For conference interpreters, English as a B language is both a superpower and a potential trap. If you don’t live in an English-speaking country, it’s dangerously easy to let your English drift into “Globish.” And while being conversationally fluent might make you feel confident — that part is like shooting fish in a barrel — true mastery is another story.
It’s about sounding natural, decoding cultural references, and delivering prosody that makes your audience forget they’re listening through an interpreter.
That’s exactly what the English Intensive Workshop, which was offered as an add-on to the legendary CCIC, pushed me to do. In addition to enjoying the beauty in Cambridge, I used those intensive three days of training to absorb all the linguistic fine-tuning and cultural immersion by:
✨ Exploring Shakespeare’s works and training on the rich variety of meanings embedded in his language.
✨ Training prosody, rhythm and intonation until they felt native.
✨ Experiencing British culture in action — including an open-air performance of As You Like It in the magical gardens of St John’s College.
Being a seasoned interpreter in English B isn’t about “getting the words right.” It’s about getting the music right. It’s about nuance, cadence, and the subtle choices that carry meaning across cultures.
I’m really grateful for the intellectually challenging and deeply supportive community, the learnings, and the inspiration provided by wonderful teachers and mentors – Julia Poger, Patricia Magno-Holt, Chris Guichot de Fortis, and Marie-Jeanne Vanleynseele. Interpreting is not just a skill, it is an art.
