The Pressures Of Being An Interpreter At A High-Stakes Summit
President Trump doesn't speak Korean and little is known about Kim Jong Un's English skills. The best interpreters serve as both linguists and diplomats. They understand the politics behind the words.
Former President George H.W. Bush was deep in nuclear negotiations with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. The 1990 talks, focused on an arms control treaty, were suddenly interrupted when a seasoned Soviet interpreter made a critical mistake.
The interpreter, Igor Korchilov, said the word "verifying" in English, instead of "verified." Everyone in the White House Cabinet Room froze and turned toward him — including his boss.
Gorbachev quickly said: "No, no — I never said that."
"To this day, I still feel extremely embarrassed," Korchilov tells NPR. He worked with Gorbachev from 1987 to 1990.
It was a seemingly minute detail. But
