Oswald Defense Lawyer

"His mouth is in his brain"

Sunday, November 20, 2005

Lost In Translation


Yesterday I took my family to a one day "workshop" for Courtroom Interpretation students at the local college. I had been invited to talk for forty minutes about the interpreter's role from the defense perspective.

We got there just in time to hear a local judge (whom I respect greatly) explain how he tries to avoid having exhibits marked "P2," because that means "fart" in Spanish.* A tough act to follow. Contrary to my concern about struggling to fill 40 minutes, I actually went a few minutes over. More students than I thought had questions about what to do when a defendant confides (via the interpreter) to his attorney that he has left a child down a well someplace.

Courtroom interpreters are good people doing a tough job.
So give them a break and avoid crap like "Is it not true that you do not remember telling the officer about the fight on Sunday?"

* I couldn't help wondering if the judge was familiar with Marcel Duchamp's Dada masterpiece, "LHOOQ."

3 Comments:

At 8:16 PM, Blogger Nimiwey said...

Pedos, right? You were wonderful, honey. You'd be an awesome professor. It was a great seminar, and this post kicks ass!

 
At 1:22 PM, Blogger Kat said...

Hmm. Teaching. Interested in a new profession?

 
At 3:26 PM, Blogger brainmarket said...

Aah the sweet refuge of teaching.

 

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