Dreaming of the Amalfi Coast

During my research for the FT Summit, I read that Aurelio De Laurentiis was taking a break from making Hollywood film Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow on the Amalfi Coast, an hour’s drive south of Naples, when he decided to buy the city’s club.

It reminded me of a glorious holiday I once took to Positano, a magical town of pastel-coloured houses built into the hillside overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea.

If you want to escape the English weather, Positano will lift your spirits. It is breathtakingly beautiful, but it also has a ‘good vibe’, because the people are so welcoming.

Book a table for dinner at one of the beach-side restaurants, order some fresh seafood and watch as the town is bathed in a golden glow at sunset. It’s an experience you’ll never forget.

If your holiday is so enchanting you decide to move to Italy (it happens!), I can help. I’ve partnered with an Italian law firm in London specialising in property, offering expert legal services specific to the Italian jurisdiction and accurate translations of your documents.

How to get the best out of your interpreter at a live event

In the intricate world of live events, the role of interpreters is pivotal in ensuring seamless communication and understanding across diverse audiences. To harness the full potential of your interpreter and guarantee a successful event, strategic planning is paramount. Here I share key strategies to optimise the interpreter’s performance, drawing insights from real-world experiences in the field.

Book interpreters early in the planning process

Event producers often leave the task of hiring an interpreter to the last minute. This can make it tricky to secure the best interpreters, as our diaries fill up quickly. Lining up an interpreter early also means we can advise you on technical issues and help ensure everything runs smoothly.

Supply background material and questions in advance, but remember that an experienced interpreter can handle spontaneous discussion

The FT gave me questions for the De Laurentiis interview, but only a few were used – he spoke entirely off-the-cuff, which certainly kept me on my toes!

Allow ample time for the interpreter to meet the speaker before their session

This enables us to understand their personality and speaking style, so we can produce a more nuanced performance.

Provide a quiet spot where the interpreter can hang out before the session

My pre-session meeting with De Laurentiis was very useful, but after two hours of talking, I was grateful to slip away for a moment of calm and gather my thoughts before the session.

Find out about my Conference Interpreting Services

Interpreting for a high-profile court case: Paul Pogba

A last-minute request meant I was an interpreter at the hearing where former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba received a four-year ban from football, after tests found elevated testosterone in his system.

I interpreted for both Pogba and his London-based defence team and the adjudication panel in Italy during the online hearing.

As with most legal cases, I used consecutive interpretation, which is where the speaker talks for one or two sentences, then pauses while I interpret what they’ve said.

While this method is more time-consuming than simultaneous interpretation, it’s crucial for situations requiring a word-perfect rendition. There is no room for error in a legal hearing.

It was a stressful case to work on due to the gravity of the situation, but after 25 years in this role, I’ve learned how to stay calm and focus on executing the task in front of me.

Although the outcome was very sad for the defendant, effectively ending his career, I felt satisfied I’d played my part in enabling both sides to listen and understand each other accurately.

To find out how to ensure you receive a high-quality legal translation, take a look at this blog.

Image Source: Pogba relishing hearing Champions League anthem again after getting his wish at Man Utd | Sporting News

Hollywood to Scudetto – how an Italian movie producer revived Napoli’s fortune

When SSC Napoli won Italy’s national football championship, the Scudetto, in 2023 for the first time in 33 years, the streets of Napoli erupted into a wild party.

Winning the Scudetto was a fairy tale ending to a remarkable journey for the club.

Back in 2004, it had been languishing in the lower leagues for years and had just gone bankrupt.

Then along came a veteran Italian film producer called Aurelio De Laurentiis, who bought the club and set about reviving its fortunes, applying everything he’d learned in the movie business to the football industry.

De Laurentiis is a fascinating character, so I was delighted when my clients Acolad group and Silverstream TV called to ask if I’d interpret for him at a Financial Times summit, The Business of Football.

He was being interviewed live on stage, in Italian, by FT journalist James Fontanella-Khan.

An audience of football agents, club bosses and fund managers listened on headphones as I interpreted De Laurentiis’ thoughts on why the game should be free-to-view, what clubs can learn about content production from F1, and the economics of private equity investment.

It was an intense and exhilarating hour of interpretation – the sort of challenge I relish – and an absolute career highlight.

Thanks again for thinking of me.

I’ll hang my selfie with Aurelio De Laurentiis in my client hall-of-fame, between Sir Geoff Hurst and Pope Francis!

How face-to-face interpreting boosts trust

🌐 Did you know that 78% of users trust face-to-face interpreters compared to just 56% for remote interpreting?

A recent study, the SAFE-AI on interpreting services, sheds light on this intriguing aspect: the level of trust users place in different interpreting sources.

And this stat got me thinking – why the significant difference? 🤔

The answer lies in the power of nonverbal communication, often underestimated but crucial for clear and impactful messages.

Think about it: how often do a raised eyebrow, a sigh, or a hand gesture completely change how you interpret someone’s words? These subtle cues are just as important in interpreting situations, and that’s where face-to-face interaction shines.

💡 Here’s why being physically present makes a world of difference:

1. Building Rapport: In-person interaction allows me to connect with both speaker and listener on a deeper level. This fosters trust and encourages open communication, allowing me to better grasp the intended meaning and emotional tone behind the words.

2. Reading Nonverbal Cues: Facial expressions, body language, and even silence all convey valuable information. Being present allows me to interpret these alongside the spoken word, giving me a more complete picture to translate with accuracy.

3. Adapting in Real-Time: Face-to-face interpretation allows for immediate adjustments. If I sense confusion based on a listener’s body language, I can clarify or rephrase on the fly to ensure the message lands clearly.

While remote interpreting offers flexibility, the SAFE-AI study shows a clear preference for face-to-face interaction when trust and clear communication are paramount. For truly effective cross-language understanding, a skilled face-to-face interpreter can be your secret weapon.

So, next time you need a message interpreted accurately and with impact, consider the power of face-to-face interaction.

🤝 Let’s embrace the future without losing sight of what human interpreters bring to the table: trust, reliability, and a personal touch.