-By Carol Shaw There are people in this world who see a disconnect in a system and ask what can be done. Then there are those who see the disconnect and ask what they can do. Meet Robert Joe Lee, doer. Not that he started out to fix the system nationwide. He started down that road as a seminary student and prison chaplain in New Jersey, trying to fix the holes in language … [Read more...]
To be or not to be certified: the dilemma for non-Spanish interpreters
By Yasmin Alkashef In an industry where the majority of professionals are freelancers and where subject-matter expertise cannot be easily judged by clients or intermediaries, certification remains the gatekeeper to quality. Hiring a translator or interpreter without verified qualifications or certification is a very risky endeavor. The result may cost a limited English … [Read more...]
What does it mean to be certified?
To be or not to be—a certified linguist, that is. The meaning of certification in our profession today has taken on a host of meanings, and this is not always a good thing. With end users of interpreting and translation becoming more aware of the importance of certification in specific settings, it is useful to review the meanings of terms like certified, qualified, … [Read more...]
Interpreting Certifications in the United States: A Comparison – Updated Nov. 18, 2016
Check out the updated version of the chart we posted last month, created by Helen Eby, of existing interpreter certifications. You will note that two California interpreter certifications have been added: the Administrative Hearing and Medical. These are the oldest certification exams in the nation, given between the late ‘70’s and 2008, (just before the great economic … [Read more...]
A Bad Interpretation Can Ruin —Even End a Life
By Monica P. Almada Are you bilingual? Can you carry on a conversation in another language? If so, how deep can your conversation be? How detailed? Can you talk about a variety of subjects: medicine, law, psychology, history, geography, construction, etc.? How about hearing an expert in any of these areas provide testimony in one language that you would … [Read more...]