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Keep an Eye on It.

Nuria is at a doctor’s appointment in Germany. She has unfamiliar German sentences translated into Spanish. For you to follow along, all dialogue and phone translations are shown here in English.

Hanne, 68Neighbour · comes along and takes notes
Nuria, 41Patient · speaks for herself
Dr. Reuter, 56Doctor · speaks with Nuria

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Keep an Eye on ItKeep scrolling: the story unfolds ↓

Nuria is new in the building. Today she has a doctor’s appointment.

01

In the stairwell

In the stairwell, Hanne holds a bicycle helmet and offers to go to the doctor with her new neighbour Nuria. Nuria, one step higher, raises her hand calmly: she will speak for herself.

I’LL COMETO THE DOCTOR WITH YOU,IF YOU’D LIKE.

THANKS. BUTI’LL DO THE TALKING.YOU TAKE NOTES.

DEAL.I’LL KEEP QUIETAND WRITE.

02

In the waiting room

Nuria sits in the waiting room holding her phone. Hanne sits beside her and writes in her notebook.

IF I DON’TUNDERSTAND A SENTENCE,I’LL GET ITTRANSLATED.

AND THEIMPORTANT STUFF?

THEN I WANTA TRAINED INTERPRETERTHERE WITH ME.

03

Nuria speaks for herself

Dr Reuter sits on the left, Nuria in the middle and Hanne on the right. Nuria gently gestures for Hanne to stop when she tries to speak for her.

I’LL KEEPMY SENTENCES SHORT.STOP ME IF ANYTHINGIS UNCLEAR.

NURIA WANTSTO KNOW …

HANNE,I’LL ASK THE QUESTIONS.YOU TAKE NOTES.

04

A figure of speech

Nuria looks at her phone and laughs. Dr Reuter points at it. Hanne’s hand takes notes at the right edge of the picture.

WE’LL KEEPAN EYE ON IT.

Phone · Translation
For Nuria — shown here in English

WE’LL KEEP ITINSIDE OUR EYE.

INSIDE YOUR EYE?COULD YOU PUT THATMORE SIMPLY?

05

Putting it simply

Seen slightly from above, Dr Reuter explains something to Nuria at his desk. Hanne sits beside them and takes notes. A phone, papers and a notebook lie on the desk.

I MEAN WE’LLCHECK IT AGAIN LATER.FOR THE IMPORTANT MEDICALQUESTIONS, I’LL REQUESTA TRAINEDINTERPRETER.

YES,PLEASE.

I WON’T KNOWUNTIL LATER IF THAT’SPOSSIBLE. I’LL WRITE DOWNYOUR APPOINTMENT.

06

Outside the practice

Outside the practice, Hanne pushes her bicycle with a pencil between her lips. Nuria laughs beside her; they talk about Hanne butting in once.

YOU ONLYBUTTED INONCE.

FORTY YEARSAS A TEACHER. SITTING QUIETLYWAS MY TOUGHESTTEST.

YOU PASSED.ALMOST. I’LL READ YOURNOTES TONIGHT.

Hanne’s notebook, the whole page
  • Doctor’s appointment with Nuria. My job: keep quiet and take notes.
  • Nuria will have single sentences translated. For the important things she wants a trained interpreter.
  • Dr Reuter speaks in short sentences. If anything is unclear: say “stop”.
  • Butted in: once. Won’t happen again.
  • The phone translates “keep an eye on it” word for word. Sounds odd – Nuria asks. Good.
  • “Keep an eye on it” means: check again later. For the important medical questions, Dr Reuter will request an interpreter. Whether that works out isn’t certain yet.
  • Sitting-still test: passed. Almost. (Says Nuria.)

The story and the translation mix-up are fictional. No specific app was tested. The companion guide explains the uses and limits of translation tools at a doctor’s appointment.