Training as a conference interpreter Thread poster: Olaf Reibedanz
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Olaf Reibedanz 
Colombia
Local time: 20:15
Member (2003)
English to German
+ ...
Hi everybody,
Having worked exclusively as a translator during the past three years I am now thinking of complementing this career with work as an interpreter.
For this purpose I just had a look at the AIIC webpage (http://www.aiic.net/ViewPage.cfm/article259) and I saw that there is quite a wide range of one or two year degrees in conference interpretation, directed... See more Hi everybody,
Having worked exclusively as a translator during the past three years I am now thinking of complementing this career with work as an interpreter.
For this purpose I just had a look at the AIIC webpage (http://www.aiic.net/ViewPage.cfm/article259) and I saw that there is quite a wide range of one or two year degrees in conference interpretation, directed at people with B.A. or Masters degrees from various disciplines.
In this regard I have a fundamental question: would it be a great advantage to take a course at an institution recognized by AIIC? If this is the case, I would be particularly interested in the following schools:
École Supérieure d'Interprètes et de Traducteurs, ESIT (http://www.univ-paris3.fr/esit/interpretation.html)
Institut de Traducteurs, d’Interprètes et de Relations Internationales, ITIRI (http://u2.u-strasbg.fr/itiri/navigation_trad.html)
Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz (http://www.fask.uni-mainz.de/ze/dolm/makd.html)
Ecole de traduction et d’interprétation de l’Université de Genève (ETI)
(http://www.unige.ch/eti/)
What do you think about these four options? Are the courses comparable in terms of quality and international recognition? Have any of you studied at one of these schools and what were your experiences?
Many thanks in advance for all advice and information!
Kind regards,
Olaf ▲ Collapse
| | | | sarahl (X)
Local time: 18:15
English to French
+ ...
| good schools | Jun 25, 2004 |
Hi Olaf,
since you have French in your combination, have you considered IPLV in Angers, France ?
As far as I'm concerned, it's the best school in France.
Sarah
| | | | Williamson
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:15
Flemish to English
+ ...
1)Ecole de traduction et d’interprétation de l’Université de Genève (ETI)
(http://www.unige.ch/eti/)
Admission tests:
Number of applicants : 100
Number of applicants who succeeded written admission tests : about 20
Number of applicants, who will succeed in oral tests: about half (estimate)/number of languages offered by that school equals a limited number of people admitted.... See more 1)Ecole de traduction et d’interprétation de l’Université de Genève (ETI)
(http://www.unige.ch/eti/)
Admission tests:
Number of applicants : 100
Number of applicants who succeeded written admission tests : about 20
Number of applicants, who will succeed in oral tests: about half (estimate)/number of languages offered by that school equals a limited number of people admitted.
The AIIC-HQ is in the same town. Supplier to the international organizations in that city. You'd better start preparing now to pass next year's tests.
Translation and interpreting into your mayor language offered.
2)École Supérieure d'Interprètes et de Traducteurs, ESIT (http://www.univ-paris3.fr/esit/interpretation.html)
Very selective also. Into French only.
3)Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz (http://www.fask.uni-mainz.de/ze/dolm/makd.html)
4)Institut de Traducteurs, d’Interprètes et de Relations Internationales, ITIRI (http://u2.u-strasbg.fr/itiri/navigation_trad.html)
For schools: www.ciuti.org and the AIIC-classification.
Thanks for: http://www.fask.uni-mainz.de/ze/dolm/pdf/traduc-int-de.pdf
Very useful indeed
[Edited at 2004-06-26 07:02]
[Edited at 2004-06-26 07:02] ▲ Collapse
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Hi!
I have just finished the EMCI at the University of Westminster in London. The course is extremely demanding and quite expensive, but you can be sure the preparation you get here is top class. It does not mean you become an interpreter straight away, like everywhere. It is a long process...
It is very focused on the UE, so it depends on your interests (you might prefer the UN, so Geneva is better).
Have a look at this ... See more Hi!
I have just finished the EMCI at the University of Westminster in London. The course is extremely demanding and quite expensive, but you can be sure the preparation you get here is top class. It does not mean you become an interpreter straight away, like everywhere. It is a long process...
It is very focused on the UE, so it depends on your interests (you might prefer the UN, so Geneva is better).
Have a look at this sites: http://www.emcinterpreting.net/default.htm
http://www.wmin.ac.uk/page-1582-coursecode=5201
If you need more info, just ask. I loved the course and interpreting is just what I want to do in life.
Paola ▲ Collapse
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Karin Walker (X)
Germany
Local time: 03:15
German to English
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| School must offer realistic/profitable options | Jun 28, 2004 |
Hi Olaf,
One tip I could give you is that you make sure the school of your choice offers the right language directions/combinations. I am saying this because a colleague of mine has found that she finds very little work on the open market as she attended a school that offers target language-centred combinations (i.e. French and German to English, but not out of English into the other languages), not knowing that the open market hardly supports these combinations.
This ... See more Hi Olaf,
One tip I could give you is that you make sure the school of your choice offers the right language directions/combinations. I am saying this because a colleague of mine has found that she finds very little work on the open market as she attended a school that offers target language-centred combinations (i.e. French and German to English, but not out of English into the other languages), not knowing that the open market hardly supports these combinations.
This is not necessarily a bad thing if you end up working for a large organisation like the EU or the UN as interpreters there are expected to work from a fair number of C ('passive') languages into their A ('active' or mother tongue) language, but not the other way round, AFAIK. In my experience the open market is a tough environment for anyone who can't offer A to A or at least A to B combinations (German/English and vice versa, for instance) because clients will not be willing to pay for one booth for one direction and yet another for the other direction. Also, not offering bi-directional interpretation will almost automatically disqualify you from interpreting at meetings etc. where participants tend to switch back and forth a lot.
If you want to freelance successfully, make sure you have at least one bi-directional combination to offer; and your school of choice should offer that combination too. A CIUTI-accredited school that offers 'bilingual' streams is Heriot-Watt in Edinburgh (www.hw.ac.uk), for German, French, Russian or Spanish in combination with English. They run a 9 month or one year postgrad course which also includes translation.
Good luck. ▲ Collapse
| | | | translatol
Local time: 02:15
Spanish to English
+ ...
| AIIC approved interpretation schools | Jun 29, 2004 |
Olaf Reibedanz wrote: Hi everybody, Having worked exclusively as a translator during the past three years I am now thinking of complementing this career with work as an interpreter. For this purpose I just had a look at the AIIC webpage ( http://www.aiic.net/ViewPage.cfm/article259) and I saw that there is quite a wide range of one or two year degrees in conference interpretation, directed at people with B.A. or Masters degrees from various disciplines. In this regard I have a fundamental question: would it be a great advantage to take a course at an institution recognized by AIIC? If this is the case, I would be particularly interested in the following schools: École Supérieure d\'Interprètes et de Traducteurs, ESIT ( http://www.univ-paris3.fr/esit/interpretation.html) Institut de Traducteurs, d’Interprètes et de Relations Internationales, ITIRI ( http://u2.u-strasbg.fr/itiri/navigation_trad.html) Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz ( http://www.fask.uni-mainz.de/ze/dolm/makd.html) Ecole de traduction et d’interprétation de l’Université de Genève (ETI) ( http://www.unige.ch/eti/) What do you think about these four options? Are the courses comparable in terms of quality and international recognition? Have any of you studied at one of these schools and what were your experiences? Many thanks in advance for all advice and information! Kind regards, Olaf
Yes, it\'s an advantage to go to schools recognised by AIIC because AIIC recognition in itself gives prestige and a guarantee of quality. Also many of the AIIC members whom you\'ll meet in the profession have been through them, so those schools indirectly give you entry to a kind of \'old school tie\' network. But that does NOT mean there aren\'t good schools that are not on the AIIC list, especially since - as AIIC explains on its web site - compilation of the list was dependent on the schools returning a questionnaire.
So the schools you mention are all prestigious. Geneva is the most famous OUTSIDE the profession, but that has to do with its 60-year history. Of course Geneva, ESIT and Strasbourg are particularly strong in French, and Mainz in German.
My qualifications? I used to be a conference interpreter (now retired) and taught interpreting for many years in one of the other schools on the AIIC list.
The best of luck in your endeavour.
Translatol
| | | | Parrot
Spain
Local time: 03:15
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Choose a school that has a strong foundation in your own mother language | Jun 29, 2004 |
Since conference interpreting is done mainly into the mother language, you would have to get updated information on that score. One way is to find out who will be on the faculty the year you intend to take the course.
| | | | Olaf Reibedanz
Colombia
Local time: 20:15
Member (2003)
English to German
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Many thanks! | Jun 29, 2004 |
Thank you, all of you - now I have a much clearer picture!
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