t.me/PROFESSIONALS_cefr page 13 When it comes to negotiation, the interpreters and translators are needed. Interpreters
and translators aid communication by converting messages or text from one language into
another language. Although some people do both, interpreting and translating are different
professions: interpreters work with spoken communication, and translators work with
written communication. The selection of interpreters and translators is critical. Both the
loyalty and accuracy of the interpreters and translators must be put at the top of agenda.
Thus, loyalty to the speaker and the original appears to be a hallmark of professionals more
so than of amateurs.
Who can judge the performance of the interpreters? A person with language proficiency is
needed in the negotiating team to check on the interpreters, guaranteeing the quality and
accuracy of the interpretation. Listeners are presumably listening only to the output and as
such not aware of the structure of the source speech. Only an experienced expert will
understand the constraints of any given situation and be in a position to judge. Only she (or
he) can assess just how the speed, density and complexity of the speech will affect
interpretation in any particular language combination. And even this task is not easy:
interpreters are trained to listen and speak at the same time, not to listen to two different
audio streams. Therefore, the check-on is best accomplished by those trained to teach or
with enough experience to have mastered this skill.
Businesses may ask help from local consultants who are responsible for hiring local workers
or train company managers to deal with local consumers. That was the case with
CommScope, a multibillion dollar telecom equipment manufacturer with customers,
employees, and partners in 18 countries across the world. In the wake of these
transactions, the company began offering Jacqueline K. Crofton, a local resident, language
training to key employees and executives. The goal of the training was not to make
employees fluent in the new language, as much as to give them a degree of functional
proficiency. "In order to advance well in new markets and with new customers, we had to
be able to at least understand and communicate at a basic level, even with the use of
interpreters," says David Hartsoe, manager of CommScope's Global Learning Center. In the
long run, effective communication will definitely help their employees stay positive and
productive.