Tips for legal professionals who use language services

1. > For more information contact Ximena Vazquez
xvazquez@protranslating.com
What Every Attorney Should
Know About Interpreters &
Not Be Afraid to Ask!
By Maria Cristina de la Vega into contact to verify their proficiency, nor
should they have to. Unless there is a glaring
President of ProTranslating deficiency, the inexperienced may slip
through. Whereas an interpreter is bilingual,
Interpreting in Miami has changed a lot a bilingual person is not necessarily an
over the decades. It first surfaced around interpreter. It is one thing to speak two or
more languages, but quite another to be Maria Cristina de la Vega
1961 in a limited fashion, as the first wave Certified Interpreter & President of ProTranslating
of Cuban immigrants came to Miami. Most able to professionally interpret from and
of these immigrants were members of the into those languages. This fact may not be
apparent in casual conversation and may not and professional manner. Furthermore,
middle class, who for the most part already
become evident unless the attorneys and/ accredited interpreters can be scheduled,
had some knowledge of English. The need
or parties involved speak both languages, through your local LSP at locations around
,
for court interpreting was thus limited at
know the specific terms involved and are the country or around the world. In addition,
first and was filled by language students and
able to recognize them. In some cases, established LSPs can provide you with any
bilingual individuals in the community who
those listening may not speak one or both written translations that your case may
worked for a handful of language agencies.
languages well enough to judge the quality require, as well as with certified linguists
of the interpretation. to render expert witness testimony on
Let’s fast forward to 2008. There are three
language issues.
pages of listings for interpreters in the
phone book and many that are currently Most cases rely heavily on testimony to
working are not listed. Twenty percent of the decipher the facts at issue and to form an
population of Florida and fourteen percent understanding of a witness’ credibility and
of the population of the US is Hispanic, not motivation. A misinterpretation or a nuance
that is not conveyed properly can negatively
About
to mention various other ethnicities that
live in both the state and the country. This affect the outcome of a case. To ensure that ProTranslating:
foreign-speaking population is comprised you receive competent and professional
of people from all walks of life, many of assistance in cases requiring language Founded in 1973 by our CEO,
whom do not speak English well enough services, ask your language provider for his/
Luis A. de la Vega, Ph.D., and
to make do without an interpreter in a her credentials and if your case involves
our President, Maria Cristina
legal setting. According to the U.S. Census specialized terminology, make sure the
interpreter assigned to your case is familiar de la Vega, ProTranslating is
Bureau, American Community Survey
with the jargon of the industry in question. committed to providing premier
2000-2005, nearly half (47.5%) of the more
Typically, this is all handled for you when language solutions to individuals
than 3 million Florida residents for whom
Spanish is the primary language, describe you contract the services of an established and corporations worldwide. Our
themselves as speaking English “less than agency or Language Service Provider philosophy is based on outstanding
very well.” (LSP). You should note, however, that not quality and excellent customer
all companies have the same standards, service. With a team of over 100
Nonetheless, interpreting/translating is still because there are no regulations governing qualified in-house linguists and
a relatively young industry in the U.S. and the level of expertise interpreters must
a worldwide network of another
is currently unregulated. Interpreters are have to work in the industry. The best LSPs
3,000 freelancers working in over
not legally required to have an accreditation with which to partner are those that have
experience in the industry, that source their 100 languages, we are perfectly
unless they are hired directly by the court
interpreters from existing professionals and positioned to respond to our clients’
system and are being paid with taxpayers’
from reputable university-level language translation requirements. Not to
money. Due to this and because it is easy to
hang out one’s shingle, it is an unfortunate programs, that require accreditation in be outdone, our highly experienced
fact that there are interpreters in the market interpretation by the State Consortium in team of account executives ensures
holding themselves out as professionals, spite of its not being mandatory yet, and that that our clients’ needs are always
although they lack the necessary credentials regularly strive to develop their personnel met accordingly and on time. Our
and experience. through continuing education. To run a philosophy, simply stated, is to
successful operation, language companies
continue doing what has made us
This affects attorneys, because they depend need to make sure that the interpreters
the trusted leader in the language
on the interpreters with whom they work to hired have the training and credentials to
carry out your assignments at a specialized services industry for over 35 years.
do their job properly. Attorneys and clients
in general, are not set up to screen the level. The staff should make sure that the
language providers with whom they come right individual is assigned to each job and
that they execute their work in a timely www.protranslating.com