Eight Russian translators and interpreters joined by a Lithuanian interpreter have met in the historic city of Lincoln this month. This was our fourth networking lunch over the past 3 years and it was great to see colleagues again and discuss the current situation in the interpreting and translation industry in the UK.
This time the Russian linguists included both local Russian translators (Lincoln, Boston) as well as those who came from further afield (Yorkshire, Nottingham, Derby, Sheffield).
We talked about the plans of the Ministry of Justice to outsource interpreting and what it potentially means for registered public service interpreters.
Another hot topic for discussion was raising bilingual children. While we all agreed that speaking two languages from very early age gives children a huge advantage later in their life, it is very difficult to achieve it if only one parent in the family speaks both languages and if the dominant language of communication in the family is the same as the language spoken outside the home. The small boy who was with us at the meeting proved the point!
We also mentioned the importance of cultural awareness in interpreting and had a go at translating some famous quotes based on puns.
The Wig and Mitre, an award-winning pub in Steep Hill near Lincoln Cathedral, offered a very welcoming atmosphere as well as excellent cuisine and we finished off by agreeing to meet up again very soon.
Tatiana Wood, Simon Hollingsworth, Tomas Petrauskas, Tanya Squires, Yulia Ravenhill, Daria Dimova, Yelena McCafferty, Anna Ibrahim at the Wig and Mitre in Lincoln.
[Tip: To book our Russian interpreter, call us on 0207 0436940 or email enquiry@talkrussian.com]