From Paris to Nuremberg: The birth of conference interpreting

279 Pages·2014·1.273 MB·English

by  Jesús Baigorri-Jalón, Holly Mikkelson, Barry Slaughter Olsen

From Paris to Nuremberg
Benjamins Translation Library (BTL)
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translation, audio-description, transcreation, transediting, conference interpreting, and
interpreting in community settings in the spoken and signed modalities.
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University of Turku University of Vienna Tel Aviv University
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Binghamton University Charles University of Prague Bogaziçi University
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Volume 111
From Paris to Nuremberg. The birth of conference interpreting
by Jesús Baigorri-Jalón
From Paris to Nuremberg
The birth of conference interpreting
Jesús Baigorri-Jalón
University of Salamanca
Translated by
Holly Mikkelson and Barry Slaughter Olsen
Monterey Institute of International Studies
John Benjamins Publishing Company
Amsterdam / Philadelphia
TM The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of
8
the American National Standard for Information Sciences – Permanence
of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ansi z39.48-1984.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Baigorri Jalón, Jesús.
[Paris à Nuremberg. English]
From Paris to Nuremberg : The birth of conference interpreting / Jesús Baigorri-Jalón.
p. cm. (Benjamins Translation Library, issn 0929-7316 ; v. 111)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Translating and interpreting--History--20th century. 2. Congresses and conventions-
-Translating services--History--20th century. 3. International agencies--
Translating services--Europe--History--20th century. 4. Paris Peace Conference
(1919-1920) 5. Nuremberg Trial of Major German War Criminals, Nuremberg,
Germany, 1945-1946. I. Mikkelson, Holly, translator.
P306.2.B3413 2014
418’.020904--dc23 2014011199
isbn 978 90 272 5851 9 (Hb ; alk. paper)
isbn 978 90 272 6997 3 (Eb)
© 2014 – John Benjamins B.V.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by print, photoprint, microfilm, or any
other means, without written permission from the publisher.
John Benjamins Publishing Co. · P.O. Box 36224 · 1020 me Amsterdam · The Netherlands
John Benjamins North America · P.O. Box 27519 · Philadelphia pa 19118-0519 · usa
Table of contents
Preface 1
Translators’ foreword 5
Introduction 9
Chapter I
The Paris Peace Conference of 1919 15
1.1 Introduction 15
1.2 Background of the Conference and general procedural aspects 17
1.3 The language question 19
1.3.1 The languages of diplomacy 19
1.3.2 The battle of the languages: The end of the French monopoly
and its consequences 20
1.4 The interpreting at the Peace Conference 25
1.4.1 World War I as a school of interpreting 26
1.4.2 The Interpreters at the Peace Conference 31
1.4.2.1 Paul Mantoux 32
1.4.2.2 Gustave Camerlynck 33
1.4.2.3 Stephen Bonsal 34
1.4.2.4 Other interpreters 35
1.4.3 The interpreting process 39
1.4.3.1 The functions of the interpreter and the modes
of interpreting 39
1.4.3.2 The task of interpreting 41
1.4.3.3 Working conditions 46
1.4.4 The evaluation of the interpreting 49
1.5 Recapitulation 53
Chapter II
The splendor of consecutive interpreting, the interwar period 57
2.1 The League of Nations and other international bodies 57
2.1.1 The language question 60
2.1.1.1 The battle between French and English 61
2.1.1.2 Languages in other organizations 66
2.1.1.3 Esperanto as an alternative? 69
vi From Paris to Nuremberg: The birth of conference interpreting
2.2 The interpreters at the international organizations 71
2.2.1 Introduction: The interpreter’s work and aptitudes 72
2.2.2 The interpreters at the League of Nations 75
2.2.2.1 Staff interpreters 76
2.2.2.2 Freelance interpreters 94
2.3 Interpreting in other organizations 103
2.4 Methods of work 108
2.4.1 The splendor of consecutive 111
2.4.1.1 Acoustic conditions 112
2.4.1.2 Accents 115
2.4.1.3 Subject-matter knowledge 117
2.4.1.4 Types of meetings 118
2.4.1.5 The users of the interpreting 120
2.4.1.6 Note-taking 124
2.4.1.7 The interpreter as more than a linguistic bridge 126
2.4.1.8 Quality control and the interpreter as scapegoat 127
2.5 Recapitulation 129
Chapter III
The birth of simultaneous interpretation 133
3.1 Simultaneous interpretation tests at the ILO and LON 133
3.1.1 The first proposals 133
3.1.2 Simultaneous tests at the ILO 136
3.1.3 Simultaneous interpreting tests at the League of Nations 149
3.2 Recapitulation 164
Chapter IV
The interpreters of the dictators 165
4.1 Introduction 165
4.1.1 The dictators 166
4.1.2 The interpreters 168
4.2 The interpreters’ training 175
4.2.1 Languages 176
4.2.2 Topics discussed 179
4.2.3 Psychological preparation 180
4.2.4 Gaining the principal’s trust 182
4.2.5 Rapport with the principal 186
4.3 Interpreting practice 188
4.3.1 Schedules and fatigue 189
4.3.2 Formats of interpretation 190
Table of contents vii
4.3.3 Modes of interpreting 193
4.4 The status of the interpreters 198
4.4.1 Association with the leader’s political regime 199
4.4.2 Tasks beyond interpretation 202
4.4.3 Compensation 204
4.5 Recapitulation 208
Chapter V
Nuremberg, simultaneous interpreting comes of age 211
5.1 Introduction 211
5.2 The language barrier at Nuremberg 213
5.2.1 The technical equipment: Cords and microphones 216
5.2.2 The interpreters 218
5.2.2.1 The selection 219
5.2.2.2 The training 224
5.2.2.3 The interpreting procedure 227
5.2.2.4 Working conditions 233
5.3 Notes for a sociology of interpreters 235
5.4 Recapitulation 241
Conclusions 247
Bibliography 255
Index 265

Preface
Globalization, a defining phenomenon of the twentieth century, is characterized
by shrinking time and space and vanishing borders. Indeed, globalization has sped
up our means of transportation, allowed us to become more mobile, and fostered
greater understanding between peoples. It is reflected in the proliferation of inter-
national forums, a greater range of debate among experts, and dialogue between
states. It has paved the way for deeper integration of national economies, markets,
technologies, and even ideas, as well as, to a certain extent, cultural expression.
In short, globalization is the advent of the global village that the Canadian essay-
ist Marshall McLuhan predicted. But those who control the destiny of this large
village do not all speak the same language. Its leaders, international officials, and
experts interminably generate idle diplomatic, political, and economic discourse,
and yet, they understand one another. Or, at least, it is possible for them to com-
municate, because to satisfy this new-felt need, globalization gave birth to a new
profession: conference interpreting.
Interpretation has existed for thousands of years, in all likelihood first appear-
ing in Mesopotamia; however, conference interpreting is a product of the twentieth
century. In this work, the author contends that it debuted in Europe, specifically in
Paris, at the first large-scale multilateral conference, the Peace Conference of 1919.
(Here his position differs from that of other authors who point to the Congress of
Berlin in 1878 as the dawn of the profession.) This would mean that conference in-
terpreting is just under 100 years old. A young profession that did not exist before
the end of World War I, it flourished as the concept of a single diplomatic language
perished. In the West, French, the language of the powerful and prestigious Sun
King, Louis XIV, had displaced Latin in the eighteenth century as the language of
diplomacy. Ironically, it was in Paris that French lost its privileged status as the
language of the diplomats. From then on, conference interpreting placed all lan-
guages on an equal footing. In a way, it is a profession that promotes democracy
and respect for linguistic diversity.
This book skillfully describes the origins and distinctive features of conference
interpreting, which is practiced in two main modes: consecutive and simultane-
ous. The title of this book could have been From Notepads to Interpreting Booths.
Gifted with an exceptional skill for languages, the people who lend their voices