when rendering into-Arabic equivalents of English adjective strings, such as "electromagnetic isotope separation" and its acronym "EMIS" used commonly in the field of nuclear engineering, or "synthetic aperture forward-scanning radar pod."
I provided linguist support to Bodies of the UN Organisation, such as UN Special Commission on Iraq (UNSCOM) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Hope this helps. Today is Thursday, July 13, 2017.

Regards,

Stephen H. Franke
Arabic linguist, Arabic dialectologist
and Advisor/Trainer
San Pedro (Los Angeles Waterfront Area), California
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LilianNekipelov
LilianNekipelov  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 19:34
Russian to English
+ ...
You cannot search anything Jul 14, 2017

when you interpret. Any devices are strictly prohibited in most court rooms, conference places and hospital rooms, including phones. There is also no time to check anything. Most interpreters will tell you that. It may have some use for training, perhaps, but not interpreting.

 
Cornelia Oppitz
Cornelia Oppitz  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 00:34
Member (2020)
English to German
It depends on the setting Jul 14, 2017

In a simultaneous interpreting setting with an interpreting booth, it is possible to look something up. Either for yourself, or for your booth partner. I have also been able to look something up in a consecutive interpreting setting. In the settings that I work in, I have never encountered a situation where the use of electronic devices was not allowed.
No matter how well prepared you are, it can happen that you need to look something up. I have downloaded the trial version of the previou
... See more
In a simultaneous interpreting setting with an interpreting booth, it is possible to look something up. Either for yourself, or for your booth partner. I have also been able to look something up in a consecutive interpreting setting. In the settings that I work in, I have never encountered a situation where the use of electronic devices was not allowed.
No matter how well prepared you are, it can happen that you need to look something up. I have downloaded the trial version of the previous InterpretBank version, and I found it very helpful. I am looking forward to testing the new InterpretBank version for MacOS when I have more time during the summer holidays.

Connie
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Mark
Mark
Local time: 00:34
Italian to English
Short-term memorization Jul 14, 2017

The [memorization] module is designed to memorize small glossaries (~50-300 terms) before the beginning of the event.
I wonder what this means in practice. I’ve seen plenty of implementations of spaced repetition for long-term memory retention, but I’m unaware of any widely accepted method for using computers to assist the short-term memory.


 
Diana Coada (X)
Diana Coada (X)  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:34
Portuguese to English
+ ...
Oh these sweeping statements... Jul 14, 2017

LilianNekipelov wrote:

when you interpret. Any devices are strictly prohibited in most court rooms, conference places and hospital rooms, including phones. There is also no time to check anything. Most interpreters will tell you that. It may have some use for training, perhaps, but not interpreting.


Interpreters have been bringing their own laptops and tablets into booths for years, Lilian. And to quote you, ''most interpreters will tell you that''.


 
kellyobrian
kellyobrian
United States
Local time: 19:34
German to English
Of course you can look up terms in a booth Aug 3, 2017

@LilianNekipelov : I am sorry to say that your view does not quite match (my) reality. In the booth almost any interpreter I know has his/her own laptop/tablet. And yes, they look up words when they need it. It can be when the colleague is interpreting or even when they are interpreting (which is obvious more difficult, but still possible). We agree that such a tool is meant to look up every single word - I think this is quite clear - but to look up specialized words when you do not have them on... See more
@LilianNekipelov : I am sorry to say that your view does not quite match (my) reality. In the booth almost any interpreter I know has his/her own laptop/tablet. And yes, they look up words when they need it. It can be when the colleague is interpreting or even when they are interpreting (which is obvious more difficult, but still possible). We agree that such a tool is meant to look up every single word - I think this is quite clear - but to look up specialized words when you do not have them on the tip of the tongue/you do not know them/you can not apply other strategies. It's always been like this even in the past with old school paper glossaries!

And your arguments "There is nothing that can aid interpreters, other than hard word, top competence in both languages, and practice, years of practice--first just at home, for months, or years. ", sorry, what does it mean? Nobody is saying everyone without the characteristics you are pointing at can be an interpreter just by using such a tool (which seems to me your reasoning).

I used a similar tool in the past (Interplex) and I switched to InterpretBank one year ago. Happy with it. It helps me organize my terminology and prepare my glossaries in a better way. And yes, now and then I do look up terms while in the booth
PS: out of interest I have done a short internet search. He is an researcher in interpreting studies and a conference interpreter.
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Marilia Tilli
 


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Presenting InterpretBank, a new generation of terminology tools for interpreters







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