Unavoidable Delays It’s a funny thing. From everything written and spoken about court interpretation, one would think that we are constantly working away—interpreting for trials, hearings, attorney/client interviews and the like, all day long, with a nice break for lunch. I think we all agree that...
In the small county seat where I work several times a week there is a traffic circle. It is a small oasis in a not-very-attractive little town. In spring and summer there are shade trees and flowers. There is a central fountain, and a number...
“Your honor, the interpreter needs a repetition.” I am flustered, under attack and have not heard the final half of the defendant’s sentence. “Really?” comes the sarcastic sneer from the opposing attorney. “What for? If you can’t translate, then tell the defendant to speak really slowly,...
It seems only yesterday that parts of the judicial system in Miami were not yet even starting to understand the widely-accepted social mores of the 21st century. The terms, “sexual, ethnic and gender harassment” in the work place were not yet commonly known. I was...
Her poise did not disguise her youth. Articulate as she was, one could not help but feel her insecurities. She was introduced as the interpreter for her step-father. Her first confident words were “I don’t think I can do this, but I will try. I...
Maybe it was spring fever, but I don’t think so. I definitely felt what I can only describe as a breath of fresh air during the 34th NAJIT Annual Conference May 17-19, 2013, in St. Louis, Missouri. So often nowadays I hear interpreters talk about the “graying”...
The recent weather-related tragedies in Oklahoma have been of particular interest to our family, given that my youngest brother has lived in Tornado Alley for nearly two decades. The world has borne witness to the incredible stories of strength in the face of adversity, and...
“We need more pay for the work we do.” “Nobody respects us interpreters.” “Can we please stop having intruders in this profession?”[1] “When will people understand that being bilingual doesn’t mean you can interpret?” “We should boycott if they try to bring in video interpreting.” “Maybe conference interpreters can demand...
Last year, InterpretAmerica published a document titled “Best Practices in the Interpreting Profession: Simultaneous Interpreting in Non-Conference Settings[1]” which I co-authored. Last month, we completed a draft document titled “Best Practices in the Interpreting Profession: The Professional Medical Interpreter”. Last night I interpreted for a local school...
This post is by guest blogger Evelyn Yang Garland. Evelyn owns Acta Chinese Language Services, a growing translation company specializing in Chinese translation for business, legal, and government clients. Evelyn is an ATA-certified English-Chinese translator and Maryland court-certified Mandarin interpreter, and has been granted "expert member"...
