The speaker will delve into the emotional aspects inherent in the profession of conference interpreting. By drawing upon both existing research and personal experiences in interpreting former American Presidents such as Donald Trump and Joe Biden for several broadcasting institutions, she will illustrate how interpreters develop attachments to the speakers they work with. She will also discuss the challenges interpreters face when dealing with traumatic events, such as the Ukrainian-Russian war, and the resources available to them in such situations. The speech aims to illuminate how interpreters struggle to maintain neutrality, often masking their own emotions, which is closely tied to the concept of emotional labor. Additionally, the speaker will examine how this emphasis on neutrality can obscure the human aspect of the interpreter's role. By advocating for a more transparent recognition of the emotional labor involved in conference interpreting and emphasizing the interpreter's agency, the speaker will argue for greater acknowledgment of their contributions and significance within the profession.

Meet the trainer: Ozum Arzik-Erzurumlu, PhD, is a scholar, professional conference interpreter, and member of the Turkish Conference Interpreters Association. She is also a senior media interpreter, having interpreted U.S. presidents for Turkish audiences for several news outlets, including CNNTurk, since 2008. After teaching translation and interpreting at the University of Massachusetts Amherst for two years, she recently joined the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign, as a full-time faculty member. She is currently working on her book manuscript on remote interpreting, which will be published by Routledge.

Registration will open soon. Stay tuned