“la parole exportée”

photo credit: Daquella manera

I am torn apart between writing about this event here, or adding it to my 2008 International Year of Languages page, listed on the right here —–>

April 4 will be Dictionary Day in Quebec and several reports are discussing the importance of dictionaries in supporting the French language in Quebec and elsewhere, and this is absolutely true. Quebec has the added difficulty of facing the influence of English, wanting to retain its own identity as a francophone region, yet not to follow France; whereas we in France are free to decide to be unbending purists or to adapt to influences of whatever origin. Our choice.

Translators are known to be the primary users of dictionaries, along with writers and students. But as always things change over time, and our practices have to follow.

When I started my career as a translator, all kinds of paper dictionaries -whether technical, general, language…- consumed a huge share of my budget, and I used them every day.

However, with the increased pace of technology development in all fields, that share has been dwindling over the years. Now I own electronic copies of what I consider essential language dictionaries like Le Robert for French and Robert-Collins for English-French-English. I also use le Grand dictionnaire terminologique, a remarkable source developed by Office québécois de la langue française and various online glossaries for explanations of terms and acronyms. However, an overwhelming share of terminology research now consists in tapping the immense reservoir of knowledge you can find on the web: corporate websites, industry analysts, etc. I also have a collection of technical manuals, because when you are dealing with documents and conferences on state-of-the-art technology or even current affairs, dictionaries are not always there for you.

But that can also depend on the domain you are working with. Obviously Law does not change as rapidly as cellphone technology, for instance. I still own manuals about Local Area Networks that are now totally out of date. I bought a ‘bible’ on mobile and wireless networks printed in 2001, but so much has happened in between, I hardly ever open it these days.

And of course, nothing replaces a direct, open and responsible relationship with your clients. They are often your main, indeed your only source of information, and they are the ones to approach first. Where else would I find the terminology developed specifically by that company or organization that they so insist on using, contrary to equally-valid choices made by their competitors?

But I’m curious, how many of you out there still use dictionaries? Paper or electronic?

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photo credit: timsamoff

I’ve just finished interpreting for a series of meetings. Under certain circumstances, conference interpreting gets you to work alongside distinguished individuals in their own specialties. The flip side is, work-wise, that some of them have such quick and smart intellects, that interpreting for them can be a real challenge. They appear to think, and speak at different levels at the same time. This week’s passionate speaker is in that league. But she was a real pleasure to work with.

People outside the interpretation sphere have some difficulty understanding the paradoxical result of all our own intense intellectual activity. And it’s not easy to share. Basically, you get home after the meeting feeling both empty and yet incredibly in need to continue the agitation, so not feeling necessarily very tired. There has been such a degree of intellectual activity going on in our brain, plus adrenalin, that it takes some time for that over-stimulation to go away and die.

It’s precisely the way I feel now. I am free. I could engage in lots of things, like reading, doing a written translation that’s waiting, or more menial tasks. But what I need most is to stop moving, thinking, talking. Meditation would probably help. I must investigate that.

Two meetings and a dinner reception later, having whispered during the whole evening into French for the person on my left and into English for the person on my right (and not eaten much), a rather tired interpreter drives home but gets a pleasant last view of the Eiffel Tower. I don’t know why I always find it soothing to see the same landmark, especially at night. I’ll see it again tomorrow morning as I have a very early meeting. Hopefully it won’t be dark.

My cell phone camera’s resolution is definitely substandard, especially at night. At least I don’t run the risk of having my pictures stolen

This is where I’m working this week, well not in this exact spot, but you get the idea.

This shot was taken around 10am this morning. Unfortunately, the sky was -and still is- grey and it’s moderately cold. Not a lot of traffic on Place de la Concorde, amazingly, but many police vans around. I never have my camera with me when I’m interpreting, there isn’t much point anyway, so this was taken with my little mobile. Please excuse the poor resolution.