How long have you been an interpreter or translator?
38 years
What made you decide to become a translator or interpreter?
My passion for languages
List one strength that you think sets you apart from your colleagues.
In addition to speaking the Italian language, I also understand several of its dialects. This is advantageous when dealing with elderly clients who may not have had a formal education and their knowledge of the Italian language may be poor as a result.
Name the one thing that you most enjoy in your translating or interpreting career.
The variety in the nature of assignments,
We all have worked on those not-so-perfect assignments. Write about one such assignment that was not ideal and what you learned from it.
In my very early days I had to interpret for a doctor whose bedside manner was far from polite. It taught me that I had to be resilient and deal with different personalities, as not everyone is the same in the way they deal with people.
If you could go back in time to when you were just starting out as a translator or interpreter, what advice would you give to your younger self?
Remember that you will deal with many people from various cultures, beliefs and values. These factors need to be taken into consideration when carrying out assignments.
Name one resource – such as a phone app, CAT tool, website, and so forth – that you find especially helpful in your translating or interpreting work.