A significant number of New York City residents possess limited English proficiency, and to this end, the city has made a commitment to providing translation and interpretation in public schools and other city services.
Recently, two City Councilmen, James Oddo (R-Mid-Island/Brooklyn) and Vincent Ignizio (R-South Shore) initiated a study which shows that this year’s bill for language services will run up to nearly $29 million – and they feel that’s too much.
"People have different priorities, I respect that. But for Vinnie and I, it's about essential services,” explains Oddo – who, if I may, might be a candidate for a few language services himself, since “for Vinnie and I” doesn’t respect correct English usage…but I digress.
Supporters of the city’s translation services point to the benefits in terms of equality and integration. “Advocates of the legislation, many of whom have been fighting for years to get the city and state to be more inclusive for people with limited English proficiency (LEPs), say the translation requirements are essential in removing a fundamental barrier to citizenship,“ explains
journalist Peter Spencer for the Staten Island Real-Time News.
Of course, budgeting for public spending on translation services is a much different issue than investing in language services in the business arena. In the latter case, companies can project real sales increases by reaching out to new clients, either at home or abroad.
Contact Language Translation, Inc. for more information about language translation, interpretation
and localization. We have been serving major US and international companies
for 20 years. “Let us show you how good translation should be.”
Betty Carlson | 
