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Oops They Did It Again - THEY HANG UP!
I was writing this post, then I came across another interpreter sharing about the exact same issue I just experienced yesterday while taking calls. You can read it here. We are not recorder
Sometimes the call just end.
No goodbye, no thank you, no “sorry I need to go.”
Just beep.
You sit there for a while, headset still on, thinking… what the hell just happen?
I’m an interpreter. Not machine, not AI.
But many time, people treat us like that.
The call start normal, but very fast become heavy. Client speak very fast, long sentence, everything in one go. Medical words, background story, emotion, all mix together.
You try your best to catch everything.
Listening, understanding, changing to another language, then speak out clearly.
All at the same time.
Then you say something simple.
Sorry, can you repeat last part?
Or just to confirm…
Then suddenly, the feeling change.
Sometimes they sigh.
Sometimes they repeat.
Sometimes… they just hang up.
This is not only me.
Many interpreters online also say same thing.
From Reddit and interpreter groups, many people share that client hang up in the middle of call when they become impatient, especially when we ask for clarification.
Some say call end when they ask speaker to slow down.
Some say it happen when they ask to repeat.
Some say when situation become emotional or tense, client just cut the call.
And one feeling many people say is this.
“You try to do your job properly… and they just disappear.”
So why this always happen?
One reason is very simple.
People forget how interpreting really work.
Interpreting is not recording.
It is not like press button and replay everything perfect.
It is real-time thinking work.
You listen, you understand meaning, you change language, you deliver clearly.
All at the same time.
So when someone speak very fast, give too much information, and still expect perfect result, they are expecting something like superhuman.
But we are human.
Another reason is something many interpreters feel inside.
We are treated like invisible tool.
In this industry, many people don’t see interpreter as human support, but like function.
There is even article say very direct, “everyone hates the interpreter” when call go bad.
Not because of you.
But because you are the easiest one to blame.
So when client hang up, it feel personal.
Like maybe you wrong.
Like maybe you not good enough.
But actually, asking to repeat is part of doing job properly.
Asking to slow down is for accuracy.
Clarifying is to make sure meaning is correct.
We are not here to repeat sound only.
We carry meaning.
And meaning need both side to work together.
If you are interpreter and you experience this before, that silent hang up, that confused feeling, that small stress that stay after call…
You are not alone.
You are doing your job properly.
Maybe one day, more people will understand.
Interpreter is not machine, not invisible, not something you rush and expect perfect.
We are people.
And sometimes, we just need a little more patience.
