ATA Interpreters Division

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United Nations Interpreters: An insider’s view – Part 4

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In the fourth and final part of Sheila’s bird’s eye view of what it’s like to be a UN interpreter, she addresses mastering sight translation of complex written speeches and practicing interpreting “densely drafted speech.”  Just another technique UN interpreters develop in their training, which requires tons of practice. I hope you’ve enjoyed this series of articles about … [Read more...]

United Nations Interpreters: An insider’s view – Part 3

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In part 3 of Sheila’s first-hand account of life as a UN interpreter, she takes us through the fundamental objective of our profession—communication—through the UN lens, and also addresses the traditional interpreter–client relationship in the same setting. Stay tuned for the conclusion in part 4!  Aleyna Maria Tusa, Contributing Editor   Read Part 1 | Part 2 | … [Read more...]

United Nations Interpreters: An insider’s view – Part 2

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The second part of Sheila Shermet’s reporting regarding UN interpreting is here! It focuses on the four main UN duty stations around the world with resident teams of staff interpreters and the substantive work of each. Sheila’s first article, published last year, was one of our most read articles, and this one is sure not to disappoint. Enjoy learning more about UN … [Read more...]

United Nations: The Language Competitive Examination (LCE)

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  By Maha El-Metwally To become a staff interpreter at the United Nations, one must pass the Language Competitive Examination (LCE). This exam has always had a low pass rate that seldom exceeded 20%. With many staff interpreters retiring by 2018, a shortage of qualified interpreters in certain language combinations exists and needs to be addressed. This led the UN to … [Read more...]

United Nations Interpreters: An insider’s view

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Have you ever wondered what it is like to work for the UN? Sheila Shermet, a veteran UN interpreter, shares an insider’s view in this first of several articles focusing on how things work at the UN, its duty stations around the world, resident teams of staff interpreters, the different interpretation techniques used and much more. Enjoy being a fly on the … [Read more...]