Interpreters, Astronauts and Air-Traffic-Controllers

How on earth can one listen to a message and transfer the meaning into another language simultaneously? As a young student of languages, this mystery mesmerized me. When I was accepted into interpreting school, to have the doors to such secrets open was truly an honor and a delight! In the end, as with most things, it was a matter of practice while applying the correct methods. But mainly practice. And once you do it, the sensation is akin to the one you get when, after long study and practice, you can play a piece of music on an instrument.

Kilian G. Seeber, professor of interpreting at the University of Geneva, compares the feat to air traffic controllers or astronauts in terms of the stress and complexity of cognitive processing. After 34 years practicing this extraordinary profession, I think he has a point. Use the button to have a read.