When explaining what we do, interpreters are often most confused with translators.  Interpretation is not about translating languages. But sometimes it is. Perhaps not translating foreign languages into English, but sometimes it’s turning technical talk into Plain English. Turning something from science-speak into something that speaks to non-scientists.

One of my most successful pieces of writing was a ghost-written piece.  I was at a staff meeting when one of the planners was talking about an opinion piece he had just read in the newspaper. The article said that a local lake was dead, beyond saving.

He was incensed, fired-up and explained to us all how planning could turn the tide. He spoke so passionately, I was prompted to pick up my pen and take notes. At the end of the meeting I convinced him to write a rebuttal. But when it turned up on my desk to check and edit, it was dry, passionless and a list of facts. It was planner-speak.

So I threw it aside and got out my notes. I wrote the piece using his own words, but the words that he had spoken when he had a real audience of non-planners. When I showed it to him, he said “that’s exactly what I wanted to say!” My reply was of course, “It’s exactly what you said.” The piece was published and the very next day he had phone calls from senior managers from other agencies wanting to meet and work with him. The piece prompted others to action and a partnership was born.

Successful interpretation is written with your audience in mind.

So often we see interpretation that has been written for the organisation, not the visitor.

Technical language and large quantities of information crammed onto a sign or brochure may gratify managers, but do little to interest or excite the public.

If it’s hard to think of your audience, imagine you are talking to friends in the pub. How would you explain it them? How would you get them to understand and make connections?

Don’t let your fondness for facts get in the way of your passion.

It’s an easy trap to fall into. We’ve researched the topic extensively; we’ve gathered information we are interested and committed to sharing it. We think everyone should know what we know. It’s hard to know what to edit out because it’s all important.

But include too much information and nothing will get noticed. Good interpretation offers a taste and sparks a desire to know more.  Remember back to when you first started – what started you on this journey of discovery? Was it a cold hard fact? Or was it an idea that prompted an emotional response?

Use simple words that everyone knows. Don’t think of it as “dumbing it down”.  It’s more like “keeping it real”.

When we talk to our peers, we often use a unique language, jargon, created by common understanding. Planner-speak; scientist-speak; etc. But we forget that it may have taken us years to get to the point where we have built up our jargon dictionary and understand complicated processes and concepts.

Windy phrases like  those in the table create distance, not connection, between the reader and the content. Edit, edit, then edit again.  Replace large words with smaller ones. Remove words and then test it still makes sense. Tell a story with emotion and drama, not a bullet-point list. Utilise – I mean use – the list below to help you.

I’d love to hear about your own ‘translation’ stories – feel free to share!

Replace these words with short/simple ones			Replace these phrases with one word
Accommodation	rooms		Subsequent to	after
Proliferation	Large amount		On two occasions	twice
discussions	talks		Along the lines of	like
distinguish	tell		The reason for	because
Methodology	method		Due to the fact that	because
Approximately	about		Despite the fact that	although
Commence	start		At this point in time	now
Implement	Apply		In view of the fact that	as
Utilise	use		In connection with	about
Purchase	buy		In addition to the above	also
Remuneration	pay		In the course of	during
Endeavour	try		It is requested that	please
Facilitate	help		Are in a position to	can
Eventuate	happen		A number of	Few, several
Render	make		A large number of	many
Accordingly	so		As a means of	to
Utilisation	use		On behalf of	for
Acquire	get		In the event that	if
Transmit	send		At an early date	soon
Approximately	about		In the vicinity of	near
Assistance	Help/aid		Ahead of schedule	early
Collaboration	help		At a later date	later
Currently	now		Conduct an investigation	investigate
Demonstrate	show		A little time ago	recently
introduction	start		Destroyed by fire	burned
suffice	do		Take into consideration	consider
Terminate	end		A majority of	most
ascertain	Find out		As already stated	(ditch!)