An interpreter does not need to know two languages
As most of you know, I am in Madurai in South India, looking into some microfinance activities. When I go into the villages to meet with the local women and interview them, I am normally accompanied by one of the English-speaking managers. Despite having grown up in Tamil Nadu, my Tamil is embarrasingly mediocre, and I need to rersort to having someone translate the more complex questions for me.
However this morning, I was out on my own, along with one of the local project officers, who spoke mainly Tamil and a smattering of English. However, as it turned out, English was not required, because what was needed was someone who could understand what I was trying to say, and then put it across in the right words… it worked like a charm, and I think I got more out of the day than most other days. It just goes to show that langugae barrier is really not a barrier, if the person is smart enough to understand and interpret.
