Sister Cao Li-Hwa said, “A simultaneous interpreter can fully focus on his/her translation for a maximum of fifteen minutes during a lecture.”
Written by: Ding Se-Qin
Photographed by: Wang Zhu-Ming
Filmed by: Wang Zhu-Ming
Translated by: Mindy Chen
Proofread by: James Huang
Each annual TIMA convention always presents a challenge for the translation team before and during the convention. Before the convention, the translation volunteers help translating registration form, handbook, program and other required translation work; during the event, the team will take in simultaneous interpretation and text translation on articles written by the Documentary Team as well as the conference’s daily newsletter.
Course schedule is always of high priority when planning TIMA annual convention held in Hualien, our spiritual home, during the Mid-autumn Festival. Early distribution of course material is very important to the translation team. It helps the translators in finding the background of related course presenters, in researching for the course material information from previously published works, so they can prepare for it beforehand. That will help speed up their understanding of the scheduled courses as soon as related materials arrive. This is especially useful in identifying medical jargons.
Volunteer Cao Li-Hwa, one of the translation team members, mentioned that TIMA members coming from non-English spoken countries like Paraguay, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Cambodia, usually carry out the interpretation tasks during the event through the volunteers from their own country. Venerable Dharma Master Cheng Yen’s speeches or teachings are orally translated by designated dharma masters from Jing Si Abode.
Brother Chu Zheng-Tao said, “Even if only one person requests translation service, we’ll do our best to do the interpretation with maximum precision, and that’s our mission!”
Brother Wang Bai-Lu stated that it is joyful to be a member of the translation team although time constraint is always a factor of pressure at times of completing a task. He stated, “I’ve vowed to Master Cheng Yen that I will take up the translation tasks.” For that, he spends two hours on English study every day and what’s more, he attends various English lessons or study groups so as to expose himself under various topics as long as there is a chance to use his English skills.“I wouldn’t mind taking time off from my job whenever there is a chance for me to do assigned tasks,” he added.
Brother Wang Bai-Lu said, “It’s joyful being a member in the translation team although there’s pressure sometimes so I study English every day to improve my skills.”
Brother Chu Zheng-Tao feels that being a coordinator of the translation team is not difficult. “Just keep inviting volunteers by calling or sending the invitation through emails and coordinating programs according to the volunteers’ availability.” said by Brother Chu. He usually applauds himself when the invited volunteers commit to take the tasks.
There are more than thirty volunteers on the translation team this year, including those working on-site and those off-site but online. Venerable Dharma Master Cheng Yen states that “A single effort could produce infinite goodness.” So even if only one person requests translation service, we do our best to do the interpretation. For the translation team, being a communication bridge for people from all over the world is the best accomplishment.
