In Many Courtrooms, Bad Interpreters Can Mean Justice Denied

Patricia Michelsen-King was observing the proceedings in a Chesterfield, Virginia, courtroom a few years ago when a man shouted in Spanish from the back of the courtroom, “I didn’t rape anybody!”

Michelsen-King, who teaches Spanish interpretation at Virginia Commonwealth University, said the outburst was the result of bad translation from his court interpreter. Though the man was accused of running a red light, his interpreter told him he was accused of a “violación”… keep reading

The difference between “qualified,” “certified” and having a certificate… and more FAQs

Some interpreters say they are “certified.” Is there a difference between qualified and certified interpreters?
A certified interpreter is an interpreter who is certified as competent by a professional organization or government entity through rigorous testing based on appropriate and consistent criteria. Interpreters who have had limited training or have taken a screening test administered by an employing health, interpreter or referral agency are not considered certified. Some programs offer a certificate of completion, but this does not equal certification.

A qualified interpreter is an individual who has been assessed for professional skills, demonstrates a high level of proficiency in at least two languages and has the appropriate training and experience to interpret with skill and accuracy while adhering to the National Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice published by the National Council on Interpreting in Health Care.
— Read on www.ncihc.org/faq-for-translators-and-interpreters

Ten must-do tasks for your first year as a freelance translator – Thoughts On Translation

Your first year as a freelancer is a time of overwhelming highs and lows, plus a whole lot of analysis paralysis (Should I work on my website? No, my resume! No, getting certified. No, my marketing plan! No, I have no idea how much to charge, so what on earth am I doing looking for clients…). That reality comes flooding back to me every time I talk to a beginning translator.

As with many hard-but-worthwhile endeavors in life, some of these trials cannot be circumvented; they can only be survived. There’s no way around them, only through them. But I do think that with a little focus, you can ease the stress of your first year as a freelancer. I’ve assembled a list of ten must-do items here
— Read on www.thoughtsontranslation.com/2019/01/29/ten-must-do-tasks-for-your-first-year-as-a-freelance-translator/