Legal or judiciary interpreters help people who are unable to communicate in English to receive fair treatment in the court system. Legal interpreters must remain emotionally detached from their work and not modify the meaning or tone of what is said, so a high standard of ethics and a keen sense of objectivity are extremely important in this field.

Legal interpreters also need to be thoroughly familiar with the language and functions of the U.S. judicial system, and sometimes with other countries’ legal systems as well. Court interpreters work in a variety of legal settings, such as attorney-client meetings, preliminary hearings, depositions, trials, and arraignments. Success as a judiciary interpreter requires an understanding of both legal terminology and colloquial language.

Since the stakes are extremely high in this field of language interpreting, legal interpreters must be perfectly qualified for their job. For example, despite a shortage of legal interpreters, some states, including California, are seeking to raise court interpreters’ qualification standards in the interest of justice for all.

Language Translation, Inc. offers interpreting services, including conference, escort and legal interpreting, in over 40 languages. Our President, Ana Maria Nevin has more than 20 years of experience in Spanish language interpreting, and is a Certified Court Interpreter and a Certified Administrative Hearing Interpreter for the State of California.

Don’t hesitate to contact us for all of your interpreting and language translation needs.

Betty Carlson

Subscribe to Language Lines, our monthly newsletter, for more information about language services and the key role they play in numerous sectors of activity.

“The publication of a new guide on telephone interpreting was announced recently. A Medical Interpreter's Guide to Telephone Interpreting is the first in a series of guides to be published by the International Medical Interpreters Association (IMIA). The publication underwent a peer-review process and is intended to be a short primer on the topic.

‘Telephone interpreting is used by countless hospitals and health care facilities throughout the world,’ explained Izabel Arocha, IMIA president, ‘Our goal is to help our members and the public at large to learn more about this important method of delivering language access to patients across the globe.’

The phone-based interpreting service, which enables interpreters for hundreds of languages to be instantly accessible via telephone, was first introduced in Australia in the 1970s, but is now used in the United States, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Israel and many other countries, Arocha said.”

(Extract from Medical News Today, August 5^th 2008)

For more information about telephonic interpreting for all sectors, contact Language Translation Inc.. Located in San Diego, California, we have been providing language services domestically and internationally for over 19 years. We now offer an over-the-phone interpreting system, SpeakEasy, which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in over 150 languages.

Betty Carlson 

Subscribe to Language Lines, our monthly newsletter, for the latest news about the growing importance of translation and interpreting in today’s economy.

Escort interpreters, sometimes called guide interpreters, take on a much different role from conference interpreters. Their main task is to accompany either U.S. visitors abroad or foreign visitors in the United States in order to ensure that visitors are able to communicate their hosts, and that they are able to get by during their entire stay.

Escort interpreters must be specialized in the business their clients are involved in, but also have to deal with a variety of travel-oriented and informal subjects. They may interpret during business or social outings, and also may help the visitors deal with travel arrangements and even sight-seeing.

Most escort language interpreting involves small groups and the interpretation is consecutive. Outside of official business meetings, the interpreter may establish a personal rapport with his or her clients and serve more as a guide and cultural resource person than as a pure interpreter.

Since groups often need this service for more than an 8-hour day, jobs are often shared by two or even more interpreters. Frequent travel, sometimes for weeks at a time, is common in this field.

Language Translation, Inc. offers interpreting services, including conference, escort and telephonic interpreting, in over 40 languages. We also provide interpretation equipment for all of your needs. Don’t hesitate to contact us for a free quote.

Betty Carlson

Subscribe to Language Lines, our monthly newsletter, for more information about language services and their role in today’s business world.

Here at Language Translation Inc., we were pleased to see our new telephonic interpreting service featured in a recent article from the Wall Street Journal.

Written by Sarah Nassauer, Making Yourself Understood in Beijing compares four telephonic interpreting services, including our service, SpeakEasy. The over-the-phone interpreting systems were tested in various situations in different countries.

Our service got its first try in a New Delhi restaurant:

“In New Delhi, India, we tested Language Translation Inc., a U.S.-based translation and interpretation services that started a 24-hour telephone interpretation services early this year. After sitting down in a restaurant in southern Delhi, we called the interpreter to explain that we wanted a wheat-free recommendation from the waiter. After being connected quickly, we passed the phone to the waiter, who immediately gave it to a superior who spoke to the interpreter for several minutes. After a series of questions and passing the phone back and forth we decided to order a dosa (a large south Indian style crepe), which the waiter promised via the interpreter is "always, always" made with rice. All parties seemed tolerant of the back and forth.”

Subsequent tests of our SpeakEasy telephone interpreting system took place in busy New Delhi streets: a cab trip “went smoothly,’ even though a later call in an autorickshaw did suffer from loud traffic noise -- as any phone call could.

The team at Language Translation, Inc. is proud of this thumbs-up from the national press. Located in San Diego, California, we have been providing language services to companies in the USA and abroad since 1989. Don’t hesitate to contact us for all of your  language translation, interpreting and telephonic interpreting needs. “Let us show you how good translation should be.”

Betty Carlson

Subscribe to Language Lines, our monthly newsletter, for more information on language services in the business world.

Conference interpreters work at conferences or large meetings that have non-English-speaking participants. Although their job can involve international business and diplomacy, conference interpreters work for any organization that deals with foreign language speakers.

Conference interpreting requires top-notch interpreters who generally have the ability to interpret from at least two second languages into their native language -- for example, a native English speaker may interpret from Spanish and German into English. For some full-time positions, such as those with the United Nations, this qualification is mandatory.

Language interpreting carried out at conferences is often simultaneous; however, at some meetings with a small number of attendees, consecutive interpreting may be used. Usually, interpreters sit in soundproof booths, listening to the speakers through headphones and interpreting what is said into a microphone. The interpreted speech is then relayed to the listener through headsets. When interpreting is needed for only one or two people, the interpreter generally sits behind or next to the attendee and whispers an oral translation of the proceedings.

Language Translation, Inc. offers interpreting services, including conference interpreting and telephonic interpreting, in over 40 languages. We also provide interpretation equipment for all of your needs. Don’t hesitate to contact us for a free quote.

Betty Carlson

Subscribe to Language Lines, our monthly newsletter, for more information about language services and their role in today’s business world.

A new Common Sense Advisory report emphasizes the rise in telephonic interpreting as a solution to linguistic and geographic barriers. Telephone interpreting now represents over a quarter of the world interpreting market, and income from telephonic interpreting is expected to nearly double worldwide by 2012.

According to the research group’s findings, medical interpreting represents about a third of all telephone interpreting carried out in the USA. This is not surprising since hospitals that receive federal funds are required to provide language services to all patients.

 “’The mythical translation device that allows people to communicate effortlessly across written and spoken forms of all languages has yet to be invented,” said report analyst, Nataly Kelly, in a press release. “’Until that time, people can turn to telephone interpreting services that can connect them with a human interpreter for nearly 200 languages in under 30 seconds. With the availability of such services, there is no reason why people should struggle with spoken language barriers.’”

In international business, telephonic interpreting can allow your company to increase customer loyalty and reduce customer service interaction time. It also makes your products or services more accessible to non-English speakers – an important selling point even within the USA. For more information about all types of language interpreting, contact Language Translation Inc. Located in San Diego, California, we have been providing language services domestically and internationally for over 19 years. “Let us show you how good translation should be.”

Betty Carlson

Subscribe to Language Lines, our monthly newsletter, for the latest information about the growing importance of culture and language in the business world.

"Breathing" by Jaume Plensa

“U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon dedicated a soaring glass and steel sculpture to the memory of journalists killed in the line of work at a somber gathering in London Monday evening.

The sculpture by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa sits on the roof of the new wing of Broadcasting House, the British Broadcasting Corp.'s corporate headquarters in central London. It will be illuminated for 30 minutes every night as the BBC broadcasts its 10 o'clock news bulletin. Relatives of some of the journalists killed in action listened to Ban, who said the memorial is ‘a solemn reminder of those who have lost their lives giving voice to the voiceless…’

The International News Safety Institute that co-hosted the event with the BBC said more than 1,000 journalists and assistants, including translators, drivers and fixers, have died in the past 10 years.”

(Extract from the Associated Press, June 17 2008)

Language Translation Inc. recognizes that some translators and interpreters work in very dangerous conditions, far from the offices of global corporations, and honors their courage.

Betty Carlson

Subscribe to Language Lines, our monthly newsletter, for the latest news about the growing importance of language services in the business world.

“Hospitals in India are increasingly taking on foreign language translators to meet the needs of the growing number of medical tourists opting for treatment in the country…

However, around 90 per cent of patients attending Indian hospitals tend to understand English and Ravi Ramalingam, managing director of KKRENT Hospital, told the Hindu [an Indian newspaper] that they ‘sometimes have more problems communicating with patients from neighbouring states …than with patients from abroad.’

India has become one of the world's leading medical tourism destinations thanks to its state-of-the-art facilities and highly skilled medical personnel, many of whom have trained and worked in the UK.”

(Extract from “Medical Tourism Means Demand for Translators,” Treatment Abroad)

From business conferences to courtroom cases to hospital wards, interpreters work in varied venues all over the world. At Language Translation Inc. in San Diego, we offer top-notch language translation and interpretation, and also now offer telephonic interpreting. “Let us show you how good translation should be.”

Betty Carlson

Minnesota Public Radio is conducting a public survey about medical interpreting in the USA, underscoring the importance of this issue in the medical field today. Whether you have used an interpreter, lacked one, or worked as or with one, the Public Insight Network of MPR wants to know about your experience.

“With 9 percent of the U.S. population needing at least some assistance with English, hospitals and clinics employ different ways to provide interpreters as they are required to do by federal law,” explains the radio station website in its introduction to the survey.  “Some have trained interpreters on staff who speak the major languages of their patients. Many rely on telephone interpretation services that offer more than 150 languages 24/7.”

The radio organization, which regularly asks for public feedback on key issues, is interested in learning more about medical interpretation in the USA today. Patients, health care professionals, language service providers, family members and hospital staff are all welcome to participate.

When medical interpreters are called upon, it is essential that they have specific training in their field as well as irreproachable language skills. At Language Translation Inc. in San Diego, we work only with highly qualified professionals who will match your organization’s specific requirements and needs. “Let us show you how good translation should be.”

Betty Carlson

Subscribe to Language Lines, our monthly newsletter, for the latest information about the growing importance of culture and language in the business world.

Scientists from Italy’s National Research Council have released research indicating that cerebral activity changes significantly depending on the language one is reading or speaking. A person’s language mastery, and whether he or she learned a language as a native or later in life, can also be recognized by analyzing brain activity.

The participants in the research study were Italian interpreters who work for the European Union. “”They were extremely fluent in English,’” explained cognitive electrophysiology professor Alice Mado Proverbio, a research team member, in an article for the Associated Press. “’We didn't expect a big difference in brain activity’ when they switched from one language to another.”

In fact, the difference was striking. The researchers involved feel that the results could help doctors communicate with patients suffering from various brain disorders such as amnesia, or even to discern the true origin of terrorism suspects.

Language Translation Inc. has been in the language services business since 1989. We offer professional translation, interpreting, telephonic interpreting, and localization services to corporations all over the world. We enjoy keeping up with all of the latest developments in the world of language, and sharing the information with you on this blog. “Let us show you how good translation should be.”

Betty Carlson

Subscribe to Language Lines, our monthly newsletter, for compelling information about the growing importance of foreign languages in the business world.

Not a lot of non-Danes learn to speak Danish – and perhaps for good cause. Although not considered one of the world’s most difficult tongues, Danish is apparently quite tough to master – even for young Danish children.

The University of Southern Denmark study shows that at 15 months, the average Danish toddler has mastered just 80 words, whereas a Croatian tot of the same age has a vocabulary of up to 200 terms. Danish children do seem to catch up, though, after the age of two.

“According to the study, the primary reason Danish children lag behind in language comprehension is because single words are difficult to extract from Danish's slurring together of words in sentences,” reports The Copenhagen Post on May 20, 2008.  “Danish is also one of the languages with the most vowel sounds, which leads to a 'mushier' pronunciation of words in everyday conversation.”

The full study, which analyzes 18 languages, will be released at a later date in the Cambridge University Journal of Child Language.

Language Translation Inc. offers translation and interpreting services in Danish and over forty other languages. We enjoy keeping up on all developments in the world of language services and linguistics, as well sharing them in Language Lines, our monthly newsletter. Don’t hesitate to contact us for a free quote – let us show you how good translation should be!

Betty Carlson

The Corpus Christi Independent School District has just received a $25,000 AT&T grant to help students learn English as a Second Language – with iPods. The devices will be used to provide audio and visual materials to students, and educators also hope to motivate young language learners through the infusion of new technology into the English classroom.

 “’The way children learn today is completely different from the way my generation lived’” said parent Anne Benning in an article in the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. “’Technology is very important. The iPod is based on graphic communication and entertainment — English language learners find that a much easier way to learn.’”

IPod language study systems are also available to the general public, and have proven popular with adults.  These programs can help you get back into using a language or provide you with some basics, but, outside of a classroom context, some learners find it difficult to stay motivated over the long haul.

At Language Translation Inc. in San Diego, California, we are keenly interested in new developments in the world of language and enjoy sharing them with you on our news blog. Our company provides translation and interpreting services in over 40 languages. “Let us show you how good translation should be.”

Betty Carlson

Subscribe to Language Lines, our monthly newsletter, for information about the growing importance of culture and language in the business world.

“A 60-strong team working on the first revision of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has spent the past decade covering just four-and-a-half letters - from M to the middle of words beginning with Q.

But staff have now broken from their painstaking methods to concentrate on words whose meanings are changing the fastest.

Tony Thorne, of King's College London, said…‘The rate of change is accelerating because language is so much more accessible via the internet. There are dozens of websites that celebrate new language and encourage people to play with it.’”

(Extract from “Language change forces dictionary update” by David Thomas, Telegraph.co.uk)

Today, language and technology are indeed changing at a breakneck pace. That’s why it’s important to turn to a professional language service provider for your company’s language translation needs.

Language Translation Inc. has been serving major US and international companies since 1989. “Let us show your how good translation should be.”

Betty Carlson

Subscribe to Language Lines, our monthly newsletter, for more information about the important role that culture and language play in international communication.

A report released on April 21st, entitled One Size Does Not Fit All: Meeting the Health Care Needs of Diverse Populations points out the crucial importance of language and culture in the medical field. The report stems from a major research study, Hospitals, Language, and Culture: A Snapshot of the Nation, which was funded by The California Endowment.

The study examined how 60 US hospitals deal with cultural and linguistic diversity among their patients. A recent article on Medical News Today sums up the report’s key findings. In general, the document encourages hospitals to improve practices in four areas: building foundations, data collection, meeting needs of specific populations and establishing “internal and external collaborations.”

As far as language services go, this could mean:

• including language issues in health organizations’ value statements
• closer monitoring of how language services are used
• providing for continuous training in meeting patients’ cultural needs
• working with other organizations to better coordinate language services 

Clearly, the medical field increasingly faces translation and interpreting needs. When medical translators and interpreters are called upon, it is essential that they have specific training and familiarity with their subject matter as well as excellent language skills. At Language Translation Inc. in San Diego, we work only with highly qualified professionals, providing interpreters who will match your organization’s needs. “Let us show you how good translation should be.”

Betty Carlson

Subscribe to Language Lines, our monthly newsletter, for the latest information about the growing importance of culture and language in the business world.

Language service providers now offer telephonic language interpreting. The system is being used more frequently in different settings all over the USA, from business negotiations to medical consultations. But how does it work?

“Remote simultaneous interpreting technology enables a skilled interpreter to provide nearly instantaneous oral interpretation from a remote location by telephone. The hardware includes a central server and an interpreter’s console, which allows the interpreter to control what callers hear. To use this technology, the individuals who want to communicate call the interpreter on separate phone lines. The interpreter then signals for the conversation to begin. As each caller speaks, the interpreter renders simultaneous interpretation to the other caller. Neither caller hears the other directly; rather, each hears the interpreter’s running translation (with a very short time lag). Remote simultaneous interpreting technology thus approximates a real-time conversation.”

(Extract from “OVERCOMING LANGUAGE BARRIERS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM -- Can Language Assistance Technology Help?” by Insha Rahman, Joe Hirsch and Susan Shah of the Vera Institute of Justice, September 2007)

Language Translation Inc. now offers a telephonic interpreting service, which can help your company increase customer loyalty and reduce customer service interaction time. Contact us for more information about all types of language interpreting. Located in San Diego, California, we have been providing language services domestically and internationally for over 19 years. “Let us show you how good translation should be.”

Betty Carlson

Subscribe to Language Lines, our monthly newsletter, for the latest information about the growing importance of culture and language in the business world.

Spanish originated in Spain, and arrived in the Americas through the Spanish exploration and conquests of Latin America. However, just as American English can differ from British English, Spanish as it is spoken today in Mexico or Chile can sound quite different than Spanish used in Spain.

To complicate matters, every region of Latin America speaks Spanish a little differently, sometimes using nouns and expressions unique to a particular Latin American country or area.

When translating into Spanish, we are often asked if we can translate into "neutral" Spanish. Officially, there really is no such thing as “neutral” Spanish. However, when asked to carry out a Spanish language translation that will be understood worldwide, a professional Spanish translator will know which words to use in order to be best understood by the vast majority of Spanish readers.

Language Translation Inc. works from a translator database of over 1,100 translators, and Spanish translation is one of our specialties. We have been in business for since 1989 serving U.S. companies and multinational corporations with language translation services, conference interpreting and software/website localization services. “Let us show you how good translation should be.”

Betty Carlson

Subscribe to Language Lines, our monthly newsletter, for information about the growing importance of culture and language in the business world.

In a comprehensive review of the pros and cons of telephonic interpreting, translation scholar Roberto A. Gracia-García has examined the technique’s use in various settings. Clearly, telephonic interpreting is more controversial in the health and legal arena than in business.

“First, there is the perspective of TI service providers, who basically present it as a quick, relatively inexpensive way to access interpreters in almost any language. On the other side are the views of scholars and many professional interpreters and organizations, who contend that Telephone Interpreting may involve a considerable loss of quality, and argue that nothing can replace non- verbal cues in communication. Face-to- face interpreting seems to be their preferred form of bilingual communication. Some also fear that the growth in the number of TI companies involves the risk that quality will not be under control. Ideally, these companies should be subject to governmental control for quality, at least when used in medical and legal venues.

Certainly, there are both advantages and disadvantages to TI. It may work better in some situations, while face-to-face interpreting may work better in other situations. There seems to be general agreement that in no case can TI be used without any limit whatsoever.”

(Extract from “TELEPHONE INTERPRETING: A REVIEW OF PROS AND CONS” by Roberto A. Gracia-García)

At Language Translation Inc. in San Diego, we provide both telephonic interpreting and face-to-face language interpreting. We have worked in language services since 1989, and are highly qualified to advise your company on the type of interpreting most suitable to your needs. Please contact us for more information. “Let us show you how good language interpreting can be.”

Betty Carlson 

Subscribe to Language Lines, our monthly newsletter, for the latest information about the growing importance of culture and language in the business world.

To judge from the number of language-related news alerts that come through my inbox every day, Americans are increasingly discovering the advantages and joys of learning foreign languages. For example, an April 7th article in The Yale Daily News points out how students at the prestigious university are delving into the sounds and senses of languages as diverse as Estonian, Zulu and Tibetan.

Through the Directed Independent Language Study program, students have the opportunity to study languages that are not offered in traditional classes. There is no “teacher” in the program, but students learn in a structured self-study situation with a native-speaker “Language Partner.”

The students’ goal when studying these tongues is rarely to speak fluently, but rather to be able to “interact.” Cultural awareness is also an important factor in their choice.

“Center for Language Study Director Nelleke Van Deusen-Scholl said regardless of their motivation — ‘whether heritage, academic or career-related’ — DILS students are drawn to the challenge of learning a new and, more importantly, different language,” writes staff reporter Ruth Kim.

Language Translation Inc. doesn’t yet offer language translations in these relatively obscure languages. But as a highly-qualified language service provider, we keep up on the latest developments in all aspects of worldwide language study and use. For more language translation news, consult our daily blog and subscribe to our monthly newsletter. “Let us show you how good translation should be.”

Betty Carlson

Subscribe to Language Lines, our monthly newsletter, for more information about the role of translation in the business world.