As the world becomes more globalized, you will come into contact with people whose English is bad or non-existent. In the countries of Latin America, for example, most people never learn any English, even when they are highly educated. Unless you're bilingual, you may want to make use of a Spanish interpreting service to help you communicate with business people from that part of the world.
In the USA, you may even need to communicate in Spanish with Americans. The country's large Hispanic population means that there are now more people with Spanish as their first language than there are in Spain. There are entire neighborhoods in cities like Miami FL where you won't even get by with English only and will need an interpreter if you're not bilingual.
There is a big difference between a translator and an interpreter. A translator focuses on the details and uses different resources, including dictionaries, to faithfully reproduce the text in a different language. An interpreter, however, works with the spoken word. He or she needs to change whatever is being said into the target language almost immediately. There is no time to look up words or phrases and instead of the details, the interpreter looks at the main ideas.
Governmental institutions often make use of the services of good interpreters, for example in court cases or in social services. However, more and more private institutions now also need interpreters, especially in places with a large Hispanic community. These institutions can vary from large hospitals to banks or even small businesses. Moreover, anyone who does business in Spain or Latin America will need an interpreter too.
When you want to employ an interpreter, the first thing you need to do is to check that the person is suitably qualified. Interpreters who work in courts or hospitals usually need specific formal certificates. For more general interpreting jobs, you can choose someone who doesn't necessarily have a formal qualification but who has experience in the field and good references from other clients.
It's also important to choose the right interpreter for the job. A court interpreter may not know business jargon or medical terms, for instance. Find someone who has experience in your particular field. Also check that they have experience in the type of interpreting that you need, such as conference calls or as an escort for a delegation.
Another factor to consider is cultural background. The culture of Cuba, for instance, is vastly different from that of Chile. It's best to choose an interpreter who has a similar cultural background as that of the person or group you need to communicate with. In this way, you can avoid cultural misunderstandings or misinterpretations of colloquialisms.
The Yellow Pages or other local listings are good places to start when looking for interpreters. Many agencies also have websites. Otherwise, contact a professional association for advice and recommendations. In Florida, the organization to contact is ATIF, the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Florida.
In the USA, you may even need to communicate in Spanish with Americans. The country's large Hispanic population means that there are now more people with Spanish as their first language than there are in Spain. There are entire neighborhoods in cities like Miami FL where you won't even get by with English only and will need an interpreter if you're not bilingual.
There is a big difference between a translator and an interpreter. A translator focuses on the details and uses different resources, including dictionaries, to faithfully reproduce the text in a different language. An interpreter, however, works with the spoken word. He or she needs to change whatever is being said into the target language almost immediately. There is no time to look up words or phrases and instead of the details, the interpreter looks at the main ideas.
Governmental institutions often make use of the services of good interpreters, for example in court cases or in social services. However, more and more private institutions now also need interpreters, especially in places with a large Hispanic community. These institutions can vary from large hospitals to banks or even small businesses. Moreover, anyone who does business in Spain or Latin America will need an interpreter too.
When you want to employ an interpreter, the first thing you need to do is to check that the person is suitably qualified. Interpreters who work in courts or hospitals usually need specific formal certificates. For more general interpreting jobs, you can choose someone who doesn't necessarily have a formal qualification but who has experience in the field and good references from other clients.
It's also important to choose the right interpreter for the job. A court interpreter may not know business jargon or medical terms, for instance. Find someone who has experience in your particular field. Also check that they have experience in the type of interpreting that you need, such as conference calls or as an escort for a delegation.
Another factor to consider is cultural background. The culture of Cuba, for instance, is vastly different from that of Chile. It's best to choose an interpreter who has a similar cultural background as that of the person or group you need to communicate with. In this way, you can avoid cultural misunderstandings or misinterpretations of colloquialisms.
The Yellow Pages or other local listings are good places to start when looking for interpreters. Many agencies also have websites. Otherwise, contact a professional association for advice and recommendations. In Florida, the organization to contact is ATIF, the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Florida.
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