Translator/Interpreter Bios:
Character: Ethel Rubynovitch
Played by: Ania Marson
Plot function: Minor character
Character bio: Public service interpreter
Languages:
Mother tongue: English
Secondary languages: Polish
Characters: Dominik Wolanski and Niko Polastri
Played by: Billy Matthews and Owen McDonnell, respectively
Plot function: Minor character and main character, respectively
Character bio: Niko is the English-Polish husband of the titular Eve. He works as a teacher. Dominik is a Polish-speaking boy who attends Niko’s bridge club.
Languages:
Mother tongue: English
Secondary languages: Polish
Translation/Interpreting on Screen:
(1) At the Police Station
Languages: Polish, English
Linguist: Ethel Rubynovitch
Format: Consecutive interpreting
Setup: Face-to-face
Delegates: Kasia Molkovska and Eve Polastri
[KGVID]http://www.translationonscreen.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/PoliceInterpreter_web.mp4[/KGVID]
(2) Interview Recording
Languages: Polish, English
Linguist: Dominik Wolanski and Niko Polastri
Format: Consecutive interpreting
Setup: Audio recording
Delegates: Kasia Molkovska and Eve Polastri
[KGVID]http://www.translationonscreen.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/InterviewRecording_web.mp4[/KGVID]
Notes on Interpreting Shown:
- Lack of Context / Use of Slang
These instances above show the problems that an interpreter or text translator might face if they are presented with a word that doesn’t seem to fit with the context. The term in question, which literally means a “plank” of wood, is eventually realised to be referring to the killer’s “flat chest”. Using a word out of its usual context happens a lot with slang, and a translator may frequently stumble on new slang words that they have never before encountered used in such a way.
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- Intoxication of a Delegate / Slurred Speech
The clips from this episode also show the difficulty an interpreter can face if a delegate is not speaking clearly or coherently. On real world interpreting assignments, a delegate may not be intoxicated like this character and yet still speak in a similarly mumbled, slurred or incoherent way.
- Professional/trained Interpreter vs. Non-professional
While Ethel is portrayed as the professional police interpreter, Niko and Dominik are at the other end of the spectrum of linguistic professionalism. Although Ethel finds it hard to understand the Polish delegate’s speech, or rather to derive anything meaningful from it, she remains poised and professional throughout the appointment, and apologetic that she isn’t able to make out anything useful. Niko and Dominik though, in their brief dabbling with interpreting/translation, define the delegate’s intoxication in a much more casual way and take the exercise in a more joking fashion.
Gallery:
[KGVID gallery=”true” gallery_thumb=”150″]
Credits:
Release date: November 2016 (S1)
Showrunner: Phoebe Waller-Bridge (S1)
Based on material by: Luke Jennings
Produced by: Colin Wratten, Elinor Day
Written by: Phoebe Waller-Bridge (S1E1)
Directed by: Harry Bradbeer (S1E1)
Production/Distribution: Sid Gentle Films Ltd, Endeavour Content, IMG, BBC
Rent/buy this title: https://play.google.com/store/tv/show?id=BG9fdTH5JruB3fs4BCZC0Q&cdid=tvseason-IN-iurp_-cocaI7sgC64og&gdid=tvepisode-8IkNcyhkVU0
Translation on Screen 