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If your business or organization works with non-English speaking or Limited English Proficient (LEP) customers or employees, you likely have a need for an interpreter. Interpretation involves the “rendering of spoken or signed information from a source language to a target language in oral or signed form, conveying both the register and meaning of the source language content,” according to the International Standards Organization (ISO). It is also important to note that interpretation is different from “translation,” which involves the conversion of written text from one language to another.

Here at Affordable Languages we’ve worked with numerous interpreters.  Over time we’ve identified the core skills that make a great interpreter.  Here they are:

I recently came across an article regarding the use of interpreters in the medical field and its impact on the patients’ well being. Sometimes when resources are not available or when medical providers are not aware of the services provided by their institutions, there is a misconception that anyone who is bilingual can render a faithful interpretation.

The need for professional interpreters is growing exponentially in today’s global marketplace. Whether you are a business owner who needs to speak with international investors, a clinician in an emergency room or urgent care setting, or an attorney who needs to communicate with witnesses who are not native English speakers, professional interpreters are an essential part of a successful business.

Are You Bilingual? Use your skills to help people communicate!

On August 28th we officially cut the ribbon to celebrate the opening of our new office at 4350 Glendale Milford Road, Suite 230, in Blue Ash.

On Friday, Affordable Language Services kicked off a case study at the Academy for Multilingual Immersion Studies. Over the course of ten weeks, the students in Ms. McNatt’s junior high class will help us solve an important problem: how many interpreters do we need, and what languages should they speak, for the Cincinnati of the future?

What would you do if an individual walked into your place of work and did not speak English? Would you know if this person is legally entitled to an interpreter? Better yet, would you provide the individual an interpreter, or would you turn them away because you were not able to communicate with them? Many people do not know the answers to these questions and the consequences that are associated with them.

Coming into the language industry and not speaking a foreign language, I did not realize the importance of interpreters. More importantly, I did not know about the seriousness of documenting interpreting services in order to comply with the law. Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act protects people from discrimination based on race, national origin, or color in programs or activities that receive any type of federal funding, and requires organizations to ensure people can “meaningfully access” programs and activities.

The market for translating and interpreting is awash with new technology, which is great for patients and providers—when it works. As a primarily face to face interpreter, I have often heard doctors and nurses complaining about poor connection or sound quality when using a telephonic or video interpreter. Luckily, interpreter technology, along with broadband speeds, has come a long way in the last couple years and the technology works pretty darn well, with a few glitches.