Meet the TED Translators at TEDActive 2012

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At TEDActive, the TEDx Organizers have their TEDx Club. Since there are so many of them, it's a rather big space. The TED Translators have a tiny booth near the entrance of the Showlounge. Way too small for a "Meet the TED Translators" moment. That is why it is at the Bikini Bar that I met with TEDx Organizer Dan Jacobs (don't get any fancy ideas, you do not need to wear a bikini to hang out there). Inspired by the TEDx video that featured a TEDx event with simultaneous translation, he came to see us to ask for our advice. Unfortunately, none of us had any experience in the field. But I knew of someone else who did. So I put Dan through to Krystian Aparta, who had done this very thing at TEDxKrakow, and Krystian took it up from there. That is the power of real-life connection, digitally enhanced.

One of the things that Jenny and Kristin had brought to assist us introvert translators to start a conversation with the other 95% extravert attendees, was a set of blank wristbands and a couple of markers. The idea was that we would write something on the wristbands for the others in our language. Somehow, that didn't really work out too well. For one thing, there were not too many people coming up to our booth. And the purpose of the wristband was not exactly self-explanatory.

So I decided to reverse the idea. I asked people to write a message to me on a wristband, in their language. Of course I started with my own tribe. For the last couple of days, I have been showing off beautiful messages in Arabic, Bulgarian, Armenian, Thai, Spanish, Italian, Turkish, Japanese, Swedish and Korean. I even have an English one, from Kathy, a gentle lady I shared a lunch and a TED session with. When Anwar, clad in his traditional gown, was being greeted by Abhishek from India in his glorious traditional dress, I could not resist asking him for a message in Hindi. Abhishek's name tag says "talk to me about Wikipedia", so it's obvious that he ended up on my "Top 10 People You Should Meet At TEDActive".

I cherish them all, from Mahmoud's "You Woman Gorgeous" to Darina's "Hurry Slowly", but my soft spot is for Alberto's message. Here it comes.

Ci siamo incontrati come stranieri, ci lasciamo come amici. We met as strangers, we leave as friends.

One more day left to add a few more languages, so feel free to make me happy. By the way, Anwar, I have one ready for you, containing the first three words of an Ancient Greek song that suits you so well. Too bad the Klingon translators aren't around. From Ancient Greek to Klingon, now that would be the full spectrum, wouldn't it?

--User:ElsDK 14:34, 2 March 2012 (UTC)