Set in Stone: the Role of Interpreters then and now

The work of interpreters and translators was mentioned as early as the 15th century BC, but the earliest visual representation dates from 1319-1292 BC.

This wall relief shows only one interpreter, but in two positions, one is facing Horemheb, the chief army commander of Tutankhamun. The other facing the delegation of vassals from Syria and Libya who ask for help against their enemies, the Bedouins. Horemheb speaks to pharaoh Tutankhamun and queen Anchesenamon separately. Then, through an interpreter, he addresses the foreign envoys.

Horemheb became pharaoh after the death of Tutankhamun. Archaeologists found this wall relief in the tomb of his two wives in the city of Saqqara, near Cairo.

21st Century Reflections

When sharing this article among Brainy Bunch interpreters who are fluent in Arabic, English, French, Indonesian and Spanish they all recognised themselves in the image. Diving into the matter, they wrote:

• ‘The ancient Egyptian interpreter depicted going back and forth between the interlocutors is the core of the profession which, pun intended, is set in stone and will always be so - being an interpreter means being equally understanding of both sides and trying to get them to do that between themselves by surpassing the language barrier.'
• ‘I also believe that this depiction of the interpreter applies to any given time in history, since interpreters are always put between two parties (often a rock and a hard place).’
• 'What a delicate task to mediate language in a way that is ethical and respectful of the meaning each party wishes to convey. Maintaining communication between humans, screaming, angry, sad, the powerful and the powerless helping their mutual cultures enter in dialogue is a seed for peace. In my view the interpreter not depicted twice, but rather cultural duality is represented.'
• ‘Although language is our main obstacle today, I can imagine that in the scenario depicted, there could be other limitations to effective communication (eg: power dynamics) that the interpreter in the image is serving to overcome'

Place Interpreters at the Heart of Encounters

Interpreters should be an integral part of the organising team when you work on multilingual encounters. They are essential to make sure that everyone has the same opportunity to contribute and learn, regardless of the language they wish to express themselves in.

Human interpreters can make or break a collaboration as the tone of voice and choice of words, when translated literally, may differ from the original speaker's intent. This means that, besides having their brains actively process information in two languages, interpreters are also processing cultures, histories, manners and gestures at the same time.

Online, they can do this simultaneously during online panels or consecutively in small group conversations where they relay the message or fill in missing words if someone is not fluent in English.

If you wish to provide all participants equal opportunities to participate regardless of the language they speak, reach out to Brainy Bunch for a call to get acquainted. There will be more possible in your online working conference than you think.