Excuse Me, Sir, I Speak Baby

While I look forward to Christmas every year, I found myself especially looking forward to this year’s holiday, as we would be spending it with our 15-day-old grandson. When the day finally came, it was as joyous as I had imagined. Yet try as I may, I couldn’t keep work completely out of my mind: […]


How to Update a Translation

Your content is always changing, growing, and evolving. What about in other languages? If you don’t keep everything aligned with the realities of today, you risk misinforming your customers, the consequences of which could be severe. Though updating the translations can be a chore, it doesn’t have to be. Follow these three simple steps with […]


The Emergence of Telephonic Interpreting

History of Telephonic Interpreting Telephonic interpreting is a newer technology in the language service industry. Telephonic interpreting was originally introduced in Australia in 1973. It was designed as a free service to facilitate communication with Australia’s growing immigrant communities. It wasn’t until eight years later that the first over-the-phone telephonic interpreting (OPI) service was offered […]


5 Common Questions About ASL Interpreting

Are you fluent in American Sign Language (ASL)? If not, would you know how to communicate with a deaf individual if he or she needed to visit your organization or place of business? Let’s start with the law. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunity for persons with […]


Managing Internal Review of Translation

You’ve contacted a company to translate a document for you, worked with them to define exactly what you need, and received the completed translation. What’s next? Can you feel confident publishing it? Many people in your shoes would feel better if someone else reviewed the document first, someone in their organization. This process is known […]


Measuring Translation Quality

Without knowing both languages, and knowing them well, it’s nearly impossible for you to determine how good a translation is. I’ve had this problem myself when looking at documents in Chinese. While I do speak some Chinese, reading and writing is something I’m still working on. When I see something translated into Chinese, I can […]


Top 4 Questions To Be Sure Your Medical Interpreter Is Qualified

There are a myriad of questions you could ask to determine if a medical interpreter is capable of doing a good job.  During the patient encounter, of course, you can’t audit their performance because you don’t know the language—that’s why you need them in the first place!  So here are some straightforward questions you can […]


How to Avoid Problems with Title VI Audits

Coming into the language industry and not speaking a foreign language, I did not realize the importance of interpreters. More importantly, I did not know about the seriousness of documenting interpreting services in order to comply with the law. Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act protects people from discrimination based on race, national […]


Is a telephonic interpreter better than a face to face interpreter?

The market for translating and interpreting is awash with new technology, which is great for patients and providers—when it works. As a primarily face to face interpreter, I have often heard doctors and nurses complaining about poor connection or sound quality when using a telephonic or video interpreter. Luckily, interpreter technology, along with broadband speeds, […]


Recruiting a Qualified Medical Interpreter

As we advertise to recruit qualified medical interpreters, the question we commonly ask is, “Are you bilingual?” Well, this is a start to know if someone speaks another language fluently. However, is this enough to recruit and send someone on a medical appointment? The answer is a resounding “NO!” As Interpreter Operations Manager of Affordable […]