Dilemma:
You are very good friends with a Deaf person who has a well-respected role and a high profile in the community. He uses interpreters a great deal in professional contexts. You frequently interpret for him in professional settings, but you do not work as an interpreter for him in regard to personal matters and nor does he ever request you to. However, an unfavourable medical diagnosis has recently come your friends way, and he is having trouble dealing with some issues. Whilst putting a brave public face on in his work and public life, you are aware he is having internal struggles, and he seeks counselling with an generic support service. He requests that under the circumstances you please consider interpreting for him on this occasion if he provides your name to the interpreter booking organisation, even though the matter is personal. He is uncomfortable with using other interpreters for such a highly intimate and private exchange with a counsellor where he is likely be in a very vulnerable state, knowing he will then have to use the same interpreters in his professional life - he trusts you and you are already aware of the circumstances anyway. You are both generally very good at managing personal and professional roles and usually have very clear boundaries - should you agree to this request, and would there need to be any particular proviso's in place if you did agree to interpret?"

Contributions from:
Dr Therese Pierce
Megan Munday
Julie Judd
Mark Quinn
Keiron Wood

Translation Trouble at Top Level Talks
BC Diplomatic Correspondent

Dilemma:
You get an emergency call to interpret for a Deaf person who has just admitted himself to a crisis unit. You arrive at the hospital and interpret for the Deaf man and the crisis worker. The crisis worker asks the man several questions, but the client refuses to answer her. Eventually the woman excuses herself to go and get another colleague. As soon as the door closes behind her, the Deaf client begins to "unload" on you.

Taster: Language and Interpreters
To English Word Order or not to English Word Order (Therese Pierce)

Why can some interpreters interpret in English word order and others not? But before we develop that, let's go back to the basic premise that once NAATI accreditation is received, that is the go ahead to work as an interpreter; however, it's not the end of the game, as some accredited interpreters would think it to be. Much depends on...

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