in the field of langilage. interpreters are defined as those who do instantaneous oral translation, while translators work with written documents.

The State Department does not require Polish interpreters very often, and Mr. Seymour has been used mostly on Russian assignments. The last time he inter. preted in Polish was in 1975, when he was said to have done well at handling high‐level trade talks in Washington.

Many people can speak a foreign language fluently but are unable to interpret. Mr. Seymour, however, was said by colleagues to have excellent interpreting skills.

Donald F. Barnes, chief of the interPreting branch ‘of the Language Servites Division, said of Mr. Seymour's apparent faux pas: “Perhaps.the explanation is the tremendous psychological pressure of translating for the President, being faced with the journalists, the lights. the cameras. The setting of a Presidential arrival is unnerving.”

Throughout the day, ,State Department officials refused to give out any informa, tion on Mr. Se.ymottr's education, qualifications or background other than that he was “from New York City.” Mr. Seymour is not listed in the translators and interpreters section of the Yellow Pages in New York, nor is he carried on the membership list of the American Society of Interpreters, a leading professional group in Washington.

What was exasperating to many in the Language Services Division was that the bad publicity seemed to wipe out the years of unnoticed but excellent service that the interpreting‐branch had provided for various Atherican and foreign officials.

WARSAW, Dec. 30 (AP)—Polish journalists said today that Steven Seymour, hired specially by the State DepartMent for Mr. Carter's overseas trip,. spoke “very rusty” Polish.