This was the first time I have ever given a talk to a non English speaking audience that had to be translated as I spoke. I can tell you it is not as easy as it looks.

I did everything I could in advance to make the talk work. I had my PowerPoint presentation translated into Chinese and I sent the translator a copy of my talk in advance so she could read it and prepare.

So what could go wrong?

Well to start with I delivered the talk at Sydney University in one of the lecture theatres. They have a great set up but the computer I was using didn’t have a keyboard. Why? I have no idea maybe the previous speaker stole it or maybe they were worried I would

So while I had access to the Internet I couldn’t use it but luckily what I wanted to use that for wasn’t central to the talk.

I’m so glad I got the PowerPoint translated. They really appreciated that (and you will see why in a moment).

I like to get as close to the audience as possible when I speak so  I found it hard to follow the presentation when I turned to see where I was up to because I couldn’t read it. But I had a printout of the English language version with me so no big drama there but I didn’t like to hold it in my hand so I left it back on the lectern.

I thought the translator might have difficulty with some of the more technical philosophical concepts so wherever I thought a concept might be hard to translate I incorporated in the translators version a couple of alternative descriptions so she could understand what I was trying to say.

When “Being Prepared” is not Prepared Enough

However the translator didn’t read my talk and didn’t bring it with her. I anticipated it might have been lost or forgotten so I brought another copy with me and gave it to her before the talk. I don’t know what she did with it but she didn’t use it.

The translator was very experienced and more than capable of translating spoken English into Chinese but my concern was that she may not have had experience translating Philosophy concepts which is not the same as translating every day English. And this proved to be the problem I had hoped to avoid by sending her my talk in advance.

What saved the day was my PowerPoint Presentation and when she mis-translated I could tell because the room erupted into a babble of excited disputation. Of course the PowerPoint only contained the salient points and I often put flesh on the bones using stories and examples but, for example, she couldn’t translate the names of the Chinese philosophers such as Mencius and Xun Zi whose names I know in English not Chinese.

If she hadn’t been so experienced and therefore so confident about her ability to translate me on the run, she might have read my talk and done some preparation. But I learned a valuable lesson for the future.

The Outcome:

The talk couldn’t have been too bad though as a few days later I received an invitation to go to China and deliver a talk at the local university. I’m afraid I can’t remember the name of the state the principals came from at the moment but if I do go to China on business in the near future I will look forward to visiting their university.

What they found particularly interesting by the way was the way I applied Confucian philosophy to business and I will post some information on this subject on my Chinese Philosophy blog as soon as I get a chance.

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