Intro

Recently, Monterey Language Services provided simultaneous Spanish interpretation at a school board meeting. The parents of many students at this school are Mexican Spanish-speaking with a wide range of English proficiency, and the staff had become concerned that these parents were missing out on crucial information regarding school policies.

As a language service provider, we understand the importance of and advocate for information distribution. We jumped at the opportunity and immediately set to locating the most qualified interpreters in the community.

The Search

We have a vast network of interpreters, which allows us to choose the best interpreters for the job. In this case, we ended up picking two interpreters who were local to the area and subject matter experts.

You might be wondering why we assigned two interpreters. For a simultaneous event, it is standard practice to have team interpreters. Given the mental taxation for simultaneous interpretation, one interpreter will speak for a given amount of time (generally twenty to thirty minutes), then take turns with the other interpreter. This way interpreters can take a break, help with another matter at the event if need be, or provide notes or backup to each other.

We thought it was appropriate to assign interpreters from the area, as the interpreters have a closer association with local events and therefore have more enthusiasm in giving back to the community.

The fact that our two interpreters for this assignment are subject matter experts concerning education is another boon, because they know about the ins and outs of the education system.

The Preparation

Our office carries a plethora of equipment for interpretation events, including microphone headsets, transmitters, receivers, and receiver headsets. As a brief rundown, the interpreter usually whispers their interpretation into a microphone headset, which goes through a transmitter to the receivers; the interpreter’s words then are delivered right to the listeners’ ears through the receiver headsets.

We count out the number of headsets, transmitters, and receivers needed, then test each one to ensure that they work. Once all equipment is checked and accounted for, we wipe them with alcohol swabs to assure cleanliness before packing them into foam-lined cases to make sure nothing accidentally gets damaged.

Setup and Execution

Since this was the first interpretation event performed at this school, our office manager arrived an hour before the event. Preparation on-site began with introduction of the equipment to our client, in which we included written instructions for reference.

We also made sure to give the interpreters a place to be where they could see and hear the speakers, as well as see any supplementary material that the speakers put on a television screen. This setup allowed the interpreters to take in all available information so that their interpretation would be as accurate as possible.

Cleanup

Once all equipment was brought back to our office, we took great care to ensure that everything was still working well. Inspecting the equipment after an event can be a delicate process that includes checking for malfunctions, cracks, broken wires, etc. Given that Covid-19 is still a prevalent concern, we clean the equipment with alcohol swabs yet again before storing it.

Another concern is that, as our transmitters and receivers are battery-powered, we check for battery corrosion, which can harm the equipment and cause it to stop working. Leaving batteries for too long inside any equipment can lead to leakage of the hydrogen gas inside, so we always make sure to take batteries out when our transmitters and receivers are not being prepped for use or in-use.

The Result

The school office advertised to parents that there would be simultaneous Spanish interpretation at their school board event, and many of the people coming into the meeting were excited, even those who did not need interpretation services themselves. Spanish speakers eagerly took receivers and headsets, thanking our office manager and interpreters for the assistance. A conversation with a Spanish-speaking teacher revealed that there had been lots of anticipation around this event, and that the schoolboard was eager to provide an even better experience at the next one.

Getting to see how the Spanish speakers were excited about receiving information in Spanish at the same time as the English speakers is very inspiring and this is what helping people with communication is all about. It’s a rewarding experience and we look forward to the next one!

In a previous blog post, we discussed a brief history of major translation and interpretation events that have shaped the world of the language services industry. In today’s post, we will be looking further at our known history to see what other events closer to present day have influenced us.

The Printing Press

It is a little-known fact among the Western world that Johannes Gutenberg was not in fact the first to create a printing press. Borrowing from wood-block printing in many Asian cultures, Korean Choe Yun-ui created the first printing press with moveable block characters in the 1200s. However, due to many factors, such as invasion into Korea and the fact that organizing the Chinese characters to print took quite a while, this printing press did not become widespread.

Gutenberg’s printing press, on the other hand, often printed works written in Latin, which is written with far, far fewer letters than there are characters in Chinese. Arranging the type pieces and going through the printing process was markedly easier than in Korea two hundred years earlier, and Gutenberg’s printing press was essential for the increase in literacy in the following century. In our last blog, we mentioned that Martin Luther’s German translation of the Bible was a major turning point in the history of translation; without the printing press, his translation would not have reached even half the people that it did.

The Rosetta Stone

The Rosetta Stone, first discovered in 1799, held a passage that was written three times—twice in two versions of ancient Egyptian, and once in ancient Greek. The passage, written in 196 BC, was key to deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphics, despite so much of the Rosetta Stone being broken and incomplete.

The Nuremberg Trials

The infamous Nuremberg Trials were held to take Nazis to court and to try them for war crimes that took place during World War II. Remarkably, the trials only took ten months to complete, despite the need to translate and interpret the proceedings into numerous languages. This was accomplished by implementing the world’s first simultaneous interpretation program, which likely saved years off of the Trials’ time. Simultaneous interpretation is difficult to learn the skills for, but is commonly used for conferences, such as for the United Nations.

The Internet

With the advent of the internet, the world became even more global than ever. While learning languages and speaking or writing to a language partner regardless of distance was possible with phone calls and letters, the internet sped up those processes to be nearly immediate.

With this, however, came increasing demands for translation and interpretation for global businesses. Translators and interpreters now had to learn how to not only navigate linguistic landscapes, but also digital ones.

Machine Translation

Very recently in the history of translation and interpretation has been the rise in machine translation. Essentially, putting one string from language A into a machine, which would produce that string in language B. This method vastly improves the speed at which translators can do their jobs, but as machines can’t understand language in the way that humans do, translators and proofreaders are necessary to ensure that the final product doesn’t sound unnatural.

Now

While looking back at history, we also look towards the future. In the past, human history has had lots of events that have influenced today’s translators and interpreters. Many events even had an impact on the world as a whole, such as the printing press and the internet. In the future, there will only be even more AI inventions and events that will shape the translation and interpretation sphere. However, one thing we have seen clearly is that language has been highly varied and shaped by human thought and action; in that vein, we in the translation and interpretation industry are still far, far away from being replaced by machines or robots.

Just this week, the White House revealed a preview of their student loan forgiveness application form. They also stated that the application form will be published in both English and Spanish, designed around people with disabilities.

Applicants will not need to log in with a federal student aid ID, nor upload any documents, but they will have to accurately and honestly provide information about their monetary earnings. Depending on their income and whether or not they received a Pell Grant during their college career (a grant being money awarded to students that does not need to be paid back, unlike a loan), applicants can be eligible to receive up to $10,000 or $20,000 in debt relief forgiveness.

Since the pandemic began, student loan payments have been frozen in an effort to provide some kind of relief for those in debt. The application form is not live yet, but is expected to release sometime in October; federal officials have suggested that many should file the form by November 15^th in order to apply the debt cancellation to their current balances, although applications will continue until the end of 2023. If an applicant has $20,000 or lower left on their balance, they may be able to completely wipe out their remaining debt before the federal pause on loan payments ends on December 31^st of this year.

Already, there has been much debate over whether Biden has the authority to do this, and whether states would lose out on the money to be had by being repaid. Others have said that the plan benefits people of color more than others, which would violate the constitution’s right to equal protection of the laws—although cases like this were dismissed on the basis of having no standing.

According to NPR, loan forgiveness would raise the standard of living for millions, if not tens of millions, of people—although the subsequent increase in spending might increase inflation. Some also call the forgiveness unfair to those who saved and worked through college, or those who have managed to pay off their debt; on the other hand, there are many individuals who feel that their own suffering through debt should not mean that others have to suffer through debt as well.

How do you feel about debt forgiveness? Please let us know by leaving a comment down below.

Markets Insider recently published this article about how the US might be heading into a major recession.

According to the article, Professor Jeremy Siegel is claiming that the Federal Reserve doesn’t see that inflation rates are easing, therefore, the Federal Reserve plans to increase interest rates to combat what they see as high inflation rates, and Siegal believes that this will push the economy into the red.

In other words, Siegel is saying that by raising interest rates and making things more expensive, the Federal Reserve is trying to slow down consumer spending to prevent the economy from crashing if it grows too fast.

Think of it like putting more pressure on the brakes to slow down a car so you don’t hit the vehicle in front of you. Regular people tend to like being able to spend money freely, but in doing so, the economy—think of it again like the car—goes faster, causing inflation rates to go up as demand for products goes up. If consumer spending isn’t slowed by higher interest rates put forth by the Federal Reserve, the economy will crash—just like the car.

So now one of the major questions for us is: How can we combat a recession? In other words, how can we weather the storm, or even try to limit its effects, when we are just ordinary people?

1. Try to refrain from spending too much but at the same time not to be too afraid of spending. In a recession, customers and businesses may be too scared to spend money, but also remember, less spending contributes to a deeper recession, and how long it occurs for.
2. Spend money on right things and in right directions, such as paying off debt, or investing in improvements or good safety nets for yourself or your business.
3. Show your value at work. Without showing value, it would be hard for anyone to be safe at any workplace at a recession. During a recession, even Google or Facebook would lay off employees too. Therefore, it’s important to do your best and secure your current position.

Language Service Providers aren’t just responsible for their business, but also for their employees and their families. Weathering a recession is incredibly important for our business, so what can LSPs do?

1. Remember that language services as a need aren’t going to disappear, so don’t panic. With our increasingly globalized world, language service requests can come from virtually anywhere, even outside of the United States.
2. Cut costs where you can, but treat your employees—and your vendors—well. Employees are the backbone of every company, and one that is treated well will want to give back in every way that they can. Besides, letting go of good employees only to be looking to hire later and train someone new costs time and energy as well.
3. As a business, we often think a recession presents opportunities as well. We should all be more careful and thoughtful in planning and looking ahead to contribute to the health of our company.

Monterey Language Services is looking for Spanish medical interpreters in Richmond, CA. This is to cover our assignments in the area on a regular basis.

If you are available and have completed 100 hours of CCHI approved interpreter training, could you briefly let us know your experience, rate, and how far you are from CA 94804, so we can follow up with you?

Please feel welcome to refer colleagues as well. Thank you!

Language: English/Spanish

Hours (two days a week):
Monday (10am – 4:30pm)
Thursday (9am – 3:00pm)

Location: Richmond, CA 94804

Subject: Prenatal and Productive Health Care

Email can be sent to Director of Translation, Mei-Ling Chen at the following address.
mei-ling@montereylanguages.com

Translation and interpretation are popular services because of the needs of today’s globalized society. Every day, we are busy with helping people communicate through translation and interpretation activities. We might take them for granted today, but how did they happen in the past when cultures met one another? We decided to move the clock back in time to look at the history of our industry.

Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans

Evidence of interpreters can be seen as far back as 300 BC with the depictions of the Princes of Elephantine. The two were apparently bilingual and were integral to military operations and trade between Egypt, Nubia, and Sudan.

Alexander the Great from Ancient Greece also employed interpreters for communication with India. When Romans dominated society, it was common for them to be fluent not only in Latin, but also Greek from tutors and slaves so as to not have to rely too heavily on interpreters. Roman translations of Greek works are part of what gives us so much mythos to pull from as well.

Of course, interpretation and translation from other languages was a regular event for dealing with outside cultures. For example, in 202 BC, Scipio and Hannibal met together in the presence of interpreters, in what we might call today as a conference interpretation event.

The Bible

In 382 AD, Pope Damasus had St. Jerome translate biblical texts into what is now known as the Vulgate Bible. This was for a form of Latin that the church would use. The history of biblical translations is rich and complex, but noteworthy is Martin Luther’s German translation in the 1500s that allowed the common people to read and understand the word of God for themselves.

Columbus and Cortes

When Christopher Columbus headed to what he thought was India, he hired the interpreter Luis De Torres, who was fluent in Chaldean, Arabic, and Hebrew. However, when he landed in the Caribbean, he decided to capture native Taino people to teach them Spanish and spread Christianity.

Similarly, when Hernan Cortes began his conquest of Mexico, he acquired about twenty enslaved women, one of whom was “La Malinche” as she is known today. He chose her as his consort, and she also served as an interpreter from Nahautl into Mayan, which was interpreted into Spanish by another member of Cortes’s crew.

John Dryden’s Translation Theory

The Ancient Greeks discussed translation theory first and then in 1680, John Dryden proposed three major ideas for the modern era of translation. First was “metaphrase,” which refers to a literal translation; second was “paraphrase,” which refers to translating the meaning more than the exact wording; and lastly was “imitation,” which refers to creative translation of the text.

While these wordings are not often used today, the ideas certainly are. You might hear people talking about “literal translation,” “translation of meaning,” or “transcreation” instead.

Continuing from our last blog, we will be highlighting some more ASL interpretation examples that Monterey Language Services has experience in.

Standardized Testing

ASL interpreters are often present in the classroom as educational interpreters. Similarly, interpretation is needed for providing instructions for standardized testing, such as the SATs in American schools. Sometimes the same educational interpreters can be called upon to interpret for standardized testing in their respective schools, but this might not be a certainty. The test may take place on a weekend and require a different interpreter to fill in, for example.

Standardized tests also don’t necessarily take place in a K-12 environment. For example, these tests might be taken to certify a job requirement or receive a passing grade to enter a special program.

American Sign Language and Foreign Sign Language

When we were asked to provide an interpreter for a patient who required Mexican Sign Language (LSM), we were able to send a Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI) who was familiar with both ASL and LSM. CDIs themselves are Deaf or hard-of-hearing and are native in sign language and Deaf culture.

The CDI assigned to this task was exceptional at interpreting between ASL and LSM. However, due to the fact that the CDI could not vocalize the client’s needs to the hospital staff, a second interpreter — this one for ASL — was brought in to interpret between the CDI and the staff. Thus, the communication flow looked like this:

Patient > CDI > ASL Interpreter > Hospital Staff, and vice versa.

The interpretation was successful in large part thanks to the hospital interpreter manager who was able to inform us ahead of time that they would require LSM, which gave us the time to comb through our large network of interpreters and send a right fit. The ability to identify a proper language is a very important prerequisite for a successful and smooth interpretation encounter. The hospital was our county’s public hospital Natividad Medical Center. Their excellent caregiving to the patient and hospitality to our interpreters were highly commendable. We appreciate all the hard work involved on all sides and are honored to share such an excellent work between foreign sign language and American sign language interpretation.

We here at Monterey Language Services often have requests for American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation in different settings and scenarios. It is always our pleasure to provide great service with high-quality interpreters. Here are some good examples.

The Classroom

Typically in the United States, many ASL interpreters are known to interpret into sign language for deaf or hard-of-hearing students in the classroom setting, whether it be K-12, colleges, or universities.

Classroom interpreters may also be called “educational interpreters”—these interpreters aren’t just advocates for the students they interpret for, but also role models and supporters. Educational interpreters are part of the educational teams that are responsible for students’/children’s learning goals and outcomes. While the interpreter must maintain confidentiality, of course, confidentiality is not limited to themselves and the classroom teacher. Instead, the interpreter must speak with the student’s educational team about the student’s behavior, answers, development, etc. during classroom and/or school hours.

To properly teach a deaf or hard-of-hearing student, the interpreter and other members of the educational team must decide beforehand on a) what specific type of sign language is necessary to use; b) whether the interpreter should modify vocabulary and/or register (this is especially important if the child has a developmental disability); and c) what each lesson’s outline and expected learning outcome will be.

A Workshop

We’ve recently received a request to provide ASL interpreters for an upcoming workshop designed to promote leadership and effectiveness in the workplace. Workshops can be on any topic–technology, business, medical, community CPR and fire training, etc.

Depending on the length of the workshop and number of attendees, a team of interpreters might be better than a singular interpreter, as interpreting can be tiring with constant hand movement and so require sufficient breaks. If there is a speaker addressing an audience, an interpreter will stand up on stage as well and sign to provide interpretation (usually simultaneous), and can switch out with another interpreter as needed. Providing a team of interpreters can also allow for one or two of them to work with someone who may require extra assistance.

ASL interpreters may be asked to “voice” during the workshop. Voicing is the process of using spoken English in tandem with signing. Deaf or hard-of-hearing people using an interpreter’s services can benefit greatly in their understanding of the interpretation by reading the interpreter’s lips. Those with some level of hearing can also pick up on the morphemes (simply put, small units of spoken sound) coming from the interpreter. Depending on the needs of the situation, the interpreter may be asked not to voice during their work, too.

A Hospital or Forensic Setting

Hospitals are a very common setting for any type of interpretation, and it’s no different for ASL interpretation. Oftentimes, an emergency or a high-priority appointment will pop up. In those cases, time is of the essence to find an interpreter, and it takes a quick, calm, and agile manager or coordinator to find who is available and experienced to interpret.

Recently, we were contacted for a same-day ASL interpretation request concerning medical forensics. We worked fast to send an interpreter who not only could make it in time to the appointment, but also fluent in medical terminology with a proven track record of interpreting for potentially upsetting circumstances.

In our next post we will be highlighting more ASL interpretation scenarios, so please stay tuned.

Without a proper interpreter or translator around, a phenomenon that some might call the “telephone game” could occur. Normally, the “telephone game” is a common game for a large group of people, usually children in a classroom, who take turns whispering in each other’s ears in succession; the objective of the game is to see if the original message from the first person can stay the same as the final message that the last person in the chain understands. However, the most common outcome is a message that only minimally relates to the first one, such as having one or two words or ideas in common, but not the same meaning.

An Example

Imagine an elderly woman being brought to a hospital, accompanied by her grandson. The family has only recently moved to the USA from Oaxaca Mexico, but the elderly woman’s first language is Triqui Bajo, an indigenous Oaxacan language. While her grandson understands his grandmother’s speech and can communicate with her, his native language is Spanish.

If an Triqui Bajo interpreter were not provided, the woman would have to speak to her grandson in Triqui Bajo about the pain in her stomach, the grandson relaying her words to the best of his ability in Spanish to the interpreter or hospital staff. Like the children’s version of the “telephone game,” there’s a high chance that some, if not much, information will be lost. As the grandson was not well versed in Triqui Bajo, he may be missing critical vocabulary, such as anything from “fracture” to “pneumonia,” “hernia,” and beyond.

What this Means

This lack of a matching language pair can inhibit the service that a client receives. In severe cases in a medical setting, this can be a matter of life and death. This case study highlights the importance of translators and especially interpreters who are fluent in minority languages. It’s critical to find people with knowledge of these languages. If due to the last minute nature, an in-person interpreter is not available, remote interpretation methods should kick in.

Imagine that they were able to get an interpreter for Triqui Bajo and English; this would allow for a direct flow of communication between the elderly woman and the hospital staff. Response time for treatment would subsequently be quicker, and the woman might therefore feel more comfortable and confident that she is receiving adequate care. While the grandson might need his own English/Spanish interpreter to understand fully the treatment decisions, that could easily be delegated to another interpreter and not require a stretched out “telephone game” where meaning can be lost.

Monterey Language Services provides translation and interpretation services for all languages and is very strong in providing Triqui Bajo interpretation Services. Every day, we send Triqui Bajo interpreters to cover medical interpretation assignments or IEP (Individualized Education Program) assignments. There have been some high profile Triqui Bajo legal interpretation cases served by Monterey Language Services as well.

There have been unprecedented difficulties from the pandemic years, with the entire world having been affected. In today’s blog, we’ll be looking at what allowed some businesses to remain while others couldn’t, as well as what might help were the economy go into a recession as some fear.

Understanding Your Finances

No business can do anything without finances. Do budget properly, and do the math to understand your bottom line. How much do you need to make to turn a profit? How much is too much for customers to afford?

Knowing when and where to cut back on your finances and where to invest is critical to keeping your business afloat. With the huge impact of the pandemic, it’s no question that the loss of sales affected many businesses too much. To weather these hardships, downsizing on your output, office space, or perhaps even prices might help you keep the business going.

Making and Keeping Connections, even Remotely

Many language service providers rely on freelance translators and interpreters as vendors for their business; most times, getting in touch with them is often done through phone calls or emails. But, how do you get the vendor—especially interpreters—to their assignments, when in-person meetings are restricted?

Phone and video methods are hardly secrets. Even outside of the pandemic, these are common ways to get an interpreter to someone immediately regardless of where the client and interpreter are. Those LSPs and other small businesses that had already been getting ready to use remote or online options were in a good place to adapt their services to the pandemic.

Communicating with Your Team

To keep open communication with your team members is vital. Just as upper management relies on associates to get the on-hands work done, associates rely on upper management to answer their questions. The back-and-forth dynamics and momentum are crucial to move your business forward.

In times of hardship like the pandemic, transparent communication is very important. Employees may be nervous about job security or keeping certain accounts going. Positive reinforcement, support, and leadership can provide teams with the confidence they need to weather any circumstance.

Don’t be Afraid of Change…

New technologies come out constantly in today’s world, even during the pandemic and afterward. Learning how to use them can help your business stay up-to-date, and can even help with your output’s quality and/or quantity.

Other changes might include the coming and going of staff, a vendor changing their prices, the laws you have to keep in mind, etc. Keep abreast of these changes and remember to stay flexible; taking too long to adapt might leave you in the dust of your competitors.

Adapting to pandemic looked different for all sorts of companies, but what’s important is to stay creative. Some businesses turned remote, others decided to automate work flows, and some decided to host online events.

…But Try to Stay Consistent

Sudden, unexplained changes even outside the pandemic can upset a person’s balance and leave them scrambling for an answer. For example, having to reduce the price per word for a translation could result in a vendor refusing to work with you, or raising the prices too high for a customer could result in the customer backing out of a deal.

As important as it is to stay flexible, people like to stick to tried and true methods—things remain reliable that way. So, whenever possible, keep consistent in your work, and be as transparent as possible with your customers. Consistency and transparency will always be appreciated by those you work with.