I’ve been working as an in-house Korean-English interpreter at a company for over 15 years now.
Unlike simultaneous interpretation, consecutive interpretation requires interpreters to take notes on what the speaker is saying in real-time. Then, based on these notes, they must interpret right after the speaker finishes.
If what the speaker says is too lengthy, it becomes hard to commit everything to memory. That’s why each interpreter uses their own symbols to take notes in their own way. They try to capture the essence to remember the original content and logic.
Each interpreter has their own set of symbols for notetaking. Of course, using too many symbols can lead to confusion instead. Such efficient notetaking is one of the essential skills for an interpreter.
commit - to actively put information in your memory or write it down
simultaneous - happening or being done at exactly the same time
consecutive - following one after another without an interruption
jot down - to write something quickly on a piece of paper so that you remember it
shorthand - a system of fast writing that uses lines and simple signs to represent words and phrases
나는 회사의 상근직 한영 통역사로 현재 15년 넘게 근무하는 중이다.
동시통역과는 다르게, 순차통역을 할 때는 통역사들이 연사가 하는 말을 실시간으로 메모해야 한다. 그러고 나서 그 메모를 기반으로 연사의 말이 끝나자마자 바로 통역을 해야 한다.
연사의 말이 너무 길면 내용을 전부 다 기억하기 힘들어진다. 때문에 통역사들은 각자 자신만의 방식으로 기호를 사용해서 노트테이킹을 한다. 원문의 내용과 논리를 기억하기 위하여 핵심을 포착하려고 노력한다.
통역사들마다 각자 노트테이킹에 사용하는 기호도 모두 다르다. 물론, 너무 많은 기호를 사용하면 오히려 혼선이 생길 수도 있다. 이러한 효율적인 노트테이킹 실력은 통역사의 핵심 역량 중 하나이다.
- It’s impossible to commit everything to memory in such a short time. / I tried to commit everything to memory, but there was too much.
- Having too many leaders in a group will lead to confusion. / Unclear instructions lead to confusion.
- Math is an essential skill for most engineering jobs. / Basic coding is an essential skill for new employees.
A: Interpreters seem to take a lot of notes when they work.
B: Yes, that’s right. They jot down what the speaker says.
A: So, they write everything in shorthand?
B: Not exactly. They create symbols to write down mostly the core content and logic.
A: Ah, I see.
B: That kind of notetaking is one of the essential skills for consecutive interpretation.
