Medical professionals have to talk about subjects that many of us would rather avoid – especially with our children or parents.

Mastery of medical language and emotional involvement are frequent arguments against using family members as interpreters, and they are certainly valid ones.

Even a true bilingual may not be up on medical terminology in any language, which can lead to confusion at best, and risk at worst.

And of course, it is difficult (if not impossible) for a family member to convey bad news to a loved one in a calm and neutral fashion.

Although not advanced as often, another very good reason for using trained professional medical interpreters is that they are used to speaking about health issues, even delicate and potentially embarrassing ones.

Whether a condition is serious or not, family members of any age may not feel comfortable putting words on certain ailments or body parts. And cultural differences may exacerbate the discomfort, as taboos or privacy issues can vary from culture to culture.

You’ve probably noticed from your own experience that doctors, nurses and other health care staff are able deal with all types of medical problems in a matter-of-fact way.

As trained medical professionals, qualified health care interpreters are able to do the same, all the while remaining sensitive to cultural issues – and putting everyone at ease.

Betty Carlson

See Also

• Language Translation, Inc.
  A leading language translation and interpretation service provider for more than 20 years.