Canada brings world-class technology to training facility

October 28, 2008

Cutting-edge audiovisual equipment – among the world’s most advanced – now forms the backbone of the Government of Canada’s upgraded interpretation training facilities.

Spearheaded by Public Works and Government Services Canada’s (PWGSC) Translation Bureau, the equipment was retrofitted into ten new soundproof booths that simulate interpreters’ real-life working conditions. This equipment is integral to the development of this country’s much-needed future team of interpreters.

“We sometimes forget how essential interpretation services are to the smooth running of this country,” says Francine Kennedy, the Bureau’s Chief Executive Officer. “Whether it’s a Commons debate, an important Senate hearing or an international conference, our interpreters are there behind-the-scenes ensuring everyone hears the proceedings in the official language of their choice.”

Not only does the new facility allow the Bureau’s existing interpreters to continue developing their skills, it also enables students recruited by PWGSC from the University of Ottawa’s Master in Conference Interpreting (MIC) Program to complete their training in a simulated setting before actually “hitting the big time.”

The Bureau has long been a major supporter of the University of Ottawa’s MIC Program – the only interpretation program of its kind in Canada. For instance, the Bureau’s skilled interpreters have served as teachers to hundreds of university students over the past decade.

Bureau interpreters and new graduates alike are now honing their skills side by side at the new training facility, learning from one another in the process. “Ensuring that the next generation of interpreters benefit from the experience of their seasoned colleagues is key to meeting future challenges,” explains Ms. Kennedy. “The equipment will enable them to practice in conditions that recreate a very realistic working environment similar to what they will face in their profession.”

Interpretation expertise is currently in great demand with the field facing a shortage of workers. This shortage will become even more pronounced in the coming years when almost one-third of the Bureau’s 1,190 translators, interpreters and terminologists will be eligible for retirement. By 2011, their average age will be 50.

Providing interpretation services at conferences is just one of the dozen essential common services that PWGSC offers all government departments, agencies and boards on a cost-recovery basis. Centralizing these services reduces duplication and increases government efficiency.

For information on working for the government, tips on applying, information on programs and job opportunities and PWGSC employee profiles, visit www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/carrieres-careers/index-eng.html.

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For further information, please contact:

Katia Dalpé-Charron
Senior Communications Advisor
Media Relations Office
Public Works and Government Services Canada
819-956-2315
NCR.MediaRelations@pwgsc-tpsgc.gc.ca

PWGSC’s feature articles are also published on the Internet at
http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/medias-media/index-eng.html - med3

BACKGROUNDER

Interpretation: A Little-Known Profession

Spoken communication is never easy. Add complex topics and participants speaking several languages to the mix, and the obstacles to communication can sometimes seem virtually insurmountable. That is where the interpreter comes in.

The interpreter’s role is not to provide a word-for-word interpretation of what’s been said. The result would simply be an incoherent string of words that no one would understand. Rather than mechanically repeating what they hear, interpreters must analyze and extract the underlying meaning. That requires a well-rounded education. For example, if a speaker is talking about nuclear energy or monetary policy, the interpreter must be familiar with those topics and well versed in the terminology being used. Interpreters must also be very tactful and, in the case of parliamentary interpretation, understand the often-sensitive nature of issues debated on the political stage.

Interpreters who achieve the level of expertise required to exercise their profession on Parliament Hill are known for their uncommon ability and composure. Debates in the House of Commons are often animated and interrupted by exclamations or applause that cover the speakers’ voices, making the interpreters’ work even more difficult. The interpreter’s role does, however, have many perks, such as being privy to important decisions that shape the country’s political future and thereby witnessing history in the making.

The interpretation process can be broken down into three stages: listening, analysing and re-formulating in the target language. Although these stages occur in rapid succession, there is a few seconds’ lag between the original statement and the interpreter’s version. The interpreter must first listen to, then analyze the sentences (stages 1 and 2), while at the same time, reformulate the previous statement (stage 3).

Whether in Canada or abroad, conference interpreters spend a good portion of their time hopping from plane to plane. And although interpretation booths might seem quite isolated and solitary, interpreters always work in teams. An interpreter works in shifts that can vary from 20 to 30 minutes since the mental effort needed to interpret can be likened to the physical effort required to sprint. Working in shifts allows interpreters to “catch their breath” and prepare for their next turn by reading the background documentation.

In Canada, the federal government is by far the largest employer of conference interpreters through PWGSC’s Translation Bureau. Its interpreters have opportunities to exercise their skills in all types of settings: international summits, private meetings between heads of state, conferences and ministerial meetings. The Bureau also offers interpretation services in Aboriginal and foreign languages.