i interpreto: November 2011

Canon 5 of the Code of Court Interpreters say:
Protocol and Demeanor
Court interpreters shall conduct themselves in a manner
consistent with the standards and protocol of the court, and
shall perform their duties as unobtrusively as possible.

But we are all human and there are cases when it is almost impossible to keep a "poker" face.

1. The client was in a wheelchair, carrying an oxygen tank. He was around 300 lbs. and had thick gold chains on his neck and gold rings in every finger. His medical file was thick but no one mentioned he had a sleep disorder. While testifying he suddenly stopped, closed his eyes and stayed quiet for about 20 seconds. Then he opened his eyes and continued speaking normally. I thought he was thinking about his answers since he was applying for full disability. After the third time I realized he was actually falling asleep. He would stop in mid sentence, fall asleep, wake up and continued where he left off. Everyone thought this was pretty funny, including the judge. Every time he fell asleep the whole room would laugh until he woke up. And the interpreter?

2. The woman came to Court to complain about her neighbor who lived at the apartment across the hall.
- Judge: Do you know this woman?
- Woman: No, Your Honor I have never met her
- Judge: What has she done to you?
- Woman: She threw all her garbage at my front door
- Judge: And you have never met her?
- Woman: No, Your Honor
- Judge: What else happened?
- Woman: She keyed my car
- Judge: Anything else?
- Woman: Yes Sir, she calls me names: Slut, bitch, rat.
- Judge: And you don't know her...
- Woman: I don't know her but I might be sleeping with her husband!
Trying to keep a straight face while interpreting while the Courtroom was hysterical.

3. In front of a cranky judge:
The defendant was in a wheelchair. The Judge said: "everyone involve in this case stand up to be sworn". I interpreted for my client and before he could answer the judge was already screaming at me. I waited patiently and then told him: "Your Honor, the defendant can't stand because he is in a wheelchair". He didn't even acknowledged what I said. The following day, same defendant, same judge, same screaming. But this time there was a choir composed of lawyers, police officers, the defendant and even the district attorney: "YOUR HONOR, HE IS IN A WHEELCHAIR" followed by uncontrollable laughs from everyone...but me.

4. One of my favorites, and it happens more than you would think:
- Judge: where are you from?
- Defendant: Puerto Rico
- Judge: And how did you get into this country?
- Defendant: Uh?
- Judge: That means that you are an illegal alien? Do you have a visa, sir?

Interpreter: OMG

Do you see? in this profession there is not black and white.

i interpreto

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

On Ethics

Monday, November 14, 2011

Killing by numbers