![[Guidance for interpreters publication image]](https://i0.wp.com/www.ata-divisions.org/ID/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Guidance-thumbnail.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1)
As interpreters, we are generally aware that the situations in which we serve may change in an instant. The power may go out, equipment may fail, a boothmate may fall ill. So we prepare. We consider those scenarios in advance and identify how we might address them. In today’s world, those unexpected things for which we try to prepare may also include interruptions by law … [Read more...]
From written to spoken: the challenges and possibilities of AI interpretation
The image that accompanies this article was created by artificial intelligence (AI) in response to the prompt “communication, spoken language.” It is unsettling, confusing, curious, and maybe even a little scary. Any mention of AI within the professional translation and interpretation community seems to trigger a lot of these same responses. Among some who use T&I … [Read more...]
Portable equipment for socially-distanced simultaneous interpretation in court
By Flavia Lima & Monica Guelman After months of near-total lockdown in many US states, courts are reopening with a massive backlog of cases to work through as a consequence of the pandemic and interpreters are in high demand. We need to find solutions to assist court attendees who are Limited English Proficient (LEP), while maintaining social distancing. In the pre-COVID … [Read more...]
Overcoming accent bias in the courtroom
By Sandra Dejeux Recently, I attended an online seminar about implicit bias in court settings. Among other things, the presenter spoke about accent bias and how, in some cases, it can undermine the credibility of a witness. Later, I read an article that stated that sometimes juries give less credibility or stop paying attention to expert testimony when the expert has a strong … [Read more...]
When training options are limited: Stepping into the gap
By Sandra Dejeux and Marco Hanson Houston Sandra Dejeux: For years, I had thought that court interpreter training to prepare for state and federal exams was essential, but not enough. We needed more. Texas was in dire need of a comprehensive course that went beyond the six-hour orientation required by the state to qualify candidates for testing. The goal would be to help … [Read more...]