By: Judy Jenner

Judy Jenner — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 23:46:06 +0000

How wonderful, thanks for sharing. I am a big Peter Less fan since he spoke at the ATA conference in Toronto in 2004. He is such a wonderful, humble man. I am sure I wouldn’t have had the fortitude to interpret at the trial of those who were responsible for the murders of family members. I am constantly inspired by Peter Less and think of him often. He deserves the Gode Medal and many more! I tried to take him to lunch at the 2005 conference, but he had to rush to the airport to fly home and spend time with his wife (adorable). Last time I heard, Peter was still practicing law in Chicago? Must drop him a line.

By: John Bunch

John Bunch — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 21:43:11 +0000

I don’t know if impartiality is a requirement, or even to be desired. If the interpreter is being paid by the U.S. government, my take is that he then had a duty to interpret “for” them, and not “for” the Nazis. There are decisions that every interpreter has to make, in terms of how close or loyal one is to the person that one is interpreting. One example: someone makes a bad or “off color” joke. Do you interpret what he or she said, word for word, even though you know it will make him look bad, or do you “save” him, by paraphrasing. There are many such decisions that have to be made, instantly, like that. So I doubt that impartiality is possible or desirable. I once taught a conference interpreting course in Germany and we (the other teacher and I) would intentionally put students in awkward situations (telling jokes, etc.) to make them make such decisions.

Comments on: YouTube clip: Peter Less on interpreting at Nuremburg

By: Judy Jenner

By: John Bunch