Found in Interpretation is a bilingual podcast dedicated to exploring the multifaceted world of conference interpretation. Hosted by seasoned interpreters Alain Breton and Brian Bickford, each episode delves into the challenges, triumphs, and evolving dynamics of the interpreting profession in both English and French. From dissecting the nuances between remote and on-site interpretation to unpacking the cognitive demands placed on interpreters, Alain and Brian offer valuable insights drawn from personal experience and industry expertise.
Publisher
Alain Breton and Brian Bickford, Conference Interpreters
Ep. 75 - Voyage au coeur de la langue avec un traducteur
Ma langue française — entretien avec François LavalléeTraducteur depuis 40 ans, fondateur de Magistrad et ancien vice-président à la qualité chez Edgar, François Lavallée publie Ma langue française, un ouvrage de 600 pages qui mêle souvenirs personnels et érudition. Il y partage d'abord son amour de la langue, avant d'aborder la norme et l'usage, la traduction et les mouvements qui veulent transformer le français.Avec Alain Breton (un de ses anciens étudiants à l'Université Laval) et Brian Bickford, il parle de ses mots préférés, des fausses erreurs qu'on reproche aux autres, de l'influence de l'anglais sur le sens des mots, de la rédaction claire et simple, et du masculin générique, un sujet sur lequel il prend position publiquement pour la première fois.📘 Se procurer le livre : https://boutique.bouquinbec.ca/produit/ma-langue-francaise/Version papier sur Bouquinbec ; version numérique également offerte chez les grandes librairies en ligne.Translator François Lavallée discusses his new book Ma langue française: a love letter to the French language, from favourite words and false "errors" to plain-language writing and the generic masculine. (Episode in French.)
15 Oct 2026
Ep. 74 - Interpreter Pet Peeves: Booth Etiquette Online and On-Site with Mercedes Amoretti
Mercedes Amoretti is back on Found in Interpretation, and this time it's personal: the habits that make a boothmate great, and the ones that drive us up the wall.Alain, Brian and Mercedes talk about how remote interpreting changed booth etiquette after COVID. They cover handovers on Zoom (mic off or "GO"?), why you should never cut off mid-sentence, the timer and gold-watch crowd, and why "you owe me a minute" has no place on a team. They also get into WhatsApp backchannels and the cognitive load of constant notifications, and how to schedule turns and share prep across a team of three.Then it's on to the physical booth: CO₂ alarms, perfume, crunching snacks and greasy consoles. From there they discuss business-minded versus "artist" interpreters, a cross-country travel blunder that ended with a blacklisting, and what human interpreters have to do to stand out from AI: keep improving, practise shadowing, and use your voice.Along the way you'll get practical teachable moments for new and experienced conference interpreters alike.0:48 Welcome back, Mercedes2:40 Online vs. on-site work since COVID5:54 Teamwork in the virtual booth9:20 Zoom handovers: mic cues and coordination12:01 Don't hand over mid-sentence13:36 Timers, gold watches and "you owe me a minute"17:05 Tip: how to listen to your boothmate on Zoom18:48 The passive interpreter is still working20:32 WhatsApp: backchannel or chicken coop?24:06 Schedules and sharing prep29:18 Communicating without visual cues33:14 On-site booth etiquette: heat, food and perfume39:17 Business-minded vs. "artist" interpreters44:14 Professional standards (and why we wear the harness)46:33 The St. John's vs. Charlottetown story50:33 Phones, calls and policing your partner53:08 Be a boothmate people want to rehire55:43 Standing out against AI interpreting57:12 Reading the room with clients58:41 Self-employed: standards, AIIC and your values1:01:41 Keep improving: feedback, reading and shadowing1:05:39 Your voice: intonation and emphasis1:08:18 Communication skills and reading from scripts1:10:26 Don't be monotonous (the shrimp conference)1:11:34 Always assume someone's listening + wrap-up
30 Sept 2026
Ep.73 - September 30th is Translation Day!
From the Tower of Babel to the interpreting booth, language professionals have helped people understand each other across centuries.In this episode of Found in Interpretation, Brian Bickford and Alain Breton celebrate International Translation Day with a lively look at translation and interpreting through history. They discuss Saint Jerome, the Silk Road, the Nuremberg trials, and the role of language professionals at the United Nations and in Canada.Plus: why do interpreters spend so much time explaining that they’re not translators—and does the name of our international celebration help clear things up?Join us for a little history, a few laughs, and an appreciation of the people who make communication across languages possible.
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