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Poll: Have you ever considered becoming a remote interpreter? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Have you ever considered becoming a remote interpreter?".
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I lack the quick tongue needed to be an interpreter. I love working with the written word. Immediacy is not my specialty!
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Enrico Zoffoli 
Italy
Local time: 02:00
Member (2013)
German to Italian
+ ...
I'm a translator, not an interpreter. Entirely different set of skills, entirely different job.
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Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 01:00
Member (2008)
Italian to English
| Not even remotely | Feb 15, 2023 |
No - although as an avid watcher of police documentaries I've often seen what a remote interpreter has to do. It doesn't seem very desirable to make oneself available to be woken at 0400 in the middle of the night because someone has been arrested and is being interviewed at the police station, but can only speak in their own language .
That's my only understanding of what a remote interpreter does, but I imagine they are also called upon in a whole range of other situations.
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Because it is rather badly paid for what is expected of you.
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Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 01:00
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Sławomira Kaczmarek wrote:
Because it is rather badly paid for what is expected of you.
Details?
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| I used to interpret (only liason) | Feb 15, 2023 |
I cannot say it is badly paid (I was well paid indeed)
But I prefer translation, for reasons of quick tongue like Teresa. I also prefer written words.
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Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 02:00
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
Tom in London wrote: Sławomira Kaczmarek wrote:
Because it is rather badly paid for what is expected of you. Details?
Remote is either Zoom or phone?
It’s paid $1/minute, no minimums, different time zones may mean you need to join a meeting at 3 a.m. that will pay $5, because there are no minimums (they may communicate their thing quickly), or not paid at all if it’s cancelled, a one hour speech/phone call may involve 6k words for which you will be paid $60 (since you interpret both ways that’s 6k words x 2).
Oh I forgot stand-by scenarios. There is a phone system where you’re supposed to be on a stand-by (for free) and paid only if/when you get an interpreting phone call at $1/min or lower.
For in-person interpreting there are minimums, cancelation fees, decent rates, plus any travel fees are covered.
[Edited at 2023-02-15 19:34 GMT]
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Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 01:00
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Plus I imagine you have to go through a vetting system, provide documentation, etc.
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Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 02:00
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
Tom in London wrote:
Plus I imagine you have to go through a vetting system, provide documentation, etc.
Probably yes. What you described in your example (police documentary) is a court interpreter. They don't work remotely, perhaps only did during the pandemic. The UK agencies seem to pay court interpreters 10 GBP/hr. Fascinating rate.
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Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 01:00
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Lingua 5B wrote:
....What you described in your example (police documentary) is a court interpreter. They don't work remotely...
Not for the first time - I have not explained myself clearly.
What I described is a telephone interpreter on call when needed, e.g. when someone is arrested and can't speak the language. this has nothing to with the the pandemic and has nothing to do with attending court hearings.
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Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 02:00
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
Court interpreters don't work in court only, they work with all legal or law enforcement matters.
What you describe is fiction, I am not sure who would be available for emergency calls at the running rates in real life. Eg. be woken in the middle of the night for 10 GBP.
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Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 01:00
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Lingua 5B wrote:
What you describe is fiction
Not unless the police documentaries I watch are fiction. But I'm not going to argue because clearly, you know better.
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Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 02:00
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
| Documentaries are always somewhat shaped and directed | Feb 16, 2023 |
Documentaries are better than fiction but less real that real life.
Yes, I know first-hand. I was court certified and I worked at the police, a lot. Meetings, witness interrogations, documentation, chief of police meetings, etc. Although possible, I am not aware the police is using other than court interpreters (this is also a security issue). There may be scenarios where some of them are assigned night shifts (probably their staff interpreters?) and then have to answer emergency ca... See more Documentaries are better than fiction but less real that real life.
Yes, I know first-hand. I was court certified and I worked at the police, a lot. Meetings, witness interrogations, documentation, chief of police meetings, etc. Although possible, I am not aware the police is using other than court interpreters (this is also a security issue). There may be scenarios where some of them are assigned night shifts (probably their staff interpreters?) and then have to answer emergency calls. I am not aware of this and only worked during the day. ▲ Collapse
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| Eye of the beholder | Feb 16, 2023 |
Lingua 5B wrote:
It’s paid $1/minute
That rate may be very attractive to immigrants when the only alternative may be working in fast food or a warehouse.
#costoflivingcrisis
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