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Interpreters - How to Use One Effectively.
You have finally decided to make real your desire to visit Russia, Ukraine or some other republic of the former Soviet Union to conduct business, take in some sight-seeing or to indulge your hopes of finding your better half (smart choice). You do not take this lightly and you have done your homework to learn about the traditions, culture and places you want to visit. You feel fairly prepared for the adventure to come but a stark reality remains to be confronted - you don’t speak Russian fluently. Yes, this can be a big challenge and this might signal the opportune time to utilize the services of an interpreter.
For some such a service might be helpful while communicating and calling your Russian friend who does not speak English fluently or even with enough proficiency to make sufficient conversation. Perhaps you feel it will provide the needed edge in your business dealings? Regardless of one’s near-term motivation, one needs to communicate effectively with someone in their native tongue to provide each interaction with the potential to be more successful.
Hiring an interpreter can be a great initial move, but don’t assume that your communication problems are solved automatically the moment you make the decision. In fact, your challenges may just be starting. Based on my interpreting experience for both large corporate clients and individual customers, I would like to share some simple tips to help make all of your communication as effective as it can be.
Tamara’s five simple rules for using an interpreter:
- Discuss your game plan ahead of time. Whenever possible, make an effort to discuss the subject of the meeting with your interpreter in advance unless it is an everyday dialog. To interpret successfully, he or she needs to know the main points you plan to make before you make them.
- Keep eye contact with the person with whom you wish to communicate. Many tend to look at the person to whom they are speaking (the interpreter); however, it is extremely important for you to look at your Russian counterpart instead to build a bond. When deciding where to sit, make certain not to place your interpreter between yourself and your Russian colleague.
- Pause often to allow for interpretation. You will have to alter the length of time you are accustomed to speaking. Make certain you pause after a long sentence or couple sentences. When the subject matter is especially important, stop after every sentence and allow the interpreter to finish before you continue. (It is challenging at first to communicate through interpreter as it literally takes twice as long to say something, but patience will be one of the keys to successful communication.)
- Never say anything you don’t want others to hear. While this sounds simple, even in case when your Russian counterpart is using an interpreter, remember that they might understand some English. It is often the case that Russians know some English and understand much more than they are able to articulate. Minimize your embarrassment by avoiding saying anything that you would not share with a native English speaker.
- Follow up with a written summary of what was discussed. Not only is this a smart business practice, but this demonstrates your commitment to open and clear communication. Take note of any decisions that were made as this might help to clear up some points.
As always, remain calm, patient and positive (smile) when communicating through an interpreter. When you look comfortable, those around you will feel more at ease also. If you make sure your interpreter knows what you are talking about, your chances to succeed will be much higher.
 Tamara von Schmidt-Pauli is a native of St. Petersburg Russia who has been visiting, and living in, the United States and Canada since 2002. She holds bachelors and masters degrees, with honors, covering teaching of language and translation and currently resides in the greater Minneapolis area. Tamara is affiliated with Prime Language Services (www.primelanguageservices.com)
3rd 'Annual' RWD Beauty Pageant
The 3rd 'Annual' RWD Beauty Pageant concluded on September 20, 2009 with 14 'contestants' vying for the Title, "RWD Most Beautiful." Each of these 14 lovely ladies competed for your votes:
- Anna Semenovich
- Anne Vyalitsyna
- Anya Monzikova
- Dasha Astafieva
- Elena Grinenko
- Eleonora Masalab
- Irina Sheik
- Irina Zhuravskaya
- Karina Smirnoff
- Ksenia Sukhinova
- Lyudmila Bikmullina
- Mila Kunis
- Vera Krasova
- Victoria Zdrok
And the winning contestant was:
Ms. Ksenia Sukhinova who represented Russia in the Miss World 2008 competition.
Gator pointed out we had a secondary 'winner' from the unofficial straw poll count of number of times a photo was viewed. The VERY deserving 'winner' in this unofficial category goes to:
Ms. Anne Vyalitsyna, who single-handedly generated more interest in the Chicago Cubs than all the marketing efforts of the Cubbies over the past decade.
And finally, in a NEW category this year, we saw this gorgeous lady earn the title of 'Most Fascinating Last Name':
Ms. Anna Semenovich, a Russian pop singer and former figure skater.
Check out all the results at this link -- RWD 2009 Beauty Pageant.
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