Academic Scientific JournalsConference interpreting on the privatemarket: Employment and assignment-related variables
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26881/bp.2020.4.05Keywords:
conference interpreting, freelance, private markets, workloadAbstract
The benchmark for the study of conference interpreting tends to be the institutional market, in which employment conditions are secure and communicative situations, context and terminology will tend to recur. By contrast, conference interpreters working in the private sector face a range of ever-changing circumstances, negotiating each assignment not only in terms of remuneration but also in terms of all aspects relating to working conditions, thus requiring an increased capacity to adapt on many levels.
This article presents findings from a pilot study that aims to showcase what interpreters working in the private market actually do before their interpreting assignment, over and above the preparation work that all interpreters put in. After a brief contextualization based on both academic and professional literature, this article presents the responses to two questions posed in our study regarding additional tasks carried out before assignments. Our conclusions are relevant to practitioners, trainees and trainers, as they shed light on current professional practice.
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References
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