Federal LEP (Limited English Proficiency) requirements
Arkansas Spanish Interperters
I saw this news article earlier about the Colorado legislators struggling to meet the new federal requirements for interpreters. I have had some folks asking what the federal guidelines are, so I wanted to post what I found on cj-network.org:
Everyone in the U.S., including undocumented immigrants, are protected by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which states that “no person shall on the grounds of race, color, or national origin, be denied the benefits of … any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”
The Federal government has laws, policy, and guidance to protect persons with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) who come in contact with government and non-government agencies that receive Federal funding. Such entities can lose their funding if they do not comply with government regulations to provide language access services free of cost. These range from bilingual staff or staff interpreters competent in the skill of interpreting, to contracting qualified in-person or telephonic interpreter services, to arranging formally for the services of qualified voluntary community interpreters who are bound by confidentiality agreements. Generally, it is not acceptable for agencies or recipients to rely upon an LEP individual’s family members or friends to provide the interpreter services.
This web page is a resource for links relating to language access and the protection of LEP persons.
CONTENTS
LEP Policy Planning Tools for Police Departments
Non-Government Tools to Help Agencies Comply with Language Rights
LEP LAWS AND REGULATIONS
Executive Order 13166
Source: Civil Rights Division, Department of Justice Web Page
Location: http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/cor/13166.htm
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Source: U.S. Department of Justice Web Page
Location: http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/cor/coord/titlevi.htm
Website of the Federal Interagency Working Group on LEP
Location: http://www.lep.gov
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services LEP Resources & Tools
Location: http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/civilrights/resources/specialtopics/lep/
Guidance to Federal Financial Assistance Recipients Regarding Title VI Prohibition Against National Origin Discrimination Affecting Limited English Proficient Persons
This guide provides information for recipients about their Title VI obligations, including a Four Factor Analysis, which recipients can use to determine what steps they should take to provide meaningful access for LEP individuals.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice
Location: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/about/ocr/lep.htm
Commonly Asked Questions And Answers Regarding Executive Order 13166
Source: U.S. Department of Justice
Location: http://www.justice.gov/crt/cor/Pubs/lepqa.php
SPANISH LANGUAGE MATERIALS
Spanish language Fact Sheets about Discrimination
Includes Your Rights under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Where to File a Complaint, etc.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Location: http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/civilrights/complaints/crinfospanish.html
Declaración de derechos para personas con conocimiento limitado del idioma ingles
While this document is issued by the state of Oregon, it clearly bullets the access rights people have in all states and contains a Waiver of Interpreter’s Services.
Location: http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/omh/lep/spanish.pdf
When a LEP person confronts a language access barrier, it is best to quickly contact the office where the discrimination occurred. If doing so does not provide satisfactory results, the person has the following recourses:
Legal Aid Justice Center (LAJC)
Address: 1000 Preston Avenue, Suite A, Charlottesville 22902
Website: http://www.justice4all.org
Contact: Phil Storey (LAJC), phil@justiceforall.org
Contact: Dan Nagin, (UVA Family Resource Clinic, a joint project with LAJC), 434/-243-4320, dnagin@virginia.edu
Contact: Doug Ford (UVA Immigration Law Clinic), (434) 977-0553, Extension 136, doug@justice4all.org
Contact: Tim Freilich (LAJC), (434) 977-0553, Extension 111, tim@justice4all.org
These lawyers help qualified immigrants who confront a language barrier when trying to access services from government offices, hospitals, and other agencies.
Complaints about UVA’s treatment of Spanish Language Clients
Any questions, concerns or complaints about UVA’s language assistance or treatment of Spanish Language Clients should be directed to Sally LeBeau at SBS5H@hscmail.mcc.virginia.edu with the patient’s full name, date of birth and/or patient number.”
Complaints Against Offices Receiving Federal Assistance
The process for making complaints is detailed at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/civilrights/complaints/ Persons and organizations wishing to report specific incidences of language barriers may do so anonymously. All complaints can be directed to the Regional Manager for Civil Rights, Paul Cushing, at 215-861-4441 (phone), 800-368-1019 (hotline), 215-861-4431 (fax), Paul.Cushing@hhs.gov, or at Paul Cushing, Health & Human Services, 150 S. Independence Mall West, Suite 372, Public Ledger Bldg, Philadelphia, PA 19106-9111
Complaints Against Virginia Social Services Offices
This Virginia Department of Social Services webpage provides information about filing a complaint against language barriers confronted at one of its local agencies.
Location: http://www.dss.virginia.gov/printer/benefit/discrimination.html
LEP POLICY PLANNING TOOLS FOR POLICE DEPARTMENTS
The US Department of Justice provides “samples for discussion” and other resources useful for preparing LEP policies. Those related to Police Departments include:
Sample Police Department LEP Policy
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/about/ocr/pdfs/lep_sample.pdfPlanning Tool: Considerations For Creation Of A Language Assistance Policy And
Implementation Plan For Addressing Limited English Proficiency
In A Law Enforcement Agency
http://www.lep.gov/Law_Enforcement_Planning_Tool.htmDOJ Resources to assist law enforcement in their development of LEP Plans http://onlineresources.wnylc.net/pb/orcdocs/LARC_Resources/LEPTopics/LE/LawEnforcement.htm
For jails, a useful reference is:
Department of Corrections Planning Tool
http://www.lep.gov/LEP_Corrections_Planning_Tools.htm
NON-GOVERNMENT TOOLS TO HELP AGENCIES COMPLY WITH LANGUAGE RIGHTS
IMPACT 2009-2010 Initiative
IMPACT, a Charlottesville faith-based advocacy group, chose language access as its cause for 2009-2010. To learn about its efforts, contact Brian Plum at (540) 907-2299 or impact@thedartcenter.org
CLAS Act Virginia Initiative
This is a government web site identifying successful programs and resources for health providers to improve their ability to deliver core health care services to limited English proficiency patients.
Source: Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Health Policy and Planning (OHPP)
Location: http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/ohpp/CLASact/default.aspx
http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/healthpolicy/healthequity/clasact.htm
“I Speak” Flashcard
This Language Identification Flashcard has the phrase “Mark this box if you read or speak (name of language)” translated into 38 different languages. It was developed by the Census Bureau and is used by government and non-government agencies to identify the primary language of Limited English Proficiency individuals during face to face contacts.
Location: http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/cor/Pubs/ISpeakCards2004.pdf
Resource: Languages by Country
This chart – a useful resource for identifying what language translator is needed – lists languages spoken in every country of the world.
Location: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2098.html
Advanced customer satisfaction through thought, speech and action
For over 20 years, Arkansas Interpreters has been delivering our clients’ message, integrating technology and devising quality language solutions to render the promised outcome through document translation, on-site interpreting, telephone interpreting, localization, transcription and cultural consulting. We service government entities, law firms, banks, hospitals and healthcare providers, insurance companies, financial institutions, international corporations, pharmaceutical companies as well as marketing, advertising, consumer products, energy, hospitality, international trade and immigration, and various other industries in Spanish and other languages including American Sign Language.
Job information from Bureau of Labor Statistics
Significant Points
- About 26 percent of interpreters and translators are self-employed; many freelance and work in this occupation only sporadically.
- In addition to needing fluency in at least two languages, many interpreters and translators need a bachelor’s degree.
- Employment is expected to grow much faster than average.
- Job prospects vary by specialty and language.
Nature of the Work
Interpreters and translators facilitate the cross-cultural communication necessary in today’s society by converting one language into another. However, these language specialists do more than simply translate words—they relay concepts and ideas between languages. They must thoroughly understand the subject matter in which they work in order to accurately convey information from one language into another. In addition, they must be sensitive to the cultures associated with their languages of expertise.
Although some people do both, interpreting and translation are different professions. Interpreters deal with spoken words, translators with written words. Each task requires a distinct set of skills and aptitudes, and most people are better suited for one or the other. While interpreters often interpret into and from both languages, translators generally translate only into their native language.
Interpreters convert one spoken language into another—or, in the case of sign-language interpreters, between spoken communication and sign language. Interpreting requires that one pay attention carefully, understand what is communicated in both languages, and express thoughts and ideas clearly. Strong research and analytical skills, mental dexterity, and an exceptional memory also are important.
There are two modes of interpreting: simultaneous, and consecutive. Simultaneous interpreting requires interpreters to listen and speak (or sign) at the same time someone is speaking or signing. Ideally, simultaneous interpreters should be so familiar with a subject that they are able to anticipate the end of the speaker’s sentence. Because they need a high degree of concentration, simultaneous interpreters work in pairs, with each interpreting for 20-minute to 30-minute periods. This type of interpreting is required at international conferences and is sometimes used in the courts.
In contrast to the immediacy of simultaneous interpreting, consecutive interpreting begins only after the speaker has verbalized a group of words or sentences. Consecutive interpreters often take notes while listening to the speakers, so they must develop some type of note-taking or shorthand system. This form of interpreting is used most often for person-to-person communication, during which the interpreter is positioned near both parties.
Translators convert written materials from one language into another. They must have excellent writing and analytical ability, and because the translations that they produce must be accurate, they also need good editing skills.
Translating involves more than replacing a word with its equivalent in another language; sentences and ideas must be manipulated to flow with the same coherence as those in the source document so that the translation reads as though it originated in the target language. Translators also must bear in mind any cultural references that may need to be explained to the intended audience, such as colloquialisms, slang, and other expressions that do not translate literally. Some subjects may be more difficult than others to translate because words or passages may have multiple meanings that make several translations possible. Not surprisingly, translated work often goes through multiple revisions before final text is submitted.
Nearly all translation work is done on a computer, and most assignments are received and submitted electronically. This enables translators to work from almost anywhere, and a large percentage of them work from home. The Internet provides advanced research capabilities and valuable language resources, such as specialized dictionaries and glossaries. In some cases, use of computer-assisted translation—including memory tools that provide comparisons of previous translations with current work—helps save time and reduce repetition.
The services of interpreters and translators are needed in a number of subject areas. While these workers may not completely specialize in a particular field or industry, many do focus on one area of expertise. Some of the most common areas are described below; however, interpreters and translators may work in a variety of other areas also, including business, education, social services, and entertainment.
Judiciary interpreters and translators facilitate communication for people with limited English proficiency who find it challenging to communicate in a legal setting. Legal translators must be thoroughly familiar with the language and functions of the U.S. judicial system, as well as other countries’ legal systems. Court interpreters work in a variety of legal settings, such as attorney-client meetings, preliminary hearings, arraignments, depositions, and trials. Success as a court interpreter requires an understanding of both legal terminology and colloquial language. In addition to interpreting what is said, court interpreters also may be required to read written documents aloud in a language other than that in which they were written, a task known as sight translation.
Medical interpreters and translator, sometimes referred to as healthcare interpreters and translators, provide language services to healthcare patients with limited English proficiency. Medical interpreters help patients to communicate with doctors, nurses, and other medical staff. Translators working in this specialty primarily convert patient materials and informational brochures issued by hospitals and medical facilities into the desired language. Interpreters in this field need a strong grasp of medical and colloquial terminology in both languages, along with cultural sensitivity to help the patient receive the information.
Sign-language interpreters facilitate communication between people who are deaf or hard of hearing and people who can hear. Sign-language interpreters must be fluent in English and in American Sign Language (ASL), which combines signing, finger spelling, and specific body language. Most sign-language interpreters either interpret, aiding communication between English and ASL, or transliterate, facilitating communication between English and contact signing—a form of signing that uses a more English language-based word order. Some interpreters specialize in oral interpreting for people who are deaf or hard of hearing and lip-read instead of sign. Other specialties include tactile signing, which is interpreting for people who are blind as well as deaf by making manual signs into their hands, using cued speech, and signing exact English.
Conference interpreters work at conferences that have non-English-speaking attendees. The work is often in the field of international business or diplomacy, although conference interpreters can interpret for any organization that works with speakers of foreign languages. Employers prefer high-level interpreters who have the ability to translate from at least two languages into one native language—for example, the ability to interpret from Spanish and French into English. For some positions, such as those with the United Nations, this qualification is mandatory.
Guide or escort interpreters accompany either U.S. visitors abroad or foreign visitors in the United States to ensure that they are able to communicate during their stay. These specialists interpret on a variety of subjects, both on an informal basis and on a professional level. Most of their interpreting is consecutive, and work is generally shared by two interpreters when the assignment requires more than an 8-hour day. Frequent travel, often for days or weeks at a time, is common, and it is an aspect of the job that some find particularly appealing.
Literary translators adapt written literature from one language into another. They may translate any number of documents, including journal articles, books, poetry, and short stories. Literary translation is related to creative writing; literary translators must create a new text in the target language that reproduces the content and style of the original. Whenever possible, literary translators work closely with authors to best capture their intended meanings and literary characteristics.
Localization translators completely adapt a product or service for use in a different language and culture. The goal of these specialists is to make it appear as though a product originated in the country where it will be sold and supported. At its earlier stages, this work dealt primarily with software localization, but the specialty has expanded to include the adaptation of Internet sites, marketing, publications, and products and services in manufacturing and other business sectors.
Work environment. Interpreters work in a wide variety of settings, such as schools, hospitals, courtrooms, and conference centers. Translators usually work alone, and they must frequently perform under pressure of deadlines and tight schedules. Technology allows translators to work from almost anywhere, and many choose to work from home.
Because many interpreters and translators freelance, their schedules often vary, with periods of limited work interspersed with periods requiring long, irregular hours. For those who freelance, a significant amount of time must be dedicated to looking for jobs. Interpreters who work over the telephone or through videoconferencing generally work in call centers in urban areas and keep to a standard 5-day, 40-hour workweek.
Interpreters and translators must have a thorough understanding of various languages.
Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement
Interpreters and translators must be fluent in at least two languages. Their educational backgrounds may vary widely, but many need a bachelor’s degree. Many also complete job-specific training programs.
Education and training. The educational backgrounds of interpreters and translators vary. Knowing at least two languages is essential. Although it is not necessary to have been raised bilingual to succeed, many interpreters and translators grew up speaking two languages.
In high school, students can prepare for these careers by taking a broad range of courses that include English writing and comprehension, foreign languages, and basic computer proficiency. Other helpful pursuits include spending time abroad, engaging in direct contact with foreign cultures, and reading extensively on a variety of subjects in English and at least one other language.
Beyond high school, there are many educational options. Although a bachelor’s degree is often required for jobs, majoring in a language is not always necessary. An educational background in a particular field of study can provide a natural area of subject-matter expertise. However, specialized training in how to do the work is generally required. Formal programs in interpreting and translation are available at colleges nationwide and through nonuniversity training programs, conferences, and courses. Many people who work as conference interpreters or in more technical areas—such as localization, engineering, or finance—have master’s degrees, while those working in the community as court or medical interpreters or translators are more likely to complete job-specific training programs.
Other qualifications. Experience is an essential part of a successful career in either interpreting or translation. In fact, many agencies or companies use only the services of people who have worked in the field for 3 to 5 years or who have a degree in translation studies, or both.
A good way for translators to learn firsthand about the profession is to start out working in-house for a translation company; however, such jobs are not very numerous. People seeking to enter interpreter or translator jobs should begin by getting experience whatever way possible—even if it means doing informal or volunteer work.
Volunteer opportunities are available through community organizations, hospitals, and sporting events, such as marathons, that involve international competitors. The American Translators Association works with the Red Cross to provide volunteer interpreters in crisis situations. Any translation can be used as an example for potential clients, even translation done as practice.
Paid or unpaid internships and apprenticeships are other ways for interpreters and translators to get started. Escort interpreting may offer an opportunity for inexperienced candidates to work alongside a more seasoned interpreter. Interpreters might also find it easier to break into areas with particularly high demand for language services, such as court or medical interpreting.
Whatever path of entry they pursue, new interpreters and translators should establish mentoring relationships to build their skills, confidence, and professional network. Mentoring may be formal, such as through a professional association, or informal with a coworker or an acquaintance who has experience as an interpreter or translator. Both the American Translators Association and the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf offer formal mentoring programs.
Translators working in localization need a solid grasp of the languages to be translated, a thorough understanding of technical concepts and vocabulary, and a high degree of knowledge about the intended target audience or users of the product. Because software often is involved, it is not uncommon for people who work in this area of translation to have a strong background in computer science or to have computer-related work experience.
Self-employed and freelance interpreters and translators need general business skills to successfully manage their finances and careers. They must set prices for their work, bill customers, keep financial records, and market their services to attract new business and build their client base.
Certification and advancement. There is currently no universal form of certification required of interpreters and translators in the United States. However there are a variety of different tests that workers can take to demonstrate proficiency, which may be helpful in gaining employment. For example, the American Translators Association provides certification in 24 language combinations involving English for its members.
Federal courts have certification for Spanish, Navajo, and Haitian Creole interpreters, and many State and municipal courts offer their own forms of certification. The National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators also offers certification for court interpreting.
The U.S. Department of State has a three-test series for prospective interpreters—one test in simple consecutive interpreting (for escort work), another in simultaneous interpreting (for court or seminar work), and a third in conference-level interpreting (for international conferences)—as well as a test for prospective translators. These tests are not considered a credential, but successful completion indicates that a person has a significant level of skill in the field. Additionally, the International Association of Conference Interpreters offers certification for conference interpreters
The National Association of the Deaf and the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) jointly offer certification for general sign interpreters. In addition, the registry offers specialty tests in legal interpreting, speech reading, and deaf-to-deaf interpreting—which includes interpreting among deaf speakers with different native languages and from ASL to tactile signing.
Once interpreters and translators have gained sufficient experience, they may then move up to more difficult or prestigious assignments, may seek certification, may be given editorial responsibility, or may eventually manage or start a translation agency.
Many self-employed interpreters and translators start businesses by submitting resumes and samples to many different translation and interpreting agencies and then wait to be contacted when an agency matches their skills with a job. Work is often acquired by word of mouth or through referrals from existing clients.
Employment
Interpreters and translators held about 50,900 jobs in 2008. However, the actual number of interpreters and translators is probably significantly higher because many work in the occupation only sporadically. Interpreters and translators are employed in a variety of industries, reflecting the diversity of employment options in the field. About 28 percent worked in public and private educational institutions, such as schools, colleges, and universities. About 13 percent worked in healthcare and social assistance, many of whom worked for hospitals. Another 9 percent worked in other areas of government, such as Federal, State, and local courts. Other employers of interpreters and translators include interpreting and translation agencies, publishing companies, telephone companies, and airlines.
About 26 percent of interpreters and translators are self-employed. Many who freelance in the occupation work only part time, relying on other sources of income to supplement earnings from interpreting or translation.
Job Outlook
Interpreters and translators can expect much faster than average employment growth. Job prospects vary by specialty and language.
Employment change. Employment of interpreters and translators is projected to increase 22 percent over the 2008–18 decade, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. Higher demand for interpreters and translators results directly from the broadening of international ties and the large increases in the number of non-English speaking people in the United States. Both of these trends are expected to continue throughout the projections period, contributing to relatively rapid growth in the number of jobs for interpreters and translators across all industries in the economy.
Demand will remain strong for translators of frequently translated languages, such as Portuguese, French, Italian, German, and Spanish. Demand should also be strong for translators of Arabic and other Middle Eastern languages and for the principal East Asian languages—Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. Demand for American Sign Language interpreters will grow rapidly, driven by the increasing use of video relay services, which allow individuals to conduct video calls using a sign language interpreter over an Internet connection.
Technology has made the work of interpreters and translators easier. However, technology is not likely to have a negative impact on employment of interpreters and translators because such innovations are incapable of producing work comparable with work produced by these professionals.
Job prospects. Urban areas, especially Washington, DC, New York, and cities in California, provide the largest numbers of employment possibilities, especially for interpreters; however, as the immigrant population spreads into more rural areas, jobs in smaller communities will become more widely available.
Job prospects for interpreters and translators vary by specialty and language. For example, interpreters and translators of Spanish should have good job opportunities because of expected increases in the Hispanic population in the United States. Demand is expected to be strong for interpreters and translators specializing in healthcare and law because it is critical that information be fully understood among all parties in these areas. Additionally, there should be demand for specialists in localization, driven by the globalization of business and the expansion of the Internet; however, demand may be dampened somewhat by outsourcing of localization work to other countries. Given the shortage of interpreters and translators meeting the desired skill level of employers, interpreters for the deaf will continue to have favorable employment prospects. On the other hand, competition can be expected for both conference interpreter and literary translator positions because of the small number of job opportunities in these specialties.
Projections Data
|
Occupational Title |
SOC Code |
Employment, 2008 |
Projected |
Change, |
Detailed Statistics |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Number |
Percent |
||||||
| Interpreters and translators |
27-3091 |
50,900 | 62,200 | 11,300 | 22 |
[PDF] |
[XLS] |
| NOTE: Data in this table are rounded. See the discussion of the employment projections table in the Handbook introductory chapter on Occupational Information Included in the Handbook. | |||||||
Earnings
Wage and salary interpreters and translators had median hourly wages of $38,850 in May 2008. The middle 50 percent earned between $28,940 and $52,240. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $22,170, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $69,190. Individuals classified as language specialists in the Federal Government earned an average of $79,865 annually in March 2009.
Earnings depend on language, subject matter, skill, experience, education, certification, and type of employer, and salaries of interpreters and translators can vary widely. Interpreters and translators who know languages for which there is a greater demand, or which relatively few people can translate, often have higher earnings, as do those who perform services requiring a high level of skill, such as conference interpreters.
For those who are not salaried, earnings typically fluctuate, depending on the availability of work. Freelance interpreters usually earn an hourly rate, whereas translators who freelance typically earn a rate per word or per hour.
Lack of Interpreters for Civil Courts
There is a really good article about the need for legal interpreters on the interpretereducationonline.com blog. I have never heard of an interpreter being requested or provided at a civil court here in our area. This is definately something to watch.
According to a study recently conducted by the New York University School of Law, interpreting services in civil courts are not always required by state courts. Interpreters are generally requested in criminal cases but the study found that — despite increasing demand— they are not mandatory in civil cases in many state courts.
37 % of the 35 states which were examined due to their significant number of immigrants do not require interpreters to prove adequate qualification in civil cases. More appalling is the result indicating that 46 % of the states do not even require interpreters to be present in civil cases at all. Despite the fact that, as per Title VI of the Civil Code, it is federal law to provide interpreters to non- or limited English speakers in legal proceedings, courts do not pay for interpreting services in 80 % of the states.
Some would argue that a major problem is to keep up with the increasing demand in interpreters because not enough qualified interpreters are available. If they are available many courts often cannot afford to use them. In New York, for example, costs for interpreting services have increased from $ 6 million in four years. One solution to this problem might be the recently legislated State Court Interpreter Grant Program Act providing states with $15 million to develop or enhance their court interpreter programs.
A Day in the Life of… a Court Interpreter
“Some days I’m in eight to 10 different courtrooms,” said Toro, chief county interpreter. “I get so busy I barely have time for lunch. You can lose weight on this job.
“We work as long as we have to. As long as court is in session, we are here. If anyone needs an interpreter, we are on call.”
Toro and her staff of two full-time and three part-time interpreters can barely keep up with the workload, which includes interpreting in the courtrooms of 13 county judges, three senior judges and 18 district judges and in proceedings involving juvenile and adult probation, domestic relations, and children and youth services.
Toro acknowledges that some of the work can’t be done in accordance with the new law because there are not enough interpreters.
In between interpreting, Toro and her staff are studying for the written and oral exams they need to pass to become certified in accordance with a new law.
Pennsylvania is one of 32 states to implement a new law requiring courts to provide certified interpreters to indigent non-English-speaking people in civil and criminal courts.
Toro is hoping her department will become a model for other counties in the state.
She said the courts could use two more full-time and three more part-time interpreters to be in accordance with the law.
“We need to double our staff to keep up with all the work and then we won’t have to worry (and) everything will be done legally everywhere,” Toro said.
Toro said that it is illegal to use friends, family members or others who are not certified as interpreters.
“To use someone who is an advocate is a conflict of interest,” Toro said. “Just because you are bilingual does not mean you can interpret.
“We take a lot of pride in what we do. You may be able to speak conversational English, but going before a judge is very different.”
Toro said that her staff members are studying medical and ballistics terms to prepare for court.
She said they plan to interpret the autopsy report for the homicide trial of two Reading men charged in the killing a woman who was working at the drive-through window at McDonald’s restaurant in July.
“We are studying the medical terms to interpret during the trial,” she said.
Before a trial, Toro said, the interpreter will review the entire court record to become familiar with the terms that will be used in court.
Toro said the interpreters translate 135 words a minute.
Toro begins her day at 8 a.m., checking schedules and assigning cases to her staff.
She also oversees interpreting services for all languages and the deaf.
While the need for Spanish translation is the most prevalent, on occasion the court will use Romanian, Polish, French and Vietnamese interpreters, who are available from a state list.
Toro said that her staff provides different Spanish dialects as well. She is from Puerto Rico; Kenluis Olivo is from the Dominican Republic and Sonya Rivera is from Honduras.
Born in Reading, Toro moved to Puerto Rico as a child. She graduated from University of Turabo in Puerto Rico, where she received a degree to teach English.
After college, Toro moved back to Reading and worked in the Reading School District. She later worked at a social service agency for people with disabilities.
Toro was the facilitator of the court’s protection-from-abuse unit, before becoming chief court interpreter two and half years ago.
“I just love my job,” Toro said. “Everyday is different. We are always learning.”
New FAQ page
FAQ
Every respectable website has a FAQ. So not to be outdone, we have posted a FAQ page here.
This FAQ includes the following questions:
What do court interpreters do?
Is simultaneous interpreting difficult?
What does it take to become a competent court interpreter?
What is the difference between interpretation and translation?
What languages are most frequently used?
Is there such a thing as certification for court interpreters?
Where can I find out about federal certification?
What if an interpreter doesn’t know how to translate a word or phrase?
What happens if an interpreter makes a mistake?
Is there a Code of Ethics that court interpreters and translators must follow?
Is there a statutory or constitutional right to an interpreter?
Have cases ever been successfully appealed because of interpreter issues?
How do you study to become a court interpreter?
Does court interpreting pay well?
What kinds of cases do court interpreters do?
Is the work interesting?
So just click on http://www.arkansasinterpreting.com/resources/faq-spanish/ to see all of the answers !!!!
Importance of Qualified Interpreters for Depositions
Court Interpreters
How can lawyers sense that they’ve been given a chance to work with an excellent deposition interpreter? When in the deposition process do the deposing attorneys stop wondering: “What if this deposition interpreter is just so-so”? What should our clients- attorneys-at-law and law firms that retain our legal translation firm- expect from the deposition interpreters we provide? The answer to these questions may surprise you. It lies in the unimpeded flow of the interpreted deposition.
An acquaintance of mine is a New York lawyer with over 25 years of litigation experience. During that time, he’s handled over 1,000 depositions; more than 50 of those depositions have involved foreign language interpreters. The other days he said something profound: “What you are looking for is an interpreter who essentially becomes transparent during the deposition. You hardly notice the interpreter at work, and the flow of your deposition proceeds unimpeded.”
In addition to the obvious- complete fluency in the two languages (English and the foreign language spoken by the deponent); great consecutive (sequential) interpreting skills and the ability to appear transparent during the interpreted deposition, qualified deposition interpreters should strictly abide by the ten canons of the Interpreter’s Code of Professional Responsibility (the exact name of the Code and its text varies from state to state). They are: accuracy and completeness; representation of qualifications; impartiality and avoidance of conflict of interest; professional demeanor; confidentiality; restriction of public comment; scope of practice; assessing and reporting impediments to performance; duty to report ethical violations; and professional development.
To ensure a more rewarding cross-cultural deposition experience and to experience the unimpeded deposition flow, try to reserve services of a competent deposition interpreter well in advance. And avoid dealing with unqualified untrained individuals who may pose as aspiring interpreters, and stay away from the bilinguals who are the interested persons.
Source:http://www.translationforlawyers.com/2009/06/what_trial_lawyers_and_litigat.html
Spanish Translation Iphone Apps
Being a translator or an interpreter from Spanish to English and English to Spanish can be rough even for the pros. My wife is a native Spanish speaker who has spent most of her life around friends and family who also speak English. Even so, there are times when she gets stuck. Enter the Iphone. She opens the “Translator” app or “iTranslate” and types in a word or phrase in Spanish, and PRESTO!! out comes it’s equivalent, or something close to it in English.
So, today we are going to share a few of the apps that are out there for interpreters and translators. Many of these can be used with many languages, including Sign Language, others are basically for those who are Spanish-English translators.
FREE iTranslate
To translate a word or phrase, select the language you want to translate from on the left, and the language you want to translate to on the right. iTranslate will display the current setting, for example saying “English to Spanish”, “Spanish to Italian”, etc. Then tap the entry field at the top of the app, use iPhone’s on-screen keyboard to put in the term, and hit Search. The application also saves your most recent query, as you can see in my example of translating “Where can I buy bread?” into Spanish and Italian.
$2 Ispeak
Speak is a set of translation apps that can convert words and sentences from English to another language, or vice versa. You type your phrase into the app, which quickly translates your text. If you’re not sure how to pronounce the phrase, pressing a button triggers the app to speak the words aloud. iSpeak got our basic Spanish-to-English and English-to-Spanish test phrases pretty closely, though it didn’t manage to pronounce the read-out as Catalonians would (though, to be fair, Catalan is not the same language as Spanish).
Free Translator
This application provides an interface to the free Google Translate API for many languages including Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Spanish and Vietnamese.
$2.99 Linguo
Linguo, a translator in your pocket!
Featured in iLounge’s 100 Best Apps + Games list!
Linguo is the essential utility for all your business trips or holidays. Linguo can be used offline, thanks on it’s database stored directly on your device. Linguo will try to find a result locally (exact result or suggestion) or go fetch a result online only when needed.
FEATURES:
- Translate in 25 languages
- 400 audio clips in French, English, German, Spanish and Italian
- Send results by email
- Save the translations that you’ve made
- Database cointaining over 385 000 entries directly available on your device
- Offline Mode to reduce bandwidth consumption
$19.99 Ultralingua Spanish English
The Ultralingua Spanish-English Translation Dictionary and Verb Book for iPhone and iPod Touch is a collegiate-level lexicon for students and travelers, offering thousands of words, plus slang, technical vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, etc. This robust glossary provides full verb conjugations in all tenses, and translation of numbers to text.
Tap on any word for easy access to reverse translations, verb conjugations, and Google search. Available for English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, German, and more.
No mere phrasebook or word list, our translation dictionaries have up to 250,000 entries with all the translation power of our Mac OS X app, at a lower price, installed on your iPhone, with no internet connection required.
So there you have it. A handful of apps for your iphone to help out in the work. Just go to the app store or iTunes to get them.
Iphone happy Interpreter
If you are an interpreter or a translator, the odds are that you use an Iphone. In fact, even if you aren’t and you live in the United States, the odds are that you use an Iphone.
According to wikipedia:
Apple sold 6.1 million original iPhone units over five quarters.[33] The company sold 3.8 million iPhone 3G units in the second quarter of fiscal 2009, ending March 2009, totaling 21.4 million iPhones sold to date.[4] Sales in Q4 2008 surpassed temporarily those of RIM’s BlackBerry sales of 5.2 million units, which made Apple briefly the third largest mobile phone manufacturer by revenue, after Nokia and Samsung.[34] Approximately 6.4 million iPhones are active in the U.S. alone.
So we have done a few things for Iphone users on our site. The biggest one is that if you open arkansasinterpreting.com on your iphone, you get the iphone theme which has been optimized for viewing on the safari browser. If you don’t like the iphone theme, you can change it to the normal one.
Tomorrow, we will be writing about some of the applications for translating.
Interpreter Employment Opportunities
Interpreter Jobs
If you are aware of employment that would be beneficial to an interpreter, please let us know, and we will post the information here. If you have opportunities for translating jobs, that would be great too.
