When your translation gone wrong!
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Falah Mustafa Bakir (R) interpreting for Massoud Barzani and U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter, Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, 2016. Photo: Reuters
[size=11]Dr. Kamal Bewar | Exclusive to Ekurd.net[/size]
After Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, I had a privilege to serve the US government high ranking officials as a translator/interpreter and an advisor. During my two year service I went through different experiences; some were tough and some were rewarding! Nevertheless, I enjoyed being a part of history.
These first two years were a critical part of the political process in Iraq. Many landmark decisions concerning Iraq were made One such event was that, for the first time, Iraqis held their free election. Some of the decisions were critical to the Kurds in particular. For many Iraqis, in particular for the Kurds, it was a new era full of hopes and promises. As I heard many times from ordinary Iraqi citizens, “finally freedom prevailed!”
Working as a translator or interpreter is not an easy job, especially, when you have to perform such tasks, interpreting and translating to high ranking officials and government dignitaries. . You are expected to be professional and competent enough to assume your daily responsibilities and do an exceptional job. However, sometimes no matter how professional and how skillful you are, things do not go as you planned or would have liked. On a couple of occasions, I went through an unusually difficult situation that caused some embarrassment. Nevertheless, I used these encounters to gain knowledge and be better prepared for the next time.
One the hardest tasks was doing simultaneous interpretation. Sometimes, the words or phrases cannot easily be translated. When it comes to simultaneous interpretation, someone I always admired is Mr. Fallah Mustafa Bakir. I have never seen anyone as proficient as Mr. Fallah. I learned a great deal from him.
In 2004, when Mr. Barzani (the current KRG president) and Mr. Talabani (the former Iraqi president) both were invited to attend a meeting with Mr. Paul Bremer (Administrator of the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq) and Jeremy Greenstock (UK Special Representative in Iraq) in Erbil at the Khanzad hotel to discuss the Temporary Administrative Law (TAL), I, along with another colleague who was a US diplomat at the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) office in Erbil, was given the task to arrange their meeting room. From the US and CPA office, I was the Primary translator and interpreter.
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From left: Paul Bremer, Jalal Talabani and Massoud Barzani. Photo: Ekurd/Wikipedia/Reuters/Farhad Ahmad
After their meeting, high ranking officials were in the front of the building to speak to the press. Mr. Bremer called me to interpret what Mr. Talabani was saying and translate his interview with the press. I was nervous because, I was not expecting to do any interpretation for Mr. Bremer with countless cameras facing me. I was drenched with sweat. Mr. Bremer start talking about the Kirkuk situation and its security, along with some of the points about were TAL. Also, Mr. Talabani start speaking to the press, and I had to interpret his Kurdish statements.
However, during his interview, Mr. Bremer mentioned the Iraqi Federal Government. When I interpreted his phrase, I forgot to say Iraqi Federal Government. Mr. Talabani interrupted me and corrected my interpretation by saying, “Iraqi Federal Government”. I knew this phrase was important to mention, in particular, for a Kurdish leader like Mr. Talabani. However, by correcting my translation, Mr. Talabani added further nervousness to my status, and I started sweating even harder. This part of my personal translation history still haunts me today. When I think about my past working as a translator or interpreter, this event always hits me back like a needle, remembering how difficult simultaneous interpretation can be.
On another occasion, I was interpreting for Mr. Kosrat and my boss, Mr. Chat, who was in charge of the US Embassy in Kirkuk. During their conversation, Mr. Kosrat talked about Bill Clinton. In his statement, he said Mr. Clinton had great charisma. He repeated that word couple times, and unfortunately I still did not get it. Eventually, Mr. Chat said, “oh I understand what you are saying, Mr. Clinton had a political charisma”. Be honest. As an interpreter, I was very embarrassed by not getting this word sooner and my boss jumping in with the correction.
These two occasions have been on my mind since 2003-2004, remembering how unprepared I was during these two occasions After what happened, I tried very hard to prepare myself for unexpected situations or topics that may come up during my translation/ interpretation.
[size=13]Dr. Kamal Bewar was born in Kurdistan of Iraq. He migrated to the United States as a refugee. As a minority, he faced different challenges during his enrollment in post-secondary education. Attempts were made by people who intentionally tried to hinder his progress and impede his educational achievement and goals. However, at the same time, there were people who generously supported him and extended their hands to make sure he attained his educational dreams. Dr. Bewar is a contributing writer for Ekurd.net. For more see below. [/size]
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Falah Mustafa Bakir (R) interpreting for Massoud Barzani and U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter, Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, 2016. Photo: Reuters
[size=11]Dr. Kamal Bewar | Exclusive to Ekurd.net[/size]
After Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, I had a privilege to serve the US government high ranking officials as a translator/interpreter and an advisor. During my two year service I went through different experiences; some were tough and some were rewarding! Nevertheless, I enjoyed being a part of history.
These first two years were a critical part of the political process in Iraq. Many landmark decisions concerning Iraq were made One such event was that, for the first time, Iraqis held their free election. Some of the decisions were critical to the Kurds in particular. For many Iraqis, in particular for the Kurds, it was a new era full of hopes and promises. As I heard many times from ordinary Iraqi citizens, “finally freedom prevailed!”
Working as a translator or interpreter is not an easy job, especially, when you have to perform such tasks, interpreting and translating to high ranking officials and government dignitaries. . You are expected to be professional and competent enough to assume your daily responsibilities and do an exceptional job. However, sometimes no matter how professional and how skillful you are, things do not go as you planned or would have liked. On a couple of occasions, I went through an unusually difficult situation that caused some embarrassment. Nevertheless, I used these encounters to gain knowledge and be better prepared for the next time.
One the hardest tasks was doing simultaneous interpretation. Sometimes, the words or phrases cannot easily be translated. When it comes to simultaneous interpretation, someone I always admired is Mr. Fallah Mustafa Bakir. I have never seen anyone as proficient as Mr. Fallah. I learned a great deal from him.
In 2004, when Mr. Barzani (the current KRG president) and Mr. Talabani (the former Iraqi president) both were invited to attend a meeting with Mr. Paul Bremer (Administrator of the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq) and Jeremy Greenstock (UK Special Representative in Iraq) in Erbil at the Khanzad hotel to discuss the Temporary Administrative Law (TAL), I, along with another colleague who was a US diplomat at the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) office in Erbil, was given the task to arrange their meeting room. From the US and CPA office, I was the Primary translator and interpreter.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
From left: Paul Bremer, Jalal Talabani and Massoud Barzani. Photo: Ekurd/Wikipedia/Reuters/Farhad Ahmad
After their meeting, high ranking officials were in the front of the building to speak to the press. Mr. Bremer called me to interpret what Mr. Talabani was saying and translate his interview with the press. I was nervous because, I was not expecting to do any interpretation for Mr. Bremer with countless cameras facing me. I was drenched with sweat. Mr. Bremer start talking about the Kirkuk situation and its security, along with some of the points about were TAL. Also, Mr. Talabani start speaking to the press, and I had to interpret his Kurdish statements.
However, during his interview, Mr. Bremer mentioned the Iraqi Federal Government. When I interpreted his phrase, I forgot to say Iraqi Federal Government. Mr. Talabani interrupted me and corrected my interpretation by saying, “Iraqi Federal Government”. I knew this phrase was important to mention, in particular, for a Kurdish leader like Mr. Talabani. However, by correcting my translation, Mr. Talabani added further nervousness to my status, and I started sweating even harder. This part of my personal translation history still haunts me today. When I think about my past working as a translator or interpreter, this event always hits me back like a needle, remembering how difficult simultaneous interpretation can be.
On another occasion, I was interpreting for Mr. Kosrat and my boss, Mr. Chat, who was in charge of the US Embassy in Kirkuk. During their conversation, Mr. Kosrat talked about Bill Clinton. In his statement, he said Mr. Clinton had great charisma. He repeated that word couple times, and unfortunately I still did not get it. Eventually, Mr. Chat said, “oh I understand what you are saying, Mr. Clinton had a political charisma”. Be honest. As an interpreter, I was very embarrassed by not getting this word sooner and my boss jumping in with the correction.
These two occasions have been on my mind since 2003-2004, remembering how unprepared I was during these two occasions After what happened, I tried very hard to prepare myself for unexpected situations or topics that may come up during my translation/ interpretation.
[size=13]Dr. Kamal Bewar was born in Kurdistan of Iraq. He migrated to the United States as a refugee. As a minority, he faced different challenges during his enrollment in post-secondary education. Attempts were made by people who intentionally tried to hinder his progress and impede his educational achievement and goals. However, at the same time, there were people who generously supported him and extended their hands to make sure he attained his educational dreams. Dr. Bewar is a contributing writer for Ekurd.net. For more see below. [/size]
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