Video Remote Interpretation (VRI): What is the first thing that comes to your mind? For the most part, it’s technology. Without technology, VRI would not be possible.

We are already at the point where technology can make this possible with just an app that can be used on any device – tablet, smartphone, laptop or desktop. Our VRI services make sure that an interpreter is just one click away.

Technology such as Skype and Google Hangouts are very popular. However, the downside is that they are not known for being secure, private or reliable, but security, privacy, and reliability are absolutely necessary to serve medical and legal industries.

Monterey Language Services’ video conferencing capabilities are in compliance with HIPPA regulations and meet all the requirements set by the court.  Working together with medical and legal interpreters, technical and project management teams, we provide a solid infrastructure for video remote interpretation serving hospitals, clinics, legal offices, and business nationwide and worldwide.

One of our missions is to assist communication in the mobile age. Through modern video and audio systems, we are one step up to bridge the world’s languages nationally and globally.  See http://www.montereylanguages.com/video-remote-interpretation-services.html

Monterey Language Services strives to provide the highest quality of translation and interpretation services. Please feel free to contact us for more information.

Summer is the season for interpretation, especially here at Monterey Language Services! 

Interpretation, however, can mean many different things. It can be in-person, when interpreters travel on-site, to hospitals and doctors’ offices or to conference, including seminars, workshops, and trainings. They provide consecutive or simultaneous interpretation, using transmitters and receivers or, alternatively, the booth, or even simply through whisper interpretation.

Interpretation can also be done from a distance. One option is using a video conferencing system, which can provide private and secure communication that meets medical and legal industry requirements. Another option is Video Remote Interpretation through the use of a tablet, smartphone, laptop, desktop or HD.

We offer all of these options, and more. It is our goal to provide a full line of interpretation services, including any necessary equipment, Spanish to ASL relay, etc. Which method of interpretation would better serve your needs? No matter what it is, you can always find it here at Monterey Language Services.

Why is leaning Arabic difficult? Because Arabic has its own special characters, pronunciation, and writing. Arabic is also a language with long history—modern Arabic is the derivative of classical Arabic, which was used in around 6th century AD.

In this blog post we interviewed one of our Arabic colleagues, Laith Ibrahim.  

Monterey Language Services (referred to as “M”): Thank you for participating in this interview. Can you briefly introduce Arabic to us?

Laith (referred to as “L”): Arabic is one of the Middle Eastern languages, which also include Dari, Urdu, Farsi, Pashto and Kurdish. These languages all use Arabic letters but depending on the language, each one may have additional letters or extra sounds. I am originally from Iraq. Before settling in the U.S. I have worked in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, where I used a mix of standard Arabic and the local and Iraqi dialect.

M: I’ve heard that in Arabic the term “lion” can have hundreds of names. That sounds very interesting? How is it possible?

L: There are in fact at least 500 names for the word “lion.” The word “sword” is another example. It has around 300 different names that are given based on the characteristics of the sword like shape, size, thickness, weight, etc. 

M: Can you share more differences between Arabic and English?

L: There are many differences, for instance:

• Arabic is written from right to left and in cursive format, with no distinctions between upper and lower case. Arabic has 28 letters and each has up to 4 shapes depending on its location: the beginning, middle, or end of the word. The shape of a letter is also affected by the predecessor and successor.

• Arabic has no vowel letters. Instead, it uses small characters that are written above or below the letter to change the sound of the letter. These are called diacritics (in Arabic, “Harakat”) indicate sounds not represented by the basic alphabet. Arabic text is usually written without them unless a word can be read in a different way if they are not used.

• Arabic has letters that produce sounds that don’t exist in English. Also, the sound for P, CH, V, X don’t exist in Arabic.

• Most words have one form and are written in one way. For example, my name “ليث” has only one way of writing it in Arabic. In English it can be written as “Laith” or “Layth.”

M: Thank you for sharing! One last question, what does your name “Laith” mean in Arabic?

L: (Laughs) “Laith” is actually “lion” in Arabic. It’s a bold, strong lion.

In this blog post we interviewed David Thomson, who is currently a second-year graduate student in the International Policy Studies program at Monterey Institute of International Studies. Fluent in English, Spanish, and Mandarin, David exemplifies how language learning has opened multiple doors for him.

A Passion for Languages

Born and raised in California, David showed a great interest in language learning since young age.  While studying Spanish literature and culture in San Jose State, he has spent time abroad in Madrid, Spain. In his junior year in college, he picked up Mandarin as a minor and went to Beijing University to sharpen his Chinese. These life experiences have given him different perspectives on international issues, which eventually led him to study policy with the focus in trade between the United States and China. David mentioned that “being able to speak another language not only introduces me to a new culture, but also teaches me how people think and behave in that specific culture.” He also joked about how being able to speak both Spanish and Mandarin allowed to “survive” in Spain, Mexico, and China during many unexpected situations.

David feels very fortunate to possess multiple language skills in both academic and professional fields. His academic specialty in trade inevitably requires him to gather both countries’ situations and argument in order to draft a strong analysis. As a result, his ability to read research journals and articles in Chinese has benefited him greatly. David mentioned that a paper can never be “well-rounded” unless both sides of the arguments have been touched upon. In the professional area, David’s academic experience and language skills have helped him land an internship with the U.S. Department of Commerce in Shanghai, and he will continue the internship in San Jose this coming semester.

Benefits of Leaning a Foreign Language

There are many benefits to learning a foreign language. Potential career paths not only include translation and interpretation, but countless others in business and in policy, like David’s. In addition, learning a foreign language can lead to a magnificent journey in a foreign country, the ability to watch foreign movies without the aid of subtitles, and the opportunity to make friends all over the world.

What makes a quality medical interpreter? The previous blog post pointed out the balance between compassion and professionalism. In reality, medical interpretation requires more than those skills. Cultural understanding and sensitivity, along with compassion and professionalism, are equally crucial in the makings of a successful medical interpreter.

A Real Life Example

The book “The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down,” written by Anne Fadiman, describes the cultural and medical misunderstandings that occurred between a Hmong refugee family and the American healthcare system.  Lia suffered severe epilepsy, which causes frequent seizures. Hmong people believe that seizures happen because a spirit catches the person, whereas American doctors identified the imbalance of chemicals as the cause of seizures. Without any medical interpreters, the family could only rely on the help of relatives for informal interpretation. While American doctors prescribed appropriate medicine for Lia, the family never gave Lia the right dosage because they did not understand the doctors’ instructions. Moreover, the Hmong community felt skeptical of modern medicine. As the cultural misunderstanding and confusion continued, Lia’s condition worsened.

Lessons Learned

Imagine how differently Lia’s life would turn out if a qualified medical interpreter was in place. Language skills are the basic expertise a medical interpreter should possess, but a professional interpreter should also have a rich understanding of both cultures. In addition, the interpreter should be respectful and sensible towards cultural behaviors, which can easily lead to misunderstanding between the medical providers and the families. When such occasion rises, the interpreter should react quickly and notify each party (usually with: “interpreter explanation”) and then explain the behavior as a result of cultural practices. For instance, doctors may not able to understand why family member cannot make important decisions on the spot. The interpreter should explain to the doctors that in some cultures, family members need to get together in order to make important decisions.

In the complex environment of healthcare settings, medical interpreters should be not only the communicator of different parties but also the bridge of different cultures.

Monterey Language Services strives to provide the highest quality of translation and interpretation services. Please feel free to contact us for more information.

A medical interpreter? What comes to your mind? Medical interpreters, like court interpreters, are considered as “community interpreters” because they usually work within a local community, serving in both public and private sectors. Last October one of our team members joined a medical interpretation training sponsored by California Healthcare Interpreting Association (CHIA). The focus of the training was palliative care, an area of healthcare that concentrates on alleviate the symptoms and suffering of the patients. The training was truly a great experience, as it emphasized both the professional and human aspects of an interpreter.

Professionalism—Medical Terminology and Quick Reactions

To be able to interpret in the medical field, a solid knowledge in the medical terminology is essential. Because palliative care is often utilizes multidisciplinary approaches, the medical interpreter needs to be equipped with both general and specific medical terms. In addition, to ensure the completeness of information, the interpreter needs to react quickly to the situation. For example, when family members engage in conversations among themselves instead of having a discussion with the medical provider, it is often recommended that the interpreter switches to simultaneous interpretation to convey as much information as possible.

Human Qualities—Composure and Compassion

In the medical interpretation, the interpreters often need to deliver serious messages such as the time the patient has left or an unfavorable prognosis. While the patient and family members may become distressed or emotional over the news, it is vital that the interpreter remain calm and composed in these situations. This can be a very difficult balance to achieve as medical interpreters should embrace compassion and empathy for the patients but at the same time need to maintain their professionalism. However, this aspect also injects humanity into this profession, making it extremely fulfilling.

Interpretation, therefore, is beyond simply converting one language into another. Because human beings are lively creatures who show emotions, human interpreters should take both professionalism and humanity into account to ensure optimal communication.

Monterey Language Services strives to provide the highest quality of translation and interpretation services. Please feel free to contact us for more information.

During the holiday, we saw an inspiring movie, Dancing Across Borders, about a young Cambodian dancer who came to the United States at the age 18 to learn classic ballet.  We cannot help but notice that he found comfort through a Cambodian interpreter and a Cambodian family that the interpreter introduced to him.  This reminds us again of the importance of interpreters assisting in communication. 

The story below is shared by Ringo Li who came to this country as a young immigrant.

Imagine that you just arrived in a new country and you do not understand its official language very well. The excitement and apprehension you feel are equally intense. For many international and immigrant students, this is an experience they have gone through at least once in their lifetimes.

As the number of foreign or immigrant student increases in public schools, professional translators and interpreters are oftentimes required to assist the newcomers. While the demand for language services increases, the language services in California’s schools and districts lack consistent standards and guidelines. In some cases, these departments are not ready to serve the students and the families who speak different languages.

What Is The Cure?

According to the quality indicators released by the California Department of Education, some attributes a quality interpreter should possess include:

-The interpreter should have extensive understanding in both languages

-The interpreter should convey the messages clearly and accurately.

-The interpreter should be experienced in the fields of his or her qualifications

Why Is This Important?

Without clear and accurate communication, foreign or immigrant students may not be able to voice their concerns and opinions. This lack of clear communication may lead to cultural misunderstanding or even conflicts on campus. Unquestionably, quality translation and interpretation services are the key to quality communication. In the end, a more harmonious education environment can cultivate better citizens, and a more beautiful world will no longer be a dream. The power of language is greater than we think.

Monterey Language Services strives to provide the highest quality of translation and interpretation services. Please feel free to contact us for more information.

All of us at the Monterey Language Services would like to send you our warmest thoughts and best wishes for a wonderful holiday and a very Happy New Year.

Thank you for your continued support and friendship.  We look forward to furthering our relationship in the coming year.

Wish you a happy holiday season
and a successful new year!

In Celebration of Monterey Language Services’ 100 Blog Posts

First post: April 14, 2010
100th post: December 14, 2012
Language: English
Creator: Monterey Language Services
Most viewed: Varieties of Spanish
Genres: Translation Services, Interpretation Services, Language, Culture, Translation and Interpretation Technology
Meet the writers: Enjoy the bloggers’ party slideshow

Monterey Language Services strives to provide the highest quality of translation and interpretation services. Please feel free to contact us for more information.

The next blog will mark our 100th post.  A special celebration is coming up, so stay tuned! 

In this blog post, we would like to introduce an amusing fact: as neutral as numbers look, there is in fact significant and enriching information embed in them. Take the number “100” for example:

Arabic: ١٠٠ (Does this look familiar?)
Bengali: ১০০
Chinese: 佰，百
Greek: ρʹ

These are just a few examples. The truth is, the number “100” is no longer a number. Many cultures see “100” as a completion, as Arabic numbers suggest. The numeral “0” is a full circle in shape, and from both symbolic and meaning perspectives, the word “one hundred” suggests a completion, a milestone, or an achievement. For instance, in French, one hundred is “cent,” which is the prefix for “century” and “centennial” in English.

Language is a living thing. The more people interact, the more flexible language becomes. With speedy communication and instant information, it is very easy to take language for granted. That is not what we do at Monterey Language Services! We are passionate about language and appreciate language.  We express the passion and appreciation through our work and our blog.  Wow, 100 blog posts that’s incredible!