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The Remote Interpreter
Chapter 1: An Overview of Remote Interpreting

• I have a lot less work and often receive lower fees due to the shift to remote. While I
enjoy the ability to reach people across the world at the same time, I would like to return
to in-person work like conferences and business meetings. However, remote will likely
remain in some form and fees will not rebound to what they were, to the detriment of
our livelihood.

• I noticed that there was more flexibility and more resources than before. Some hospitals
integrated microphones to their exam room suites to improve communication, there was
a quick evolution to integrate interpretation when it wasn’t available onsite.

Most of these interpreters work in the U.S. Although their experience is anecdotal, their voices
give us insight into the huge impact of COVID-19 on the lives of interpreters around the world.

It has been a rough road for many. Yet you can see from these interpreters’ reports that their
dedication and commitment remain.

You can also see why many interpreters who had never performed remote interpreting chose to
switch to the new modality—not only to find work to replace lost face-to-face assignments but
also to keep themselves and their families safe.

→ Section 1.1 Review
Each interpreter will have their own experiences resulting from the pandemic. Whether you
continued interpreting face to face, began to interpret remotely because of COVID-19 or were
already working remotely, you suddenly found yourself helping others during a time of profound
crisis when you were experiencing uncertainty and change in your own life.

This section highlighted some of the enormous changes the pandemic brought to the work and
lives of interpreters. It also showed the difficult, new and often transformative experiences that
many interpreters lived through during this time.

Section 1.2 A Brief History of Remote Interpreting

→ Learning objective 1.2

After completing this section, the remote interpreter will be able to identify key terms and
developments in the history of remote interpreting.

→ Section 1.2 Overview

This section introduces you to key terms in remote interpreting. It then provides a brief history of
remote interpreting and its submodalities.

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