LetsTalk

I had been studying at the Training Center for Interpreters of  UWED for two years prior to my arrival to Japan. Now I go on my studies of the field in the capacity of an exchange student at the University of  Tsukuba. I’m so excited to be able to do the same subject in two different countries for I have an excellent opportunity for a double edged enrichment. Firstly I’d like to say a few words about the University I find myself in at this point. This is one of the leading Universities in Japan. It is famous for its schools of science, information technology, engineering and medicine. It has a big number of various schools and colleges offering interesting programs to their students. Social life of students is conveniently taking place in all kinds of clubs and facilities available on the campus. This University is also famous for its extracurricular programs. Actually, I found interpreting courses in the body of these programs.  UWED and Tsukuba University have a lot of differences. Interpretation is not an exception too. Thus, for instance, assessment policy and the methods of teaching vary greatly. In contrast to the TCI, interpretation classes at Tsukuba University are extracurricular. It means that the classes do not comprise an integral unity with the regular course of study; rather, students may join the courses on their wish and the results are not being assessed. While describing TCI UWED, one must mention the fact that it is not easy to join the Center: students must prove their excellent command of their A and B languages. They also must demonstrate diligence, quick reaction and flexibility as well as ability and desire to continuously upgrade their knowledge and skills – features essential for every interpreter.  Secondly in contradistinction to the TCI, the interpretation center at the Japanese University does not hold student conferences at which they practice interpreting. However, students have plenty of opportunities to partake in various conferences and workshops organized by the University, where they are able to meet professional interpreters, see them at work and sometimes have a chance to communicate with them.I was trained to interpret from English into Russian and also practiced retour interpreting (interpreting from my mother tongue into the second language) at the TCI. In Japan I faced a new challenge of working in two foreign languages – English and Japanese. It is quiet an interesting experience indeed. It isn’t easy, but – very useful. It makes you pull yourself together and use all interpretation techniques you gained in the course of your training. This is where the knowledge and skills that I got at TCI came in really handy. Moreover, I came to appreciate the full value of so called tools of interpreters, such as reformulation, anticipation, simplification, generalization, the usage of pat phrases etc.As for the similarities, my interpretation courses both in Uzbekistan and  Japan follow the same general approach: an interpreter’s job is not to give a verbatim translation  from one language into another. Rather, an interpreter should be able to listen to the speaker in an analytical way, i.e. be quick in the uptake,  get the main idea of the message and carefully, not loosing its logic and principal details, deliver it to the audience in a style similar to the style of the source speech.In conclusion I’d like to say that I like to study interpreting in spite of  the place I find myself in. I’m sure interpretation provides an opportunity to view the world from different perspectives. You elaborate the ability to express yourself in a more logical way, you become frugal in the usage of words while reflecting ideas, you develop your novel talents and are able to combine two excellent aptitudes:  of  a rhetorician and  an interpreter. I shouldn’t forget to mention one more feature of interpreting –  the pleasure of doing this job in spite of its challenges.  No doubt, it has something to do with the art of acting. Isn’t it wonderful! I wish good luck to all students of  TCI UWED, my course mates at Tsukuba University and to everyone who is going to be a part of this interesting world of interpreting.

Madina Hamidova

Tsukubsa University

Guest student

G.Abdullajanova     –     What do you think about the state of interpreting in Uzbekistan (education, professional activity of interpreters etc.)?

A.Khashimov            –       Lie of the land? Until recently, the profession of interpreter almost didn’t exist in our country. Everything started after first days of independence, because, before that, there wasn’t any need in interpreters in Uzbekistan, as serious events which needed simultaneous interpreting weren’t held in our country. After gaining independence, Uzbekistan turned into a real political and cultural center and different conferences on an international  scale started  taking place in the country. This is when a great demand for interpreters came to the fore. They needed not just interpreters but  high class ones . In fact, these conferences didn’t differ much from those which were held in New York, Paris or Tokyo. At that time, there was a group of enthusiasts who had been working independently and studied so called “secrets of simultaneous interpreting” and they could more or less work in this sphere, but there were very few of them. Read more

TCI UWED has launched a program designated to unite efforts of those who are  interested in interpreting,  in increasing their knowledge of English, as well as in enhancing public speaking mastery  on the way to gain necessary skills and reach good results. As part of this program, TCI UWED organizes  annual student conferences on different topics, which are held in English and simultaneously interpreted into Russian and Uzbek by our students. So far about 10 Universities of Tashkent are participating in these conferences. Read more

The program took place at the Graduate School of Interpreters and Translators (GSIT) at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (Seoul, South Korea) from September 12 up to 26, 2014. It was organized and sponsored by KOICA (Korean International Cooperation Agency).

9 teachers (Bakhodir Samadov, Yelena Borisova, Anakhita Narzillayeva, Dilfuza Abbasova, Dilfuza Tashpulatova, Alisher Khamidov, Djamilya Abduganiyeva, Dilfuza Inamova, Gulnaz Kurbanazarova) from two above mentioned Universities participated in the program.

The GSIT was founded in 1979 and 78 students were enrolled in for the first time.  In May, 2004 the GSIT became the member of the CIUTI (the French abbreviation for the International Association of Institutes and Universities with Programs for Interpreters and Translators). Read more