This page is dedicated to answering some common questions that are asked when using interpreters. If you have a question that is not answered on this page and you would like an answer please E-mail us @ info@multilingual-services.com and we will be glad to reply to your query.

Question:

What is the difference between an interpreter and a translator?

Answer:

The difference between an interpreter and a translator is that :

Interpreter

An Interpreter is a person who renders orally into one language a message spoken in a different language. This is typically done on-site in a Doctors' office, An Attorney's office or a business meeting.

Translator

A translator is someone who renders written material from one language (the source language) into another (the target language). Professional translators, unlike people who are bilingual, have the ability to link the two languages, in effect to rewrite the source text as if it had been originally written in the target language.

Question:

How do I decide if I need an Interpreter?

Answer:

You need an interpreter whenever a patient or client requests an interpreter, or whenever you as a provider believe that there may be a breakdown to clear communication between you and your patient or client due to language or cultural differences. If you're a health care provider, you are legally required to provide language assistance for limited-English-speakers if your organization receives federal financial assistance of any kind. According to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, recipients of federal funding may not conduct any of their programs or services in a manner that subjects any person or class of persons to discrimination on the grounds of race, color, or national origin. A frequent cause of discrimination of the national origin is the use of ineffective methods of communication between English-speaking staff and persons who, because of their national origin have limited proficiency in English. The Office for Civil Rights released a Guidance Memorandum in 2000 regarding compliance with Title VI, which serves as clarifier as to what interpreter services are not acceptable for entities to meet its Title VI responsibility.

Question:

How do I choose an interpreter?

Answer:

There are some minimum qualifications an interpreter must meet:

	Mastery of both languages involved.
	Formally trained as an interpreter. Just being bilingual DOES NOT make a person an interpreter: there are special skills needed. Untrained interpreters are at high risk for giving opinions, changing the message, adding or omitting information, getting involved in conversations with the provider or limited-English-speaker, while excluding the other.
	Not a family member. Family members often unfamiliar with medical terminology. They also often add their own opinions, edit patient's message, answer for the patient, and confidentiality may be of concern.
	Never a child. In addition to the previous concerns, using a child reverses the family role, where parents, not children should be in control. A child may become traumatized in the event of negative news and they also lack vocabulary.

Question:

How can I work effectively with an interpreter?

Answer:

Here are some basic tips to make the communication between you and a limited-English-speaker smoother and help the interpreter be more efficient:

	Speak directly to the patient or client, not to the interpreter
	A professional interpreter will use the first person in interpreting, reflecting exactly what the limited-English speaker said, allowing you to hear the message more accurately and deal with the question or problem posed: e.g. "My leg hurts", instead of, "She says her leg hurts".
	Speak at an even pace and pause frequently to allow the interpreter to interpret.
	Avoid slang, complicated sentence structures, sentence fragments, changing your idea in the middle of a sentence, and asking multiple questions at one time.
	Be aware that many concepts you express, like idioms, have no linguistic, or often even conceptual, equivalent in other languages. Therefore, the interpreter may have to paint word pictures in order to transmit the message; this may take longer than your original speech.
	Don't make assumptions about the limited-English-speaker's educational level. The inability to speak English does not necessarily mean lack of education.
	Do not hold the interpreter responsible for what the limited-English-speaker says or doesn't say. The interpreter is just the medium and not the source of the message.
	Acknowledge the interpreter as a professional in communication. Respect his or her role. If you are concerned that an interpreter has not interpreted everything you said, simply ask him/her to do so.

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