Interpreters and Unfortunate Projects

Hello, I am Eririn (Eri Takase), representative of Bright Woman World and an interpreter.🌈

Are you familiar with the book series called 'Zannen na Ikimono Jiten' (The Encyclopedia of Unfortunate Creatures), which has been selling quite well? It introduces creatures that make humans wonder, 'Why did they evolve that way?' As we become adults, we tend to want clear reasons for things, like 'There's a reason for this!' or 'This will be useful in the future.'

However, I think it's okay if not everything has a reason, and it's also fine to realize 'Oh, there was a reason!' when looking back later.

Perhaps this 'Unfortunate' series is popular precisely because we live in a world where people try to find a reason for everything.

Also, as someone from the Kansai region, I sometimes think it's similar to the idea of turning things that didn't go well into a joke and laughing them off.

Until now, I have written on this note with the intention of being as helpful to others as possible, but I've decided that it might be nice to occasionally imitate this 'Unfortunate Creatures' series, write an 'Unfortunate Projects' series, and just laugh it off.

Especially when I was just starting out, I often felt down, thinking, 'Was there any point in taking this job?' because I spent more time waiting than actually interpreting.

But even if they are unfortunate, I don't believe there is any such thing as a wasted project. If you could laugh along with me, it would be the greatest honor for a Kansai native like me.🧡

The Interpreter as Insurance

Once, I received a request to provide language support at the award ceremony for the 'Kyoto Prize' (According to Wikipedia: Established in 1984, with awards beginning the following year. Every year, it honors individuals who have made outstanding and significant contributions in four award categories across three divisions: 'Advanced Technology,' 'Basic Sciences,' and 'Arts and Philosophy.' Recipients are presented with a Kyoto Prize medal, a diploma (a certificate inscribed by the head priest of Myoshin-ji Temple), and a cash prize of 100 million yen (50 million yen until 2017).).

When I looked into it further, the request was for me to sit behind the speaker the entire time during the Q&A session, just in case the speaker from overseas (likely from India🇮🇳) did not understand the intent of a question that had been simultaneously interpreted, and to interpret if anything came up.

?????????

Exactly, right? Even though there was simultaneous interpretation, how could that happen!?

I thought that, but since they asked me to be there just in case, I accepted.

The result?

As expected of a senior simultaneous interpreter (though I didn't know them personally), the session proceeded smoothly and concluded without incident.

All I did was explain how to wear the receiver and set the channel to listen to the simultaneous interpretation, and then I just held my breath like aKunoichi ninja...

But, as expected of the Kyoto Prize laureates' presentations! Before my 'Kunoichi session' began, I was listening to the presentations of these distinguished professors, and I was able to gain knowledge about cutting-edge technologies like AI, singularity, and deep learning for free📝 (or rather, I should have been paying them!💰)

If you were able to have a little chuckle, I would be happy if you could click the 💛 button. I would also be very happy if you let me know by the number of 'zabuton' cushions you give me.😊