By Helen Eby March, 2015. I was sitting at home, talking with friends. Ring! —Hello? This is Portland Public Schools. Could I talk to Helen Eby? —Yes… That’s me… —Are you available on April 16 to interpret for a Nobel laureate, Dr. Rigoberta Menchú, from Guatemala? Oh, please keep this totally confidential. We don’t want anyone to know about it except through … [Read more...]
A Christmas Poem for Interpreters
By Cynthia E. Roat (Apologies to Clement Clarke Moore) 'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The teenagers sprawled all awry in their beds, While visions of skateboards caromed in their heads. And I with my headset and glossary too Had just settled in for a session or two. Telephonic … [Read more...]
Remote Simultaneous Interpreting: Options and Standards
By Cyril Flerov Even though experiments with Remote Simultaneous Interpretation (RSI) have been taking place since the early 1970s, it is only relatively recently that we have heard more and more about this type of interpretation. It may exist in several configurations, namely: Internal cable – interpreters are in the same building but not in the … [Read more...]
Hospital Language Access is a Matter of Life or Death
By Carol Velandia Approximately 25 million people in the United States are defined as being Limited English Proficient or LEP. A LEP person cannot speak, read, write, or understand the English language at a level that permits them to interact effectively with English speakers. In the hospital setting, good communication is crucial; it is actually a matter of life … [Read more...]
Interpreting in Progress
By Gerardo Lázaro Interpreting is a necessity that has played a role in human communication ever since the existence of diverse languages. Today, with more than 7,100[1] living languages around the world, and as a result of our technological capabilities, communication may be at its peak. And yet, a lack of understanding between speakers of diverse languages has … [Read more...]