Study guide: At this point in the course, you should be able to discuss the following (Lessons 1-
12)
What is the difference between an interpreter and a translator?
Interpretation is oral. Translation is written. An interpreter makes an oral rendition of the
original message in the target language and the translator reads a piece of written text in
one language and makes a written rendition of the message in another language
What does LEP stand for?
Limited english proficiency
Why should family members or friends NOT be used for interpreting?
They may not be trained interpreters and are too emotionally invested to remain impartial
which is necessary to render an accurate version of the message
What are the 4 barriers to interpretation?
1 Linguistic barrier
2 Register
3 Cultural barrier
4 Systemic barrier
What are the 4 modes of interpretation?
1 Consecutive interpreting
2 Simultaneous interpreting
3 Sight translation
4 Short-written translation
What are the 4 roles of the interpreter?
1 Conduit role
2 Message clarifier
3 Cultural clarifier
4 Systemic advocate
What is the appropriate way to transition between roles?
Being transparent and letting everybody know what you’re doing
What is the mission of the interpreter?
To enable effective communication between people who don’t speak the same language
Which mode is used most often in medical interpretation encounters?
Consecutive mode
What significant legislation was passed that led the way to language access for LEPs?
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
What are the 5 different memory tools?
1 Chunking
2 Visualization
3 Counting
4 Repetition
5 Anagrams
What are some recommendations for notetaking?
Don’t try to write everything down and focus on writing down keywords that will allow you to
remember the most amount of information
Why are pre-sessions important?
They give you the opportunity to lay the ground rules for the encounter
Give a pre-session to a LEP patient (in person/remote)
Buenos días yo seré su intérprete de español. Todo lo que diga será confidencial. Por favor
hable en frases cortas y concisas para que yo pueda interpreter todo.
Give a pre-session to a provider (in person/remote)
Hello. My name is Arnold. I will be your spanish interpreter. Everything that you say here will
remain confidential. Please speak in short sentences so that I can interpret everything. Is
there anything special I should be aware of?
What is the appropriate position for an in-person interpreter?
Close to the patient, at a 45 degree angle
What is the appropriate position for a remote interpreter?
How is remote interpreting different from on-site interpreting?
The interpreter is not in the same room as the patient and provider and this has advantages
and disadvantages
What are the benefits of using remote interpreters?
You can have interpreters for just about any language, which is something that would be
infeasible otherwise since you cannot possibly have staff who speaks every language
What could be problematic for remote interpreters?
In the case of OPI, not being able to see visual cues such as body language, facial expressions
or seeing the conditions
What defines consecutive interpreting?
The speaker makes pauses for the interpreter to interpret
What skills or tools can help you improve your consecutive interpreting?
Memory and note taking
What is the importance of the message clarifier role?
To be able to clarify language nuances or the use of register that may get in the way of
effective communication
What is simultaneous interpreting?
When you interpret almost at the same time as the speaker speaks
In what type of situations may you need simultaneous interpretation?
When it is not possible to do consecutive interpretation such as in mental health sessions or
in emotionally-charged settings where people cannot wait to speak in turns for the
interpreter to do consecutive interpretation
Is summarization an acceptable form of interpretation and if not when is it acceptable?
No. It is acceptable when you only need to make a rendition of the gist of the message. An
example would be a doctor speaking with medical students in front of a patient. You can
interpret a summary of the conversation to the patient just so they know what is going on
What defines sight translation?
Reading a piece of written text and making an oral rendition of the message in another
language
What 3 factors need to be considered before completing sight translation?
1 Length of the document
2 Whether the information is vital or non vital
3 Whether the provider is present or absent
If sight translation is appropriate, what 4 things must be done prior to completing this for
the patient?
1 Read the entire document to yourself
2 Detect any words or expressions you may not understand
3 Ask for clarification if appropriate and if provider is present
4 Sight translate at steady, moderate pace exactly as written without adding or
omitting information
How can you decline when the provider asks you to do a sight translation?
Say that you’re not certified by the ATA
Which mode is used most frequently in medical interpretations?
Consecutive interpretation