[JIF2017] The Analog Approach in the Digital World: A Broadcast Interpreter’s Perspective

Sanae Shibahara

Sanae is a broadcast interpreter and a lecturer at Dokkyo University. She earned her Master’s degree from the University of London (London School of Economics) after graduating from Sophia University, and after a stint at BBC World in London, she currently interprets various programs on CNNj as well as CBS evening news. She is also a well-seasoned educator of aspiring young interpreters. Sanae has also written and published a number of books on interpreting and English learning.

The Analog Approach in the Digital World: A Broadcast Interpreter’s Perspective

Interpreters can generally prepare for business meetings or conferences days or even weeks ahead, but broadcast interpreters rarely have that luxury. Broadcast interpreters have little idea what will get covered in the news until the very last minute. That’s why it’s important to have a solid foundation of background knowledge. A wide array of information you stock up daily will ultimately determine the quality of your work.

This session will expose participants on specific preparation and information-gathering methods practiced by broadcast interpreters to get themselves ready for CNN and CBS programs. What you will find is that, even in the midst of a digital era, an analog perspective is quite useful and even necessary to be successful. One can still gain a lot from paper dictionaries, newspapers, AM radio, libraries, brick-and-motor bookstores, etc. This session is for everyone who is interested in broadcast interpreting or English learning techniques, and everyone else with love for learning new things.