Sometimes my interpreter friends around the country write to me about the experiences they’ve had, wanting to share something that was hard or funny or special, something that nobody but another interpreter would understand. Here is one story that I … Continued
Imagine a hospital where 25% of the patient population needs an interpreter. And imagine that of those patients, 95% speak Spanish. Now imagine that in that same hospital, about half of all the Medical Assistants (MAs), Certified Nursing Assistants … Continued
In what venues do you like to interpret? Do you love helping social workers find much needed resources for people going through a rough patch in life? Or are kids your passion, and interpreting in school settings your joy? And … Continued
Past blogs on this site have talked about how community interpreters are contracted: as full- or part-time staff or as freelancers, working directly for healthcare or social service institutions or through language service providers (sometimes called language companies) that … Continued
or “We Don’t Need an Interpreter – Her Son Speaks Spanish” Imagine this: your mom needs shoulder surgery, so you take her to the hospital. As you check her in, the medical assistant hands you a blood pressure cuff and … Continued
A Letter to Healthcare Providers Dear Doctor M. Inahoury and Nurse Oberwirct, I’m writing today to clear up a misunderstanding that we seem to have. As much as I have enjoyed interpreting at your clinic, you seem to have … Continued
How do you say “shunt” in Spanish? Where do you stand in an interpreted session? How do you get the social worker to pause so you can interpret what she said? What does it mean to be “transparent?” What should … Continued
Question for today: Can any bilingual person interpret? Consider the concert pianist. She sweeps onto the stage in a floor length gown, bows to the applauding crowd, seats herself gracefully at the gleaming black Steinway grand piano. She bows … Continued
Question: In what profession can you assist at a birth, sign a family up for Medicaid, achieve justice for a victim of fraud, teach a patient to calculate his insulin dosage, get welfare benefits for a single mom, rescue a … Continued
Image of an interpreter from the tomb of the Pharaoh Horemheb, circa 1300 BC. They are found in the murals in ancient Egyptian tombs. Interpreters at work at the United Nations. They are lauded as indispensable links… …and … Continued