[JIF2017] Learning from Figure Skating: “Perfect” Interpretation Considered

Miki Hirai

Miki actually started as a part-time translator for ESPN Sports Center as a college student and later found her way into the world of interpreting. She went on to interpret in telecasts of MLB, NBA, NFL, among others for NHK, and after spending some time as an in-house interpreter at an ad agency, she is currently a freelance broadcast and conference interpreter covering a wide range of fields & modes including news, international relations, security, corporate acquisition and merger, entertainment, and even the English channel of sumo wrestling telecasts. She frequently interprets for the Japan Skating Federation. Miki is also involved in activities to market Japan to the rest of the world, speech coaching, and media training.

Learning from Figure Skating: “Perfect” Interpretation Considered

The term “sports interpreting” does itself such injustice, because the world of sports is exceedingly vast. For example, figure skating with is grace and beauty leaves the audience in a silent awe, while football inevitably draws oohs and aahs with its stunning display of individual techniques and organizational cohesiveness. Sports interpreters must be able to convey the message of athletes accurately, and that often means reading into what is unsaid, aside from understanding rules and terminology. Sports interpreting comes with more traps and pitfalls than one might imagine. This session will look at actual interview clips, and participants will have a chance to do some practice on their own.

-How to get your foot in the door
-Prerequisites and conditions
-Typical comments athletes make
-Sports politics and diplomacy
-What we can learn from athletes
-Impact of social media
-Case studies

The session will focus on figure skating in particular to consider how best to render our words in a way that satisfies medalists, star athletes, competitors at large, and ultimately all sports around the world.