The use of professional interpreters improves communication accuracy.

A slightly old but very convincing video demonstrates the striking difference between the accuracy of a professionally trained interpreter and an untrained family member.

The family member clearly doesn’t suffer from any language barriers; she understands perfectly her family’s language (Albanian) and English. The only problem is that she doesn’t know how to interpret. Thus she commits serious errors: deleting or adding information, giving her opinion, and engaging in extraneous conversations with the attorney.

She also uses indirect speech, for example “She says that….” or “She wants to know if…”

This is not true interpreting. A professional interpreter renders exactly what the speaker has said, so he or she often speaks in the first person: “I said….” or “I tried to explain that…” In a way, the interpreter becomes the speakers’ voice.

In this video, it is also interesting to note the neutrality and discretion of the professional interpreter. While the family interpreter almost tries to run the show, the professional sits in the background and delivers the conversation– and nothing but the conversation.

Betty Carlson

See Also

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