Professional interpreters rarely know every word that might appear during an assignment. A medical appointment may suddenly involve a specialized procedure. A school meeting may include unfamiliar special education terminology. A legal assignment ma...

Side conversations are one of the most common challenges professional interpreters face. A patient may quietly ask the interpreter a question while the doctor is looking at the computer. A parent may begin speaking privately to the interpreter befor...

Professional interpreters are often encouraged to be flexible, reliable, and available. But professionalism does not mean accepting every assignment that is offered. Sometimes the most responsible decision an interpreter can make is to say- no. Decl...

Professional interpreters may work in hospitals, courtrooms, schools, social service agencies, community organizations, government offices, and many other settings. The basic responsibility remains the same: interpret the complete message accurately...

Completing interpreter training is an exciting milestone. You have studied ethics, confidentiality, professional boundaries, interpreting techniques, terminology, note-taking, and the responsibilities that come with helping people communicate across...

Professional interpreters are expected to communicate messages accurately and completely. That responsibility can sometimes create pressure to understand everything immediately. But what happens when a speaker uses an unfamiliar term? What if a numb...

Starting out as a professional interpreter can feel intimidating. You may know both languages well. You may have completed interpreter training. You may understand confidentiality, professional boundaries, consecutive interpreting, simultaneous inte...

Completing interpreter training is an important milestone, but for many new interpreters it also creates a new question: What happens next? You may understand interpreting ethics, professional boundaries, consecutive interpreting, simultaneous inter...

A physician begins explaining a treatment plan without pausing. A parent speaks rapidly during an emotional school meeting. An attorney reads from a document at a pace that makes it difficult to follow. A caller gives names, dates, and numbers in on...

Every interpreter makes mistakes. A word may be misunderstood. A number may be repeated incorrectly. A detail may be omitted. The interpreter may realize halfway through a sentence that the message was not rendered accurately. The important question...

A new interpreter may know both languages well, understand the basic role of the interpreter, and still make mistakes that affect the quality of communication. Some of these mistakes are caused by nervousness. Others come from trying too hard to hel...

A customer is frustrated because the interpreter arrived late. A parent becomes angry during a school meeting. A patient insists that the interpreter explain what the doctor “really means.” A caller raises their voice because they are having trouble...

A bilingual professional completes an interpreter training program and begins preparing for assignments. Another interpreter completes formal training, gains experience, and later passes a recognized certification examination. Both may be capable pr...

A physician explains a new treatment plan. An attorney addresses a judge while a defendant listens through an interpreter. A school administrator hands a parent a written notice that must be understood immediately. Each situation involves interpreti...

A bilingual employee may be the first person a client turns to when communication breaks down. That response is understandable. The familiar face is nearby, the conversation feels urgent, and the employee wants to help. But can bilingual staff inter...