When you think of star performers at the Olympics, interpreters don’t come to mind. Perhaps there should be an Olympic event for these language leaders. 

Yes, athletes speak a common lexicon of competition through sport. Yet, when think of it — how do you bring 100 countries together if they don’t speak the same language?

In this Washington Post article, Alexandre Ponomarev discusses how his mastery of language has lead to him leading almost 100 interpreters hired by the Tokyo Olympic games. 

Ponomarev comments that he knows so many languages, he’s lost count.  If you have ever wondered what types of jobs interpreters land, working at the Olympics may be one of the most coveted. 

The downside or upside is the job us behind the scenes, away from the spotlight. And yet without an interpreter, the Olympics would be a huge mess. Can you imagine the Olympics without them now?

What languages do you speak? Imagine the value of broadening your lexicon.