professionals – Page 2

Celebrating Translation Day: What Translation Means

Posted on September 30, 2018September 30, 2018 by drawingboarddesign in Field, Translation Day

Did you know that September 30, 2018 is International Translation Day? Translation Day started in 1953 and was set on the Catholic feast day of St. Jerome – the original biblical translator! In 1991, the day was made officially global by FIT (the International Federation of Translators) and it wasn’t until May 24, 2017 that the United Nations officially passed a resolution recognizing the day as proposed by eleven different member nations: Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Paraguay, Qatar, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Vietnam! A true cause to celebrate for translators all over the globe!

As a member of FIT and a professional organization devoted to certifying translators and interpreters in the province of Alberta, we are spending the day reflecting on the profession and what it means to all of us. Share your thoughts with us too!

Translation connects people. The first thing people think of when it comes to translation is that it connects people who do not read and write in the same language, and it facilitates the sharing of ideas and stories that would otherwise not be shared across the world. Translation gets to the heart of our humanity. As language-immersed beings, we interpret our world through the languages we speak and the words we label things with. Translation gives us some access to those ways of being in the world and gives host to a cache of narratives and histories we otherwise would fail to be enriched by.

Translation thrives on diversity. Similar to the connection piece, translation, by definition, thrives on the unwavering diversity that is humankind. Without this exceptional celebration of difference, translation would be a moot point. When we seek to translate, we accept people and their cultures as they are and we are striving to know more about them on their terms and in their terms – literally!

Translation facilitates justice. There is no justice if the person who requires access to it is inhibited due to language barriers. Translation allows for full access to due process because it allows individuals to tell the stories that have so deeply affected their lives. It allows them to hear and be heard.

Translation builds community. If you can communicate with people, you can join forces with them. Translation allows for the building of community by creating sharing experiences. It is this experiential aspect that brings people together.

Translation sparks innovation. All the way through human history, the translation of texts and information have allowed human beings to combine and innovate to create new knowledge, information and technology. As an example, without translation into Arabic, the great Greek philosophies might be lost to history.

Translation saves lives. Not only does translation give people access to adequate medical care in certain circumstances which can save their life, there are a multitude of other ways that translation can save lives. It could be in the sharing of medical research information about life-saving vaccines or pharmaceuticals; it could be in the sharing of agricultural information that will allow for the better growing of food with which to feed people; it could be the sharing of information related to a particular regional conflict that might have consequences for building peace.

Ultimately, with hundreds of global languages and billions of people, it is inevitable that we will need to communicate and the only way to facilitate this is the hard work of translators like our members every single day. Happy Translation Day everyone!

Making Quality Interpreting Services Easier to Access: Interview with Mayagwe Director Bill Dodd

Posted on September 27, 2018 by drawingboarddesign in Industry Tips, Technology

This month, ATIA sat down with Mayagwe founder and director Bill Dodd to talk about how the platform is revolutionizing access to professional interpreters. With numerous ATIA members represented on the tech platform, Mayagwe represents the way of the future for clients to connect with certified interpreters and procure their services.

What is Mayagwe?

Mayagwe is a software application that connects clients who need the assistance of language interpreters and professional language interpreters looking for job opportunities. Currently the way clients access interpreters is that they have to contact a company and submit a form. They get an invoice and have to pay a company who then has to issue payment to an interpreter. Mayagwe eliminates the middle person and clients are connected directly to interpreters who are independent contractors. It’s like the difference between taxi cab companies and Uber. The utilization of technology makes the system much faster, more efficient, and more cost effective. There is a reason “Uber” or similar apps like “Skip the Dishes” are is taking over from the traditional methods of doing business. Mayagwe is doing the same for the interpretation sector.

What does the name mean?

Mayagwe is an Ojibway word meaning “he or she who speaks a strange language”. Mayagwe is a Canadian company and nothing could be more Canadian than honouring an Indigenous language in the name of a language company.

Where did you get the idea for starting this organization?

When I was a member of the Calgary Police Service, an incident occurred where investigators required a language interpreter ASAP. A person had been detained in relation to a bomb threat at the Calgary Provincial Court building. As a result, the court building and surrounding area had to be evacuated, displacing thousands of people and tying up multiple police resources for hours. It took over 5 hours to find an interpreter so that the situation could be resolved. This exposed the inadequacies of the current methods of finding qualified language interpreters. The Chief of Police at the time tasked me with finding a solution to this issue. As a result, I discovered that the Calgary Police Service was not unique. No other police service or other organization in the country had an effective system for accessing in-person language interpreters. As a result of funding and contributions from the Calgary Police Service, Alberta Health Services, and the Calgary Foundation, Mayagwe was born and a custom-made software application developed in Calgary was created to address this need. What use to take multiple hours (like the court house incident), or sometimes even multiple days, can now be handled in literally minutes.

Creating a system that makes using interpreters was not easy. Many problems needed to be overcome, including issues around what constituted a “professional” interpreter, favoritism, a lack of transparency, a lack of cooperation between agencies competing for government funding, siloing of resources, exploitation of new immigrants or as some immigrant service agencies like to call them “volunteers” etc. Mayagwe addresses these issues by creating a democratic and transparent system that protects the needs of clients requiring language assistance and the needs of interpreters providing that assistance. Language assistance is a professional service where people need to be treated fairly.

There was also the issue of out sourcing of interpretation services, meaning either over the phone interpretation or in-person interpretation. Because of the arduous old process of contacting many “interpreter providers” who don’t cooperate with each other and don’t share their “interpreter lists,” big clients such as Alberta Health Services began to outsource thousands and thousands of tax payer dollars to foreign companies – money and resources that could instead stay here in Alberta and support the local economy while creating good paying jobs. Everyone who uses an interpreter agrees that in-person interpretation provides better outcomes and the research also support it. The justification for over the phone is that it is more convenient and less expensive. Although there are times where over the phone may be a better option, with the Mayagwe system, we are demonstrating that using an in-person interpreter can be just as easy, and as cost effective as other options.

What’s your background?

My background is that I was born and raised in Calgary and am a unilingual English speaker so it may seem odd for me to be working in a company that is all about other languages, but I don’t think it is at all. I became a police officer because I wanted to help people and make a difference in my community and I truly admire those who can communicate in multiple languages. (they are so much smarter than me). Mayagwe is a way to continue to contribute to my community.

How did you get into this?

During my work I saw that language can be a huge barrier to providing critical services to under-served Calgarians. I met many people in our community who also wanted to help and who had the languages skills that could make a difference. One powerful example of this occurred a few years ago. The Calgary Police Service has a team who assist victims of crime called the Victims Assistance Unit or VAU. The members of this team contact Calgarians who have been the victim of a crime and offers assistance. This team does absolutely fantastic work on a daily basis and one of the people who has worked on this team is a wonderful woman named Amina. Not only is Amina a terrifically smart and empathetic person, she also has the added ability to converse in multiple languages. A few years ago a situation occurred where a woman who had recently come to Canada was the victim of a terrible crime, and the police were needed. The officers who attended to her did their best, got her to place of safety and filed a report. By chance Amina was the person from VAU who got the file and contacted this women offering assistance. During the conversation Amina recognized that she spoke the same language as the victim. Once they could fully converse it became clear that so much more had happened than the initial investigating officers had been able to determine. The victim was able to tell her whole story which was so much more complicated. As a result, more appropriate and much more serious criminal charges could be brought against the perpetrator of this crime. Amina was able to help this person navigate an unfamiliar system, help with her family situation, her immigration situation and so forth. It is a long story and brings people to tears when they hear it, but it is no exaggeration to say that Amina’s intervention and her ability to communicate fully with the victim literally saved this person’s life (the victim’s own words). Unfortunately many people still fall through the cracks and even though there are many examples like this, leadership of critical social serving agencies such as the police still do not provide their front line workers with the tools they need to provide the best service possible. We hope to help fill some of those cracks.

What are the principles and vision behind what you do?

Mayagwe is a nonprofit whose vision is to make language assistance as efficient as possible to anyone who requires it, create good paying local jobs and contribute to a better quality of life for everyone in our community.

What are the benefits for participating Interpreters?

Provides fairness and equal access to job opportunities.
Provides employment opportunities with maximum flexibility for participation.
Provides business experience as independent business operators.
Provides connection and understanding of social serving agencies, reducing any stigma which may exist about the roles of these agencies.
Eliminates favoritism or cronyism in offering employment opportunities to a select few.
Recognizes interpretation as a professional service.
Quick direct payment for service.

What are the benefits for Client Agencies?

Direct access to trained interpreters.
Maximum flexibility in scheduling, from immediate requests to long-term scheduling.
Ability to set criteria for interpreters unique to each organization.
Ability to customize interpreter requests.
Assurance of accreditation standards.
Cost-effectiveness by only paying for services provided.
Providing connection to people in the communities they serve.
Reducing risk of miscommunication and improper service.
Demonstrating commitment to inclusiveness.

What is a good story you have heard in relation to Mayagwe that you would like to share?

A good story about Mayagwe is that more and more people are recognizing the positive social impact this can have in our communities. A good example is the Canadian Western Bank who has recognized the positive social impact this will have in communities in which it operates and has provided generous financial assistance to help expand this service to Edmonton.

What is the future of Mayagwe?

The Mayagwe application is unique in Canada and plans to expand this service to social serving agencies across the country.

What’s one thing you would like interpreters to know?

If you are providing Interpretation services, you need to make certain that they are covered by professional liability insurance. If you are being contracted through a company or social serving agency to do this work, ask them to provide you the details of that insurance policy such as: the policy details, policy number, coverage amount etc. If you do not, you are potentially exposing yourself to personal risk of a lawsuit.

To join the database of interpreters on the Mayagwe system, just go to www.mayagwe.com and follow the easy steps detailed there

Common Misconceptions about Interpretation

Posted on June 26, 2018July 3, 2018 by drawingboarddesign in Uncategorized

Becoming a community interpreter is one of the most accessible ways to get into the industry and start your professional career as an interpreter. Many professionals in specialized fields such as court or medical interpreting started out in community and even continue to do community interpreting as well! That being said, it doesn’t mean that just because someone is multilingual or bilingual they can start interpreting for community organizations or groups and be successful. And it certainly does not mean they will have the skills required for work in hospitals or courts either! In this article, we will explore some of the common misconceptions about Interpretation, among new interpreters and clients alike!

Myth: Bilingualism means you can interpret well. While having a second language is obviously an essential aspect of being an interpreter as you will be conveying the meaning of verbal words and body cues from one language to another (either consecutively or simultaneously), it doesn’t follow that that is the only requirement for you to interpret well. In fact, fluency in both your mother tongue and the target language beyond the conversational level are absolutely essential as are the knowledge, vocabulary required and cultural understandings necessary to accurately convey someone’s communications. The relay of information across languages and cultures is a mastered skill that takes time, training, expertise and experience. It also requires that interpreters continuously improve their knowledge with regards to new words, colloquialisms (especially regionally) and update their necessary technology.

Myth: The interpreter can answer questions for you or the person you are communicating with. While the interpreter is never necessarily neutral (as some people claim!), that doesn’t mean that they are participating in a direct way in the conversation. The interpreter is responsible for providing understanding and facilitating conversation between two or more people – not for participating in that conversation by interjecting contributions or answering questions.

Myth: Simultaneous interpretation is always possible. While in most cases, this is possible because of the simplicity and redundancy of human language, it should be noted that in some circumstances (especially where a lot of various and complex technical jargon is used over a long period of time) simultaneity could simply be unrealistic.

Myth: Translators can just do the same job as interpreters, right? While tangentially related in terms of languages and conveying messages, please note that translation and interpretation are completely different fields with different areas of training

Myth: It is safe for any bilingual person to interpret in medical and court settings. The answer to this is simply no. In any setting, you should be using the services of a qualified language professional but in the settings of a medical environment or emergency, or a court room, it is often someone’s health, liberty or life at stake. Incorrect interpretations can send ambulances to the wrong address or offer the incorrect medical dosages. They affect someone’s defense or legal case. It is essential to realize how high the stakes are and don’t take unnecessary risks with your life or the lives of others.

Myth: Telephone or video interpreters are just as good as in-person. Don’t let fancy advertising and clever marketing fool you. There is no adequate replacement for in-person interpretation. So much of language is non-verbal, contextual and relies heavily on the interpreter being in the room so as not to miss any of these incredibly important subtle or gestural conveyors of information.

Myth: Any interpreter will do for any setting. Interpreters should be chosen based on their areas of specialization, expertise and experience – particularly when it comes to specific industries. Of course, most people think of medical or legal jargon which it is important to have knowledge of, but some interpreters are also working in special industries such as natural resources, engineering, and the like which may require a technical vocabulary as well.

Getting it Right or Lost in Translation?

Posted on May 30, 2018July 3, 2018 by drawingboarddesign in Uncategorized

Emmanuel Macron—France’s handsome and charismatic President—made the news worldwide a little while ago for no other reason than his closing remarks at a recent speech in Sydney Australia. President Macron exact words, directed to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, were: “I wanted to thank you for, and your delicious wife, for your warm welcome and a perfect organization of this trip, thank you so much.” We know President Macron is fond of older women—his wife is twenty-five years older than him—however; I am certain this remark got lost in translation. What he probably meant was “delightful.” Luckily, PM Turnbull took it with a sense of humor and laughed it off.

Treading in the unknown territory of a new language, where would you be? Would you be getting it right or would you be lost in translation? There are many applications and gadgets nowadays that allow for a quick and cheap translation and promise to save you money and time. While they might be useful for travelers to translate words quickly from a menu, these gadgets will not be helpful in a business situation. These gadgets merely translate word by word—even when they claim to be intuitive. In fact, professional translators will not use translation devices since its more cumbersome trying to decipher the resulting “translation” than doing it from scratch. When doing a translation, many factors come into play that only the human brain can analyze such as complete ease and knowledge of the source language as well as the target language, understanding the culture and idiosyncrasies of the people who speak these languages and communicating the message without room for misunderstandings.

Friends of mine traveling in Taiwan took a picture of a plaque in Chiayi City high-speed rail station promoting the National Museum in Taipei. The English translation did not flow well, but this section was the most interesting: “In appearance, there seems to be a lack of closeness between cultures and arts in Taiwan and those in Asia. However, judging from Taiwan’s history of intercourse with other members in Asia, actually, Taiwan has been quite intimately connected to other cultures and arts in Asia.” It appears that the word lost in translation was “interaction.”

Such examples are not the only culprit: common and innocent words have different meanings in all languages. “I’m so excited, I just bought a new car!” means something else in Spanish since the word “excited” means “aroused.”; translated literally from English into Spanish it would be: ”I’m so aroused, I just bought a new car!” Your excitement over the new car would raise a few eyebrows and cause a lot of laughs among the Spanish-speaking folks.

It’s not a big deal to make mistakes and cause a few laughs—it happens; however, when it comes to business, you don’t want colleagues and potential clients laughing at you! You need to get it right since your investments and reputation, among many other things, are at stake! Poor translations are not just embarrassing, they cause costly mistakes for businesses; misinterpretations have also caused severe problems throughout history with repercussions for centuries thereafter—from wars to religious connotations. Translations need to be professional and render a faithful adaptation to avoid confusion. For such translations, you will require the services of a Professional Translator.

Professional Translators work hard to develop their skills and have a complete understanding of the language and culture. They will not only translate the written word, but they will also relay style and tone, and convert equivalent concepts. Translators consider cultural references, including slang which does not translate literally. Translations go through several revisions before becoming final ensuring the best outcome. Next time get it right, hire a Professional Translator and avoid being lost in translation!

Paulina Ponsford was born in Chile and has lived most of her adult life in Canada. She worked as an Accountant for thirty years in the Oil and Gas industry in Calgary. At the same time, she always wanted to connect with people at a different level and for this reason, she became a volunteer Fitness Instructor and later on a Certified Facilitator in the area of human interaction. Paulina is now preparing to become a Translator and Interpreter in the languages of English and Spanish. Paulina also loves to travel and embraces what different cultures have to offer. She is also an avid reader and some of her favorite authors are Paulo Coelho, Khaled Hosseini, Mark Mustian, and Isabel Allende. If you would like to know more about Paulina, check out her blog at www.paulinaponsford.com where she shares some of her thoughts, insights, and experiences.

Saving Lives Through Medical Interpreting

Posted on April 14, 2018July 4, 2018 by drawingboarddesign in Uncategorized

The professional fields of certified translation and interpretation are no different than any other skilled and regulated vocation: there are standards to uphold and suggested rules to follow in order to maintain some semblance of consistency across the board. This is particularly the case with ATIA associate and certified members who are bound by a Code of Ethics which protects them, the client and the industry. Our members translate and interpret the world around us – we make communication possible.

One area of the field that goes beyond establishing communication between people into the realm of saving lives is medical interpretation. Medical interpreters bridge communication barriers and build understanding between doctors, nurses and patients. This understanding is crucial for making sure proper medical decisions are made from properly listing symptoms, to making professionals aware of allergies to medicines or other items they made encounter in a medical setting.

Medical interpretation is also essential for helping patients have a complete understanding of what their medical care will entail and to be able to give proper, legal consent for procedures based on that understanding. For this reason, in-person interpreting is the most desirable – not only does patient anxiety diminish, but interpreters that are present are better able to see what is happening at the moment of interpretation.

Why should your medical interpreter be certified through ATIA?

A study from 2014 by the American College of Emergency Physicians determined that interpreter errors had clinical consequences and that errors were significantly higher with ad-hoc interpreters. Professional interpreters had an error rate of 12% (versus 22% on average). For professionals with more than 100 hours of training and experience, their errors dropped below 2%! Additionally, the errors made were less likely to result in medical complications or compromising situations. In many cases, this could be the difference between health and illness.