The Accidental Translator

This book tells the story of how I accidentally became a translator — and soon thereafter an interpreter — 30 years ago. It also testifies to how winding anybody’s professional route is and it drives home an idea best summarized in this quote by John Lennon: “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans” The book was […]

Public Speaking Secret 5

I got hit with a fine of U$1,500 the other day for speeding to a mere 116 km/h on one of the motorways around Geneva. The police took my driver’s licence for three months and charged me another 200 bucks for the privilege of doing so. The officer who pulled me over said my reckless driving could have resulted in […]

Speaking Secret 4: You’ll Fail Your Way To Success

Communicating is a fundamental survival skill, the first one a baby will exhibit once out of his mother’s womb. He will cry out loud to let her know he is alive and to indicate that the support system on which he used to rely has been dangerously disrupted. He will articulate his need for help […]

Speaking Through Interpreters: The Cheat Sheet

If you are speaking abroad, chances are people will not be listening to you. Rather, they will be listening to an interpreter (a.k.a. translator, although that is technically a misnomer). Sure, it all depends on the country and the dominant language where you’re going. But at some point, somewhere, it will happen to you. Now, aren’t […]