Translators May Save Individuals Embarrassment in Stressful Exchanges

During the 2010 Miss Universe Pageant, Miss Philippines Maria Venus Raj was asked how she overcame any mistakes in her life. She replied, in English, that there was "nothing major, major - I mean problem - that I've done in my life," according to the Deseret News.
She was likely penalized for her choice of words and sentence construction, and ended up finishing as fourth runner-up in the competition. Miss Universe 1969 Gloria Diaz mused that Raj was most likely "thinking in Tagalog," in which a phrase like "major, major" makes sense, the news source reports.
In contrast, winner Jimena Navarrete of Mexico decided to use an interpreter for her answers. English is not her native language. According to the paper, the professional translator may have helped protect Miss Navarrete from any miscommunication.
Understandably, missteps can occur while making a live speech in one's non-native language before millions of television viewers. Even in less public transactions, such a private business conference, language limits may be detrimental. Navarrete's choice highlights the usefulness of an automated or human translator.
In these situations, simultaneous interpreters (SI) are often used to translate, in real-time, the two languages being spoken. SIs, who are often called upon at multinational conferences, must demonstrate complete mastery of both languages, according to the website of the American Bureau of Professional Translators.