Table of Contents

Written By Chris Guichot de Fortis

Here is a list of the articles on this site.

First there are articles in English, then in French (not always the same content as in English), on various techniques and considerations for interpreters.

After those are transcripts of videos that are on the Videos page.

More articles are coming, and will be listed here!

ENGLISH

The psychological perils of conference interpreter training

Here you are, on a high-level conference interpretation course, and I would like to congratulate you on your choice!

PRACTICE AND TRAINING: guide for students and young interpreters

Informal Advice to Guide Conference Interpretation Students, and Recent Graduates, in Their Practice and Training Activities

A Few Thoughts on ‘B’ Languages

What is a ‘B’ language?

A Guide to Shadowing

What? How? When? Why?

Gap filler phrases

A few examples of phrases in English to fill gaps and even out the interpreter’s delivery, notably in relay mode

Learning and Using “Degraded/Concise Mode” (DCM)

Advice for conference interpreters who are struggling in the booth: how to switch into ‘degraded mode’ to ensure ‘basic minimum’ performance.

Launching your Career as a Conference Interpreter

So, I finally have my conference interpreting degree — now what do I do?

FRANCAIS

L’apprentissage de l’interprétation de conférence et les difficultés psychiques qui lui sont inhérentes

Vous voilà apprentis interprète de conférence, et je vous félicite de votre choix de carrière !

Conseils existentiels

…à l’attention des étudiants en M2 (aux écoles belges)

L’ENTRAINEMENT EN INTERPRETATION: guide à l’intention des étudiants et des jeunes collègues

Petit guide pour orienter le travail d’entraînement des étudiants et des jeunes diplomés en interprétation

Quelques réflexions sur la ‘Langue B’

Qu’est-ce que la langue ‘B’ ?

Les expressions explétives

Quelques suggestions d’expressions “explétives”, utiles avant tout pour “meubler” en cas d’orateur lent ou hésitant, ou de prise de relais

LE “MODE CONCIS/DEGRADE” (DCM): l’apprendre et l’employer

Comment enclencher le « mode dégradé » pour assurer le « minimum syndical » !!

TRANSCRIPTS

“The Taming of the Mic”

Interview by Alex Shein and Dmitry Buzadzhi of Perevod Zhiv (Translation Lives), published Mar 4 2021

“B Careful: Taming Your “B” Language”

Conversation with Professor Marklen Konurbaev of the 5th Annual Cosines Pi International Contest for Interpreters, January, 2022

Chris Guichot de Fortis

Christopher Guichot de Fortis (A-EN, B-FR, C-ES) M.A. (Cantab); PDLS; BACI; M.A. in Conference Interpretation (University of Bath); AIIC, has had an eclectic life.

At 18 he briefly played professional tennis, then began competing as an amateur rally driver. His obtained BA and MA degrees from St. John’s College, Cambridge, going on to serve 9 years in the British police.

In 1988 he began a staff interpreting career at NATO Headquarters, becoming a Senior Interpreter (servicing inter alia 400 committees at all levels, and countless Ministerial and 14 HOSG Summit meetings) and running NATO’s recruitment tests and practice programme for 10 years. He has now retired.

He has also organized volunteer interpreting teams for several NGOs, trained and worked for 15 years as an ambulance paramedic, and founded a refugee social and legal service, “l’Olivier 1996”. 

He has taught, examined and lectured at over a dozen interpreting schools in Belgium, France, the USA, the UK, the Czech Republic, Germany and Mexico, has taught for AIIC in France and Germany, and currently chairs the Belgian AIIC Network of Trainers (BANT). For several years he was also a member of the Geneva International Model United Nations teaching team. More recently, he has spoken at the TerpSummit for the past 3 years. He began teaching on the CCIC in 1991, and has been its co-director since 2002.

Since he retired from NATO, he freelances and spends much of his time training Master’s students and providing specialized and targeted individual CPD coaching to (primarily) young interpreters in many countries.

He continues to run and develop the “L’Olivier 1996” registered charity, and to compete regularly and successfully in regional and international level motorsport rallies.

Next

Launching a Career as a Conference Interpreter