German translator's gaffe at Trump inauguration broadcast
During the inauguration of Donald Trump as President of the USA, a German translator on the Phoenix television channel surprised viewers with an unexpected comment. According to Deutsche Welle, the broadcast was then suddenly interrupted.
The German public television channel Phoenix was broadcasting the inauguration ceremony of Donald Trump as President of the USA live. The simultaneous interpreter was in the process of translating the speech of the US leader when suddenly the words were heard: "Tell me, how much longer do you want to play this s***?".
Confusion ensued. After a brief, nervous pause, the translation resumed.
The broadcaster Phoenix later explained that the incident was the result of a technical malfunction. The glitch caused the communication between the translator and the director to be audible to viewers.
A station representative apologized to the viewers. The situation was diplomatically commented on. "This, of course, does not reflect the opinion of the broadcaster," the German television channel emphasized in a statement.
The statement added that during major international events, the broadcaster collaborates with experienced external translators. This was also the case during Trump’s inauguration. "Translators have to work for many hours in a very concentrated manner and translate simultaneously. As a rule, despite enormous pressure, this works flawlessly," explained the German broadcaster.
Source: Katarzyna Domagała-Pereira / Deutsche Welle
