曝光联大口译员的一天

How Does a United Nations Interpreter Spend a Workday?

Introduction——口译员身担重任，此言非虚。
A UN Interpreter is one of the most integral members of the United Nations General Assembly. UN Interpreters belong to the Interpretation Service, which is part of the Meetings and Publishing Division. UN Interpreters benefit the United Nations General Assembly because they work as a mediation between languages. The language barrier is removed, due to the fast interpretative services these linguists provide. They indirectly help to facilitate world policy and peacekeeping efforts.

Types——同声传译，日进斗金。
There are two types of UN Interpreters. The first type of interpreter reads and translates text from one language to another. This type of interpreter gets paid between 15 and 25 cents per word. The second, and most in demand, type of UN Interpreter is the simultaneous interpreter. This linguist translates speech from one language to another while listening contemporaneously. The listening audience receives a slight delay in hearing and understanding the message in their own language. This type of interpreter can make up to $850 per day.

Preparation——准备工作不可少
A typical day for a UN Interpreter begins by reading over documents and materials that will be discussed in the General Assembly meetings. It is necessary for the interpreter to familiarize himself with what will be discussed, in order to put context into their translation. There are times when an interpreter is unsure of a phrase or meaning, and it helps to understand the overall direction of the speech.

Meetings——会场如战场
The majority of a UN Interpreter's day is spent in meetings. There are typically two 3-hour meetings per day. UN Interpreters work in teams of two, swapping 30-minute shifts over the duration of each meeting. Interpreting simultaneously requires a great deal of mental concentration and agility. One must be able to translate the context of the original speech, not just a word for word translation.

冰天雪地，不出门就能学口译

Simultaneous Interpretation——眼、耳、口面面俱到
Those who specialize in simultaneous interpretations do so with the use of an ear piece and a microphone. These UN Interpreters sit in a glass booth with plain view to the General Assembly Meeting floor. The UN Interpreter needs to see the speaker in order to convey his demeanor, while interpreting. It helps the interpretation process to know if a speaker is particularly forceful or timid. The UN Interpreter hears the speech through an ear piece, and then translates exactly what he hears through the microphone. The microphone transmits the translation to headphones of those in need of interpretation services.

Work Load——工作量
The typical UN Interpreter works a 40-hour week. During busy times, some UN Interpreters work up to 7 days a week.