What makes a good interpreter?
by Sabina Metcalf, MasterWord Services, London Over the weekend, I was reading an interesting article by Dr François Grosjean, Emeritus Professor of Psycholinguistics at Neuchâtel University. The...
View ArticleCulturally Enriched Communication
As linguists, our primary responsibility is to accurately transfer information from one language into another, which can only be achieved if we are culturally competent. Why? Language does not exist in...
View ArticleWhy do you interpret?
“A professional values the interests of the client above monetary profit” This is an important principle for all professionals, including interpreters and translators. It means that our primary concern...
View ArticleThe Role of the Medical Interpreter in Identifying Potential Mental Disorders
The role of the medical interpreter is always critical, and though particularly so in mental health interpreting. The interpreter’s ability to remain fully faithful to the register, language form, and...
View ArticleDo No Harm: Confidentiality in Community Interpreting
Look at any professional code of ethics for interpreters and at the very top of the list, you’ll find the tenet of confidentiality. The fact that it is so prominent signifies its connection to the most...
View ArticlePutting the Ethical Interpreter in Cultural Context
Ethical dilemma: You are a passenger in a car driven by a close friend, and your friend hits a pedestrian. You know that your friend was going at least 35 miles an hour in a 20-mile zone. There are no...
View ArticleLong and Winding Road to Interpreting
Although the ADA was officially “born” in 1990, its legal ancestor was Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act, which was a sea change in public policy concerning people with disabilities. Section...
View ArticleTanakha (ta-na-KHA)
Walking around Myanmar, it is common to see people covered in tanakha, from the wealthy to the common farmers in the paddy fields. Children get creative with designs on their cheeks, forehead, and...
View ArticleRecognizing the Impact of Nonverbal Communication on Interpretation Accuracy
With the aid of an interpreter, a young Nepali man, Kamal, is meeting his very first primary care physician in the United States. Pushing through a little nervousness, he answers all the doctor’s...
View ArticleHow Failure Helped My Career
Think back on your professional life to a moment when you learned a profound lesson. Got it? If the memory is one of a mistake or failure, congratulations! It means that you understand the function of...
View Article2 Easy Steps to Prepare for Your Medical Interpreting Assignment
You’ve just received a last-minute request to interpret at a local hospital. Unfortunately, you only have 10 minutes to prepare for your assignment and limited information to draw from: Patient name –...
View ArticleHow can I improve? Two Top Tips for Self-Study
Whether you are new to the profession, or you have been doing this for several years, you may have asked yourself at one point: “how can I be a better interpreter?” Great question! It shows that you...
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