Chapter 2: Interpretation and Contemporary Life

Переклад є не більш ніж гравюра; колорит неповторний.

П’єр Буаєт

2.1. XX century as a “golden age” of interpretation

XX century was truly the “golden age” of interpretation, which became rather important and widespread type of human activity due to rapid development, especially in the 1990s, of science and special appliances (equipment for consecutive interpretation, audio- and video apparatuses, computers, Internet, etc.)

In 1953 in Paris Pier François Cayes founded the International Federation of Interpreters (Federation Internationale des traducteurs – FIT), which unites the interpreters of more than 50 countries. FIT is a professional, nonpolitical, non-commercial organization, its goal being to unite interpretation organizations of different countries. Russia is a FIT member.

In the end of the XX century interpretation reached its peak of development, though, and the tendency to a definite decline of demand for traditional interpretation has evidently shaped. At the same time the sphere of high quality and special (economical, bank, juridical, etc.) interpretation, especially from new international languages, has a tendency to expansion and development.

Interest to studying the specifics of gaining skills of professional interpretation has not weakened, many non-humanitarian higher educational establishments in Ukraine and CIS have been founding courses and departments for training interpreters, specialists in a specific sector of economy in particular (law, business, economy, aviation, etc.)

2.2. Conference interpreting, professional training and diplomatic interpretation in XX century

Практично діяльність перекладача є успішною тоді, коли його не помічають. Чим менш помітною є індивідуальність перекладача, тим точнішим є переклад, чим чіткішою й спокійнішою є мова, тим менш він помітний, тим більш природним стає акт комунікації.

Г.В. Чернов

There are two types of conference interpreting – consecutive and simultaneous.

In consecutive interpreting the interpreter listens to the speaker, takes notes and renders the speech in the target language once the speaker has finished.

In simultaneous interpreting the interpreter sits in a booth overlooking the meeting room. The speeches given are interpreted simultaneously and relayed to delegates by means of the sound equipment.

It’s interesting to track shortly the period in the USSR since revolution in 1917. English writer-fantast H. Wells was communicating with Lenin without interpreter. In his book “Russia in Shadows” („Росія в імлі“) H. Wells wrote about his meeting with Lenin, highly educated person. He called him “Kremlin dreamer” who in contrast to his successors knew several European languages, could speak German, French and English, even in the most difficult situations.

At those times the connections of the USSR were comparatively limited, and still the translation department of the USSR MFA was created, founded in 1953 by personal instructions of V. M. Molotov (now Department of linguistic support of RF MFA).

In the 30th B. V. Stalin had not infrequent meetings with foreign guests, public figures, writers, including L. Feihtwanger, R. Rolland, etc. But only during the Great patriotic War international relations reached their unprecedented level.

For a long time a legendary interpreter V. M. Berezhkov became a “kagemushi-on pain of death” for Stalin. “Kagemushi” is a Japanese term, which means “an assistant of a warrior, his shadow, armor-bearer or sword-bearer, second ego. This notion may be referred to a personal interpreter of a state figure, who becomes his shadow, alter ego (but during negotiations, speeches his “shadow” comes out into the foreground. Before working in Kremlin he had been interpreting in Berlin for Ribbentrop, when that one declared war with the USSR, and earlier – for Hitler at the meeting with Molotov. After returning by roundabout ways from Berlin together with the personnel of the Soviet Embassy and trade delegates he was a participant of all meetings of the anti-Hitler coalition leaders.

“Kremlin tyrant” was very correct with his interpreters. His interpreters V. Berezhkov, O. Troyanovsky, and sinologist N. Fedorenko, who was working with Mao-Zedong. Being a bilingual Stalin could subconsciously understand cultural differences, understood difficulties in expressing thoughts in another language. He was even speaking “for translation” by short phrases; his speech was clear, articulate and measured; he formulated his thoughts clearly, too.

Sometimes Stalin entrusted V. Berezhkov imparting the information of top importance (e.g., to inform to the USA representative, that the USSR would enter into the war with Japan after defeating Hitler).

Moreover, Stalin spared Berezhkov, when it was found out, that his parents found themselves in the occupied territory and “exiled him not to Siberia, but only to the magazine “New Time”. Other interpreters were conferred battle decorations.

It was not difficult to interpret Stalin, it was just fearful, frightening. On the contrary expansive, charismatic, fidgety and restless M. S. Khrushchev was often putting his interpreters to nonplus, caused confusion. What did he do? He was putting aside his prepared speech and was improvising, juggling with fruity folk sayings, like “мы не ноздрями мух ловим”, “всяк кулик свое болото хвалит”, and even with unprintable passages. Interpreters had to get out of a difficulty, extricate themselves (виходити зі скрутного становища, викручуватись). The star of the outstanding interpreter V. Sukhodrev rose in the 1960s in Khrushchev’s time. Having spent his childhood in England, Sukhodrev was a brilliant interpreter with artistry, always slipping out from difficult situations. Therefore he wan Khrushchev and Kosygin’s favor, as well as other leaders but not of that top rank. His English was perfect (unblemished, unexceptionable) – both British and American, and besides his spell (charm, fascination, attraction), talents, resourcefulness and quick wit were just outstanding.

Mr. K., as they called M. S. Khrushchev in the West, could “blurt out, plump (out)” the things, which sometimes involved consequences, which the Soviet leader could hardly conjecture or foresee. His phrase “Мы вас похороним” caused shock. Khrushchev was trying to explain later, that he meant natural end of capitalism – socialism would outlive it, would attend a funeral of the “decaying regime” – but in vain. But it was socialism which began to decay – to be more precise “was becoming stagnant”, devoid of impulse of economical reforms, planned but never implemented.