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Poll: Would you accept to provide interpreting services in a conflict zone? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Would you accept to provide interpreting services in a conflict zone?".
This poll was originally submitted by Dr Howard Camm. View the poll results »
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Michael Harris 
Germany
Local time: 17:38
Member (2006)
German to English
for one, I do not offer those services, and secondly, I have a family and it would be pretty irresponsible to put that at risk.
I probably would consider it if I was a single though.
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EvaVer (X)
Local time: 17:38
Czech to French
+ ...
because I do not provide interpreting services any longer.
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I do not provide interpreting services and I'm not physically strong enough for that kind of travel. (I wouldn't have done it when I was younger, either, even if I had been an interpreter - not worth the risk.)
[Edited at 2016-04-05 08:53 GMT]
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I’m not an interpreter and even if I had been one I wouldn't have done it: I widowed quite young and I raised my 3 children as a single mother…
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I am not an interpreter, but I might have done when I was a lot younger.
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Katrin Bosse (X)
Germany
Local time: 17:38
Dutch to German
+ ...
I am a single mother, no paternal support, my first responsibility is to my daughter.
Also, the languages I speak and could provide interpreting services in, wouldn't be helpful in the conflict zones around the world...
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| I would like to think yes, if I could. | Apr 5, 2016 |
It would depend very much on the situation, and in any case I am hopeless as an interpreter. I am also the type of person - elderly and not very fit - who might be more of a liability than a help in a conflict zone. So for those reasons, no.
However, if I were younger and fitter, and could contribute to a cause I believed in, then I hope I would offer my services.
As it is, I do write to newspapers, lobby politicians, and contribute in whatever way I can to solving conf... See more It would depend very much on the situation, and in any case I am hopeless as an interpreter. I am also the type of person - elderly and not very fit - who might be more of a liability than a help in a conflict zone. So for those reasons, no.
However, if I were younger and fitter, and could contribute to a cause I believed in, then I hope I would offer my services.
As it is, I do write to newspapers, lobby politicians, and contribute in whatever way I can to solving conflicts, but I am lucky enough never to be endangered by it. I would be delighted if any of my translations could help, but I have never actively sought out work in connection with conflicts.
Others in my family have run serious risks for their principles, and I hope I would have the courage too, if the need arose.
I would like to pay my respects to the interpreters who do work for peace-keeping forces and those trying to solve conflicts. It is not a decision to be made lightly.
[Edited at 2016-04-05 09:41 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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I replied yes without hesitation, but that has to be qualified.
I was once offered a post with an international non-govenrmental organisation. Initially, when the offer came through, I received a heavy file with a whole host of documents about moving my stuff out to the site concerned. However, between the date I accepted the offer, which was to set up a small 2 or 3 strong team of interpreters, and the date when the travel was to be arranged, things had become so dangerous that th... See more I replied yes without hesitation, but that has to be qualified.
I was once offered a post with an international non-govenrmental organisation. Initially, when the offer came through, I received a heavy file with a whole host of documents about moving my stuff out to the site concerned. However, between the date I accepted the offer, which was to set up a small 2 or 3 strong team of interpreters, and the date when the travel was to be arranged, things had become so dangerous that the initial offer for 12 months, with the posibility to increase to 36 months, had been reduced to 3 months. Instead of originally having been able to take my (then very young) children and live an experience as a family, it had become a short job invovling not only greatly enhanced risk for me, but the necessity to leave my children behind. I immediately turned the job down. I had also heard, in the meantime, that a friend of a friend had had to have a driver to go to work every day. One day, he could not find his driver... who finally turned up, in various dismembered parts, in the boot of the car. Then there are all the moral conditions about having to (?) live a life in an enclosed "safe" environment when all around one, it is hell let lose.
My children are now young adults. It is something I might consider, but certainly not any old how. It depends...
[Edited at 2016-04-05 14:48 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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It would only make sense if I were already living in a conflict zone, otherwise no, wouldn't even think about it.
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Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 12:38
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
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| I would... 20 years ago | Apr 5, 2016 |
I probably would about 20 years ago, and before that. At that time, I had no kids and not enough income, and an adventure of that sort might have been welcome.
Now, with three kids and a decent income, I would probably refuse any suhc offer.
I've been to Lebanon during conflicts twice, and I'll tell you, it's no fun. Well, not anymore.
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| Yes without hesitation | Apr 5, 2016 |
I live in Ukraine about 250 km from the actual warzone, many of my friends are already serving in the Ukrainian Army and during the last 2 years I've lost 4 friends at the war. Despite I live in a peaceful city and if you walk around the streets nothing would remind you about the war (may be except for more-than-usual number of men in the military uniform), psychologically I am ready for that kind of activity.
I am not sure whether I'll become a good lieutenant so probably it's not ... See more I live in Ukraine about 250 km from the actual warzone, many of my friends are already serving in the Ukrainian Army and during the last 2 years I've lost 4 friends at the war. Despite I live in a peaceful city and if you walk around the streets nothing would remind you about the war (may be except for more-than-usual number of men in the military uniform), psychologically I am ready for that kind of activity.
I am not sure whether I'll become a good lieutenant so probably it's not a good idea to go into the army. But I believe that working as a good interpreter would allow me to make a worthy contribution into the conciliation of the conflict happening. ▲ Collapse
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Maksym Petrov
Ukraine
Local time: 18:38
English to Ukrainian
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I've already been doing it for nine months.
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DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
| People are mostly people, but not in the war | Apr 5, 2016 |
Some believe that unless it's about atrocities, it doesn't really matter whether one thinks something is good or bad, or who's right or wrong and why--if the parties want to communicate, then there's hope for all (but sponsors).
It sounds quite plausible, because war (as an unconditional surrender to lowest egoistic inhuman brutality and assassination, even when falsely wrapped into 'peaceful good intentions,' 'democratic wishful thinking' and other 'better values') is no civilized ... See more Some believe that unless it's about atrocities, it doesn't really matter whether one thinks something is good or bad, or who's right or wrong and why--if the parties want to communicate, then there's hope for all (but sponsors).
It sounds quite plausible, because war (as an unconditional surrender to lowest egoistic inhuman brutality and assassination, even when falsely wrapped into 'peaceful good intentions,' 'democratic wishful thinking' and other 'better values') is no civilized option and always appears but a camouflaged conflict of blood-money business interests.
Actually, a very simple question reveals who is who and what: According to which Art. of the Constitution and the International law *THIS* is considered legitimate?, but who is to ask when they kill even for less?
As for me, I would agree to take part in a negotiation team, but rather not with defaced hired guns and 'safari' trainers.
IMO ▲ Collapse
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Laureana Pavon
Uruguay
Local time: 12:38
Member (2007)
English to Spanish
+ ...
MODERATOR | I'd be too scared to do it | Apr 5, 2016 |
I do provide interpreting services, but my son is too young (4) and I confess I'd be too scared that something might happen to me and he'd suffer the consequences.
BTW, thanks to Dr Howard Camm for this poll. It's good to be reminded how hard some of our colleagues have it.
You might already know this, but there's a group called The Red T that advocates for translators a... See more I do provide interpreting services, but my son is too young (4) and I confess I'd be too scared that something might happen to me and he'd suffer the consequences.
BTW, thanks to Dr Howard Camm for this poll. It's good to be reminded how hard some of our colleagues have it.
You might already know this, but there's a group called The Red T that advocates for translators and interpreters working in high-risk settings (http://www.red-t.org/) ▲ Collapse
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