Category Archives: Interpretation/Translation

Freedom, life, or reputation at stake: Accuracy in interpretation

One of the main reasons to have a translator or an interpreter in any given situation is to ensure communication and understanding between the two or more parties trying to engage each other. Due to the fact that the basic component of common language is missing during such interactions, people rely on a competent languageContinue reading “Freedom, life, or reputation at stake: Accuracy in interpretation”

The disservice of bad translations: A practical analysis

While doing research for this topic in my Judiciary Translation class, several translated documents from different agencies in Iowa were considered. At first, this writer thought that the translations available would be atrocious, yet the Spanish translations of many public agencies’ forms were not too bad. A pattern noticed was that, the older the formContinue reading “The disservice of bad translations: A practical analysis”

A bilingual existence

  “Language is a skin: I rub my language against the other. It is as if I had words instead of fingers, or fingers at the tip of my words. My language trembles with desire.” –Roland Barthes I. Idiomas/languages: Origins Little scraps of paper with small hands’ handwriting in Spanish and English hung along theContinue reading “A bilingual existence”

Thoughts on the origins of judiciary language in Spanish

Venezuela, where I was born and raised, is a country in South America, where the official language is Spanish, as well as several indigenous languages. The fact that Venezuelans speak Spanish means that, as most Hispanic nations, Venezuela was colonized by the Spanish. It is in that former empire that we must look in orderContinue reading “Thoughts on the origins of judiciary language in Spanish”

Ethics in interpretation & translation: Beneficence

* This is the third of a series of posts focusing on ethics in the field of interpretation and translation. The  book discussed in these posts is The Elements of Ethics for Professionals by W. Brad Johnson and Charles R. Ridley. I highly recommend it, especially if you are in a profession dealing with people.Continue reading “Ethics in interpretation & translation: Beneficence”

Ethics in interpretation & translation: Respect

* This is the second of a series of posts focusing on ethics in the field of interpretation and translation. The  book discussed in these posts is The Elements of Ethics for Professionals by W. Brad Johnson and Charles R. Ridley. I highly recommend it, especially if you are in a profession dealing with people.Continue reading “Ethics in interpretation & translation: Respect”

Ethics in interpretation & translation: Non maleficence

* This is the first of a series of posts focusing on ethics in the field of interpretation and translation. The  book discussed in these posts is The Elements of Ethics for Professionals by W. Brad Johnson and Charles R. Ridley. I highly recommend it, especially if you are in a profession dealing with people.Continue reading “Ethics in interpretation & translation: Non maleficence”

Cultural barriers to effective interpretation and translation

The organization Unite For Sight dedicates two modules to assist researchers in interacting and breaking through cultural barriers with the clients that they serve in other countries. “Interpreters often have a better understanding of the cultural norms of the community than the researcher,” module 5 of the research course states. This is an important implication,Continue reading “Cultural barriers to effective interpretation and translation”

Does an interpreter’s race/ethnicity matter when working with clients?

Although the world is constantly and rapidly becoming more globalized, multicultural and interdependent, the collective mentality with regards to race or ethnicity may be moving at a slower pace. At first glance, people in the United States may think that problematic interactions among people of different race or ethnicity is an issue that only affectsContinue reading “Does an interpreter’s race/ethnicity matter when working with clients?”