Building Connections Beyond the Screen
- Yelena McCafferty
- Jun 1
- 2 min read
Colleagues get to know each other through working together. That's how it is in most professions. For independent translators and interpreters, however, such opportunities do not come along very often. Still, successful professional relationships can go a long way, from passing work on to one another to building lasting personal friendships.
On the last Saturday in May, a group of us met at a Georgian restaurant in London, and what a wonderful time we had. Originally from different republics of the former USSR, we were united by one language, Russian, and by our shared love of the work we do.
What has changed for us since the Soviet Union disintegrated? Initially, very little. Russian remained a valuable legacy, serving many of us well. Over the past few years, however, the picture has begun to look quite different. Geopolitical developments, combined with advances in AI and the growth of national outsourcing, have reduced many of the opportunities that once existed for linguists.
Organisations around the world are increasingly looking to use new technologies to their advantage, often bypassing professional translators and interpreters. Examples include various public authorities in the UK, as well as organisations in the USA and Canada.
Courts in England and Wales are also exploring ways to improve efficiency through AI innovation, but in the meantime a new contract has been signed with a global language service provider.
What do the prospects look like for independent language professionals? The general answer is to find specialist niches and diversify. Equally important is working together.
Meeting colleagues in person, especially after having collaborated remotely and referred work to one another, helps to build trust and increases the likelihood of future cooperation. And the more geographically dispersed we are, as demonstrated by this gathering of colleagues from London, Kent, Sussex, Somerset and Lincolnshire, the more important such cooperation is likely to be.
