Increased Need for Accurate Translation: Poor translation comes in many forms, it has been known to be funny at times and offensive at others. With globalization on the rise and the increase in immigration, the need for accuracy in translation is now a priority. Accurate translation is not limited to street signs and menus, but…
Poor Court Interpretation Leads to Misunderstandings: In Chesterfield, Virginia, Patricia Michelsen-King quietly observed a court proceeding while she waited her turn to provide interpretation services for the next hearing. Suddenly a man shouted out loud from the back of the courtroom in Spanish, “I didn’t rape anybody!” Michelsen-King, who teaches Spanish interpretation at Virginia Commonwealth…
Language Diversity Challenges Healthcare Providers: Hospitals and healthcare facilities are struggling to effectively provide professional healthcare services to the linguistically diverse population in the United States. Language barriers prevent provider patient communication, thus resulting in substandard care and possible malpractice. Communication in healthcare is of the utmost importance, when a language barrier is present patients…
Telephone Interpretation Aids Call Centers in Accommodating the Diverse American Population: Offering services, general information or perhaps guidance on how to use a product are just a few of the services call centers and customer support lines provide. Examples of call centers are poison control, suicide helplines, businesses selling services or products as well as…
Bridging Language Gaps: The growth in diversity has made language barriers a common challenge for English speaking as well as non-English speaking individuals living in the United States. Bridging language gaps and ensuring communication is facilitated is important in order to provide healthcare, legal advice and various other services to mainstream American society. It’s best…
Providing Interpretation Services is the Law: Complaints over the quality of sign language interpretation provided for deaf patients has the University of Vermont Medical Center scrambling to find solutions to strengthen their offerings. Patients complained the equipment used for video remote interpretation (VRI) consistently does not work and staff at the hospital are not properly…
Seeking Asylum, Evaluating Your Past to Determine Your Future: War, poverty, abuse, displacement and the fear of danger are all reasons for which emigrants flee their mother lands searching for asylum in foreign countries. Asylum is the protection granted by a nation to someone who has left their native country as a political refugee. Obtaining…
Officers Are Facing Language Barriers Regularly in Communities Across the United States: In Staten Island, New York, Arlet Macareno’s niece found her lying at the bottom of the stairs, badly injured from a domestic violence encounter. 911 was called and when police arrived at the home, Ms. Macareno tried her best to tell the officers…
There’s a Shortage of Court Interpreters Who Speak Indigenous Languages: Illinois immigration courts are falling short at providing professional court interpreters who speak an indigenous Mayan language called Q’anjob’al. The language is spoken by close to 550 people in the Champaign-Urbana area. The National Immigrant Justice Center, reported an increase in Q’anjob’al speaking immigrants over…
Transcreation Success: If your company is interested in expanding internationally or perhaps targeting culturally diverse domestic markets, you have probably come across the term transcreation. Transcreation is a language service helping companies gain attention from diverse consumer markets by linguistically, culturally and emotionally appealing to their senses. Creating and adapting a marketing message that transcends…