Translator's gaffe during Trump inauguration stuns viewers
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 translator suddenly interrupted the broadcast.
The German public television channel Phoenix was broadcasting Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony live. In the middle of translating the US leader’s speech, the simultaneous interpreter's voice was unexpectedly heard, saying, "Tell me, how much longer do you want to play this s***?"
This caused confusion. After a brief, nervous pause, the translation resumed.
The broadcaster Phoenix later explained that the incident was due to a technical malfunction, which made the communication between the translator and the director audible to viewers.
A station representative apologized to the viewers and diplomatically clarified the situation. "This, of course, does not reflect the opinion of the broadcaster," emphasized the German television channel in a statement.
The statement added that during major international events, the broadcaster collaborates with experienced external translators, which was the case during Trump’s inauguration. "Translators have to work for many hours with intense concentration and translate simultaneously. As a rule, despite enormous pressure, this works flawlessly," explained the German broadcaster.
Source: Katarzyna Domagała-Pereira / Deutsche Welle
