This paper focuses on the challenges of remote interpreting. The purpose of the paper is an overview of the state of remote interpreting at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, which meant that remote interpreting was being used in different environments. The theoretical part of the paper consists of two parts. The first part talks about technical issues and remote interpreting guidelines, while the second part focuses on the effects of remote interpreting on interpreters’ health and wellbeing, specifically focusing on hearing damage. It is also mentioned how the work environment and stress affect interpreters’ health. The empirical part of the paper is an analysis of events occurring during European parliament meetings held remotely. We gathered some instances where interpreting would have been made difficult by unsatisfactory technical conditions. We analysed interpreters’ reactions to such instances and how they handled a situation where poor sound and video quality made their work difficult or even impossible. It is discussed whether the interpreters decided to stop working, how they communicated their interruption and in which cases they continued to work despite poor conditions. We compared the reactions of interpreters in different booths to the same situation.
|
