[JITF2020] Understanding and Promoting the Value of Interpreting in an Uncertain World

Jonathan Downie

Dr Jonathan Downie is a consultant conference interpreter (French<>English) and interpreting researcher based in Edinburgh, Scotland. As well as co-hosting the popular Troublesome Terps podcast with Alexander Drechsel, Alexander Gansmeier and Sarah Hickey, he has written two books. Being a Successful Interpreter: Adding Value and Delivering Excellence (Routledge, 2016) sought to bridge the gap between research and practice in interpreting. Interpreters vs Machines: Can interpreters survive in an AI-dominated world? (Routledge, 2019) took on the question of whether machines will soon replace human interpreters. He also runs the Inside Interpreting YouTube channel.

Understanding and Promoting the Value of Interpreting in an Uncertain World

With clients looking to cut costs on one side and machine interpreting growing in power and importance on the other, it might seem like interpreters face an uncertain future. Yet, anyone who ventures into the world of our clients and attends their events will find that there are new opportunities to provide excellent interpreting for people who value it. Based on cutting-edge research and real-life experience, this talk will walk through the importance of three key shifts we need to make to survive and thrive: the need to understand how clients perceive the value of our work, the importance of spending time in their world, and the requirement to change how we view our work so we can show clients the difference we make. The only workable answer to technological and social changes is to change our own approach. This presentation will explain why and how we can do that effectively.

Japan Interpreting and Translation Forum 2020 (Japanese only)