Join us on April 21 and May 19 and get your social media working for you!

Two back-to-back guest speakers that will get you started on the right path.

I must admit it, I am not the most consistent person when it comes to social media. In fact, days could go by when it comes to checking my Instagram or LinkedIn accounts. And literally weeks can pass before I open Facebook or Twitter. It’s not that I have any sort of aversion to social media, it’s quite honestly because I’d rather be doing other things. And on one hand, that is a healthy way to be about social media (if you’ve not yet seen the film The Social Dilemma, I highly recommend you do). Studies have shown the detrimental effect that social media can have on our mental health and well-being. But the reality is also that social media can be a good thing. It helps us stay connected to family and friends around the corner and around the globe, it exposes us to new ideas, products, or services and it can create a community and a feeling of belonging for many people. The point being that we need to use social media, not allow social media to use us.

But for small business owners, like me and you, social media is an absolute necessity. Small business owners, including solopreneurs like freelance interpreters, benefit greatly from social media. It is a free way to advertise yourself and put your brand and best self out there. If you want to grow, connect, and cultivate new clients, then social media is a must.

But is it as easy as just putting up a picture, or a quote or liking someone else’s post? It is not. Social media done right can expand your world and your place in it. Social media done incorrectly can be a waste of your time or can even hurt your public profile. And of course, as interpreters working for a variety of agencies, and for a variety of clients and professionals, we have great responsibility. We must protect and maintain confidentiality, we are to be respectful of our colleagues and, moreover, we should channel support for our profession by always bringing forward the positive.

This year at The Interpreter’s Lab, we bring you two back-to-back sessions (April and May) that will give useful tips, tools, and guidance on how to put yourself out there and grow your business. On April 21, Mike Lemay will present on Social Media as a Marketing Tool and in May Madalena Sánchez Zampaulo speaks to us about LinkedIn 101 – A Guide for Interpreters. LinkedIn is one of the best platforms for professionals, so an important part of your social media skill set.

You can find out more about each of our speakers before you join us by checking out their social media in advance. And come ready for some questions for these two wonderful speakers.

Mike Lemay:  Mike the Interpreter

Madalena Sánchez Zampaulo: M|Z

How to Join:

• If you are a TIL Member, you will automatically be sent the Zoom login for the session.
• If you are not a member, and would like to simply register for one or both of these sessions, you can do by going to The Interpreter’s Lab HERE

Links:

The Social Dilemma: Social Media and Your Mental Health https://www.mcleanhospital.org/essential/it-or-not-social-medias-affecting-your-mental-health

Social Media and Mental Health: https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/social-media-and-mental-health.htm

The Social Dilemma (on Netflix)

Image: Inside Edition News: https://www.insideedition.com/emotions-are-high-as-interpreter-breaks-down-translating-zelenskyys-speech-ukraine-activist-73545

Mauro Couto

Interpreting demands a high level of accuracy and well-developed time management skills. To perform with precision, the interpreter needs to be fully focused on the task at hand. Hearing the client’s speech, reading their body language, catching intonation, being mindful of all the details involved in communication; then processing this collected information and reproducing it in a different language, transposing their client’s complex expression, through cultural and linguistic barriers, to land safely on the other side with an accurate version, just to start again. This requires rational thought, drive and concentration.

“the fact that interpreters often work in emotionally sensitive situations creates challenges”

Emotional intelligence is essential for performing rationally and achieving those desired results. The interpreter needs to be able to identify their client’s emotions, as well as their own, to then reproduce them appropriately. If the interpreter fails to understand and control their own emotions, harnessing them to their advantage, they risk losing focus and the task may be compromised.

But interpreters are only human and humans are moved by emotions. Maybe one day the profession will be taken over by cold AI-driven software. Until then, the fact that interpreters often work in emotionally sensitive situations creates challenges in this activity. These challenges are, however, not fully undesirable, as they are a by-product of what most motivates interpreters to do their job: the perception of how meaningful their activity is to the people involved, of how much their work impacts their clients’ lives.

This obstacle will eventually arise in any environment in which an interpreter works. In a legal setting, the interpreter will likely face anxiety-laden formal situations more often, while a healthcare interpreter may frequently work with patients who are going through significant personal distress, sometimes informing them of serious diagnoses, but in a more informal and caring environment. Conference interpreting will usually have a less emotionally sensitive setting, with the interpreter striving to develop their emotional intelligence to ground and to stay focused in the moment for greater lengths of time and with fewer interruptions. Nonetheless, conference interpreters are also often exposed to extreme emotional challenges.

On February 27th, 2022, Nadiya Kyrylenko, a veteran interpreter for the German news outlet Welt, had been assigned to interpret a speech by Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky live from Kyiv. Three days earlier, Russia had invaded Ukraine, and Mr. Zelensky was now leading his country’s defence and struggling to secure meaningful support from Ukraine’s allies in his nation’s fight for self-determination against a formidable invading force.

The urgency of the matter, the bravery shown by a young leader in military uniform supplicating for assistance for his people, as well as the terrifying realization that the darkness of war was descending over that free nation and of all the suffering that would ensue, created a setting that proved too emotionally dense for the interpreter to maintain her focus and do her job. She interrupted her delivery, cried during the live broadcast, and apologized as she struggled to conquer back her concentration to continue.

As an Interpreter, Ms. Kyrylenko failed at her task that February 27th. Due to significant emotional distress, she was not able to properly interpret Mr. Zelensky’s speech, as it had been expected of her. To anyone who was listening to his speech through her voice, however, her failure was perfectly justified. In fact, in a way, it may have enriched the circumstance. As Russian tanks coldly and mercilessly rolled into Ukraine and the invaded nation pleaded for help from its peers, Ms. Kyrylenko’s failure has already gone down in history as an admirable and defiant expression of humanity.

About the contributing writer:

Mauro Couto is an international Law graduate from Brazil who has had experience practicing Law in his home country since 2006. Mauro has worked as an interpreter with a Vancouver based, non-profit organization providing mental health services to survivors of torture.

Related Links of Interest:

We have linked some articles that may be of interest below:

• https://multilingual.com/german-interpreter-breaks-into-tears-while-interpreting-for-zelensky/
• https://multilingual.com/philip-crowther-ukraine-coverage/
• https://multilingual.com/working-a-warzone-lsp-manager-maria-malykhina-shares-her-story/
• https://www.interpreterslab.org/empathy-and-interpreting-the-curious-case-of-healthcare-interpreting/

I recently came across an article I had written, together with a colleague, for Cultures West Magazine – an AMSSA* (Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of B.C.) newsletter in 2006. The article, titled Accessible Health Care: A Response Framework for a Culturally Evolving Community was on the subject of strategies for how the healthcare system could improve its outreach to and inclusion of all members of our diverse community. Reading the article started me thinking how the more things change, the more they stay the same.

My entry into language services came from my passion for social justice and equity. For many years, I worked in intercultural communication, anti-discrimination and anti-racism as a project leader, facilitator, researcher and consultant. I was led to this work in the late 1980’s, after having volunteering overseas in South America and became passionate about the issues it involved. It was during my time at MOSAIC as the interpreting services manager that I soon realized how important language truly is in its role as a gateway to equity, justice, and most importantly, to the formation of a cohesive society. You simply cannot have cohesion and a common ground without access to a common language.

In a multicultural and multilingual society, interpreters are the agents of change – not just anyone who is bilingual, but trained and knowledgeable interpreters who are beholden to a common ethical framework, set standard of practice and core competencies to do the work they are trained to do. They are the links that form a society of individuals who can successfully communicate, engage, be heard and fully share all the benefits a nation awards onto its population. Without interpreters, we become a disjointed community, lacking the tools to fully connect.

I may sound a little dramatic (blame it on my Neapolitan heritage), but I believe this to be true. Language can bridge a massive divide that for many, if left as a gulf between client and service provider can, at the extreme, be the difference between life and death or, more commonly, have severe negative impacts on one’s quality of life.

I want to acknowledge that utilizing interpreters does not absolve professionals who serve within a diverse community of the responsibility to consistently practice cultural humility. While professional interpreting services have always been a crucial core component of any access plan, interpreters cannot single-handedly fix the discrimination and racism that exists in Canada. And so more work is always needed.

In going back to the article in AMSSA’s Cultures West magazine which provoked me to write this post, my colleague and I listed 3 fundamental considerations that are critical to the success of a healthcare system in multilingual and multicultural society: these are accessibility, cultural responsiveness and comprehensiveness. These 3 essential factors could never be fully implemented without the inclusion of trained and educated interpreters. Because language is the gateway to inclusion.

I believe that the reason the more things change, the more they stay the same is because reaching the goal of an equitable society is rarely fully achieved, and therefore we continue in our efforts. However, in continuing to work toward this goal, we succeed in making changes that matter and which transform our society for the better.

*To read the original article in Cultures West go HERE

*To find out more about AMSSA  https://www.amssa.org/

In Gratitude… a special offer just for you.

Calling all past students – take the Interpreting in Community Settings course, get refreshed, get your continuing education units done, and pay only $197 (that’s a $300 savings!)*

Register NOW

Coupon code randr2020 (note – returning TIL students only)

What a year it has been.

To say it has been a tough or challenging year is an understatement. From our personal lives to our workday lives, I imagine that most of us have felt the impact of all that this year has sent our way and felt it on many levels.

It is said that when external conditions force adjustment upon us, it is best to contemplate the positive instead of dwelling in the negative. I do not offer this observation lightly: as some of our students know, we here at The Interpreter’s Lab have been touched by loss and sadness in our own personal lives in recent months and so to consider the light rather than the dark is advice that we have also been following.

The quiet time that resulted as a change to everyone’s schedules allowed the team at The Interpreter’s Lab to review and reflect on our own programs and offerings.
Moving to an online learning organization was something that we had planned several years ago, not ever foreseeing the events of this year and how the move to online teaching was a fortunate chain of actions given the pandemic response.

When we first shifted our courses to the online blended learning, some of our students hesitated to join a virtual course, fearing that the technology would be too confusing, that there would be no interaction with other students, and other concerns. But once they actually participated in a class, they could not stop saying how much better online is!

Because we want you all to know just how much better online can be, from now until December 31, 2020, previous TIL students can sign on to our Interpreting in Community Settings Course – online – for only $197 (that is a $300 savings!) – less than $6 per hour for expert content and instruction.

Not only do you get to experience the online environment, you also get:

• An opportunity to take a refresher/update on your skills
• Learn new content – our courses are continuously being updated with the best and latest resources and information
• Learn how to navigate an online environment (useful if you have made or are making the shift to remote interpreting)
• Receive an actual Certificate of Completion as all of our courses now include a final exam

Think of it as an opportunity to take a refresher course for 1/3 of the price.

“People of different backgrounds and experience come together to learn and share. Comfortable learning environment to learn community interpreting. Practical knowledge, case studies and videos that give me a clearer picture of how interpreting world is like as it is hard to understand without examples. I enjoy this online class; it saves me so much traveling time. And it’s actually better than I expected how an online course would be. Being able to interact with everybody online is a plus.”
Student – Interpreting in Healthcare Settings, Spring 2019

The Interpreter’s Lab has been providing interpreter education since 2012. In 2019 all of our programs were fully online which means that for 7 years we delivered our courses in a real, live, physical classroom. The shift to online, blended teaching was done once we realized how much better it could be for our students for multiple reasons:

• More content and resources for students
• Longer duration/time for students to access course content
• Multiple instructors
• Opportunity to watch the recorded lessons if a student misses a class or if they just want to re-watch the lesson

Not to mention no driving or taking public transit, no parking, and no extra costs and time.

So, in this time of change, and as many of you may have some extra time and energy, we want to extend a special offer to all our former students that have taken a course with The Interpreter’s Lab prior to 2018. This is for all those students that participated in a traditional, physical classroom and that have never taken an online course with us.

…Interested?
The next course start September 8, 2020. Register NOW

…Not ready or too soon?
Then register for our October** course.

USE COUPON CODE randr2020 to get your $300 discount*

As long as you take any one of the 2 Interpreting in Community Settings courses available before December 31, 2020 you qualify for the reduced fee.

*NOTE: This offer is only for returning students that have not yet taken an online course with The Interpreter’s Lab.
** NOTE: The Interpreter’s Lab reserves the right to make schedule changes as required. It is recommended to register for the September course to avoid any disappointment should the October course be rescheduled to 2021

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Changes to our course schedule

This fall, The Interpreter’s Lab will be undergoing an organizational improvement plan.

We hope to build, and offer, improved courses and programs for our clients and students, and an improved student experience.

To take full advantage of this opportunity, we have decided to limit the number of courses being offered in fall 2020.

What this may mean for you:

• Only 1 to 2 sessions of Interpreting in Community Settings* will be offered (September and October).
• There will be NO Interpreting in Healthcare Settings course offered in fall 2020**
• The Interpreting in Mental Health Settings course will not be offered again until fall 2021. We encourage students to take advantage of this course offering at this time to not delay your training.

We apologize if these schedule changes cause any inconvenience but we know that ultimately you, our students and clients, will benefit from these improvements.

*NOTE: we strongly encourage people to register for the September 8th course as we may reschedule the October session to 2021
**NOTE: If you wish to take the Interpreting in Healthcare Settings this year, please email us to be added to the wait-list

Stayed tuned for an even better Interpreter’s Lab!

* The PLS is a program of the Provincial Health Services Authority of British Columbia. Find out more about Kiran Malli at the end of this blog post.

Hello Kiran and thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions.

Hello Angela, not a problem at all. In fact, it is my pleasure.

Q. Kiran, Can you tell me a bit about the service you provide at PLS?

A. As you know, the PLS is the only provincial interpreter services program in Canada and what makes us more unique is the fact that we are a part of BC’s health care system. That means that our standard of service has to meet a high threshold for quality and efficiency. I believe it is imperative that PLS encourages interpreters to acquire the skills and education that is necessary to achieve a certain competency.

Q. Why do you think it is important for interpreters to have training specifically in working in healthcare settings?

A. The importance of using professional, vetted and qualified interpreters in health care cannot be understated. They are essential tools in the delivery of appropriate and accessible health care. The skills involved in interpreting go far beyond those of speaking two or more languages. Just as having two legs doesn’t make one a marathon runner, having two languages doesn’t make one an interpreter. To finish a marathon, training is required, and certain techniques are learned, employed and perfected through the training process. Similarly, a professional interpreter possesses learned skills that are developed and perfected through training. The cognitive process of interpreting can indeed be as grueling as a marathon run.

Q. What do you look for when recruiting interpreters for the PLS?

A. We look for people who are trained, have proven language proficiency in their language pairing and have interpreting experience.

Q. From your experiences, how is the work of interpreters trained to work in healthcare settings different than that of an interpreter without that specialized training and education?

A. A health care encounter is, more often than not, a collaborative encounter in which everyone is on the side of the patient or client getting well. Interpreters with health care training are more confident in their role and fully understand the context and the possible dynamics at play. A trained health care interpreter will know when it is appropriate to sight translate material (patient education material) and when it is not (consent documents). They will understand that sometimes providing cultural context is necessary to achieve positive health outcomes and ensure patient safety. For example, when a health care provider instructs a patient to take medication after every meal, the health care provider is coming from a Canadian context of three meals a day, whereas the patient may be from a cultural context in which tea time is consider a meal and therefore may take the mediation four times a day. A cultural frame must be provided.

Q. What is the feedback you hear from healthcare professionals in terms of the quality of interpreting?

A. Health care providers often comment on the high quality of our interpreters. They have said that PLS interpreters are professional and an important tool in ensuring appropriate and effective patient care. HCP’s are also quick to point when an interpreter does not meet the expected standard. It is important to note that the quality of an interpreter does come through in every encounter.

Q. What are your views on specialized training for mental health settings or complex care situations?

A. Interpreters that work in mental health are especially challenged to ensure that the message is accurately and faithfully transmitted. This is for many reasons, least of which is the significant role that culture plays in concepts of mental health, mental illness and stigma. In addition to that, mental health issues and the system of care are a complex maze of interactive conditions and factors. At PLS we strive to only assign mental health appointments to interpreters that have taken the effort to gain that extra education and training. It makes a big difference both for the client, the family and the mental health care professional.

Well, we would like to thank you once again for giving us a few minutes of your time and hope that we can talk again in the future.

I would love to join you again. Thank you.

Kiran Malli has worked in the area of improving access to health care for people with limited English proficiency since 1996. Over that time, Ms. Malli has developed and implemented interpreting service programs within various health care institutions and health regions across the Metro Vancouver and Fraser Valley regions of British Columbia, Canada.  Kiran is currently in her second, 3-year term as a member of the Board of Directors with Critical Link International.

Kiran Malli believes that meaningful access to health care begins with the ability to effectively communicate with the health care provider. She is a strong advocate for equitable access to care which ties to her experience in the field of anti-racism, diversity, and access. She is an established curriculum developer and facilitator/trainer.

Kiran has been training community interpreters in various aspects since 1996. She has extensive experience developing training modules to suit organizational and group needs and a strong background in program planning and development.

I may be wrong, but the way I see it is that you can only delay and deflect for so long.  At some point it will all come bubbling up. Since the COVID-19 pandemic really hit home here in Canada, interpreters have seen unprecedented numbers of cancelled, postponed or rescheduled appointments. Interpreters, along with many others, have had their livelihoods snatched from under their feet. But when life gets back to some form of normal, not only will many of these previous appointments re-emerge with clients and public services in need of interpreters, but the need will inevitably be greater than before.

More cases, more need, and more demand.

Interpreters will become even more essential to the fabric of Canadian society.

When we start to come out of our homes and cautiously resume our activities, those areas that were most critical – justice, health care, mental health, and education – will be the first to resume. And there will be more on the horizon.

While the news coverage these days seems to be almost entirely about COVID-19, and understandably so, life continues in the background. Many people will continue to struggle in areas including health, finances, substance abuse, violence, and legal issues; many of these are probably intensifying due to the disruptions that COVID-19 has brought to our lives, as we have had to socially distance ourselves from one another and adapt to new isolated lifestyles.

Although the demand for interpreting services may currently be low, once the pandemic restrictions are lifted, demand will return, and in all likelihood, be even greater than before.

I applaud the provincial and federal governments’ efforts to provide interpreting services for the ASL community. It is important that community members not only get the information they need, but that they also feel the same sense of community support and connection that those of us who speak English or French do.

In Saskatchewan, ASL services were provided only once the community sent in email requests for them to do so (‘I felt so included’: Sask. interpreter communicating COVID-19 information to deaf community, CBC News)

“I feel so included” 

Patricia Spicer, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services, Saskatchewan

Indeed, a sense of inclusion is especially critical in times of crisis. However, the very real need for information is also important – it is crucial for us in fighting and recovering from the pandemic. Lack of accurate information, or lack of access to that information, can lead to other complications and concerns:

“For me to get the information in my own language, it was a huge relief. I knew that I had to stay home. I knew I should wash my hands regularly.

I knew what to do. Without that I would still be worrying.” (CBC news)

Canada is home to people that speak  65 indigenous languages and dialects, and nearly 200 non-official languages. And we know that there is a struggle to get critical information to those populations that are excluded by language barriers.

To address this, the City of Calgary has set up an amazing Multilingual Resources Page that I highly encourage everyone to visit and to share among community members.

Sometimes simply finding the information for those that do not speak English or French, or face other communication access difficulties, is often challenging.

The resources that some of us take for granted, or assume as obligatory and common – internet, WIFI, phones, laptops, etc. – are not universally available. Moreover, going to see your doctor, or even to a walk-in clinic is a changing reality for many across Canada, with many clinics moving to ‘virtual-care’ services. Virtual services play an important role in supporting social distancing; however, they can exclude clients if adequate language access has not been provided.

Many organizations are now feeling this gap in services – a gap which was a pre-existing problem now highlighted by the pandemic.

Newcomers to Canada may not have the same reserves as those who have been here for some time. Health and other concerns can only be ignored so long. For some individuals and their families, staying in place can be a dangerous and unhealthy proposition.

Given the precarious subsistence of some families and individuals, stress can exacerbate an already difficult reality. Courts across the country have been put on hold, and prisons across the country are seeing increasing cases of COVID-19.  Even the IRB has suspended all in-person hearings.

The extensive list of services and businesses experiencing temporary closures and reduced activity has affected a  range of sectors: settlement services, education, justice, health, mental health, businesses, child-care, employment, financial services, and transportation have all been touched.

In my assessment, one of the many lessons that this pandemic world is teaching us is the importance of human outreach and connection, especially when we have been deprived of them.

It has been said that interpreters are the glue that hold a multilingual society together.

For once society emerges from this shared yet isolating experience, and people move through the bottlenecks and backlogs, interpreters’ services will be even more vital and in greater demand.

Some good things to do to turn downtime into SMART time:

• Assess your skills and identify areas for improvement
   
  • The Interpreter’s Lab Self-Assessment Checklist
  • Interpreter Aptitude Assessment
  • Understanding Deliberate Practice:  A Deliberate Practice Approach to Skill Development
  • Listen to Anders Ericsson speak on Deliberate Practice (Podcast)

Volunteer your language skills

• • Translators without Borders
  • Check with your local community centre or neighbourhood house

• Take online courses and workshops
  • visit The Interpreter’s Lab COVID-19 Resource Page for a list of online courses
  • See what The Interpreter’s Lab has to offer for online courses

• Read – books for learning and for pleasure.
  • Check out and follow the #1ntbookreferrals on Instagram for recommendations from other interpreters – (Thank you to Mike Lemay/@miketheinterpreter for tip)

“Skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been.” – Wayne Gretsky

Simultaneous Interpreting workshop and professional development for interpreters that work primarily in consecutive mode.

The line between consecutive and simultaneous modes of interpreting are regularly being blurred. Though community interpreting has traditionally been taught and perceived as being primarily or exclusively consecutive interpreting, the reality is that community-based interpreters frequently find themselves in situations that call for simultaneous mode. [i]

Much anecdotal evidence exists where interpreters are given an assignment and, without warning or notice, will be asked to interpret in simultaneous mode. Perhaps, during a class or presentation, an interpreter is requested to sit with the client among a group of English speaking clients and whisper the translation of what is being said (also known as chuchotage) or, also common, they are expected to instantly switch from consecutive to simultaneous mode, mid-stream, or, as I’ve heard, interpreters are sometimes even expected to interpret along to a video being shown, in real time, like a human ‘sub-titler’.

When an interpreter finds themselves in such a situation, they might attempt simultaneous, and they might do well enough, but without the knowledge, proper training and practice, is one really achieving competency? Is the rendition accurate and faithful to the message?

Consecutive and simultaneous interpreting modes draw differently from the interpreter’s set of skills and abilities.

While consecutive interpreting relies heavily on an excellent working memory (aided by note taking), the simultaneous mode instead, demands a more urgent conversion of meaning. Both skill sets require education and practice. And both skills sets should be developed, and enhanced, by interpreters working in all settings.

Given today’s global crisis with COVID-19, but also more broadly the global shift to more frequent utilization of remote interpreting, many interpreters may be considering expanding their skills and incorporating simultaneous as something that they can offer. Or maybe it’s not even about expanding work opportunities, but simply improving competencies for the current situation.

Complementing your toolkit of services is always a good idea, and, as many of our students know, something that we, at The Interpreter’s Lab, always encourage.

Sometimes fear gets in the way of our professional growth.

We think we are not good enough or capable of doing something that we have watched experts master.

But we all have to start somewhere and exiting our comfort zones is where real growth happens.

As Wayne Gretsky once said, “skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been.”

Simultaneous interpreting is not simply confined to the booth any longer (and really, was it ever?) and, as a fellow interpreter comments, “the conventional image of court or conference interpreter doing only simultaneous, while community interpreters work exclusively in consecutive mode is like a false dichotomy — they’re not as neatly disparate as that.”

Acquiring the knowledge and skills to perform in simultaneous mode as effectively as in consecutive mode gives interpreters more than the obvious additional abilities and greater competency, it also boosts confidence – regardless of the setting.

And so, we invite you to:

START YOUR JOURNEY TO SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETING

Join us on April 16th and April 23rd for a unique workshop:

Simultaneous Interpreting: Out of the Booth and in the Community.

This unique professional development workshop is designed with interpreters that work primarily in consecutive mode in mind.

Below is a short blog written by our Program Coordinator – Annike Andre-Barrett – on her reflections of working in simultaneous mode from the perspective of an interpreter working primarily in consecutive.

On Simultaneous Interpreting from the Perspective of Consecutive Practice

“Consecutive interpreting is like playing catch and simultaneous interpreting is like juggling.”  – Annike Andre-Barrett

In sports broadcasting, a sports commentator gives us play-by-play commentary of a game in real-time.

In other words, they narrate the game. In the case of radio commentary, the listeners cannot see what is going on, and the commentators try to convey the action on the field in words as quickly as it happens. Both the game and the commentary are being broadcast live. The commentator cannot pause the game in order to take note of the moves and then summarize them to the listeners, nor will the players stop to allow the commentators to catch up. The commentators must therefore keep up with each significant detail and ensure their listeners have all the key information to be able to visualize and follow the game.

I’m not really a sports spectator myself, but I thought of this as a fitting analogy for interpreting, specifically the art of simultaneous interpreting. Radio commentary makes more sense in this comparison, because visual language is a communication system in itself – not being able to see the game is like not having access to a particular language. As such, the commentator is like an interpreter, converting visual into spoken language.  And the play-by-play nature of the commentator’s coverage can be thought of as simultaneous interpreting.

When it comes to my own lived experiences as an interpreter, I may be biased, but I find simultaneous interpreting to be even more exciting and engaging than watching one’s favourite sport. It doesn’t matter what the subject matter is, the urgency of the challenge to deliver the message AND keep up is highly stimulating.  In simultaneous mode, the brain is trying to dynamically distribute the cognitive efforts or functions of listening, analysis, short-term memory and target speech production (source: Inside the Brain of a Simultaneous Interpreter, Literally). To me, it feels like mental gymnastics.  Or better yet, if consecutive interpreting is like playing catch, then simultaneous interpreting is like juggling.

Watch A Formula for Success in Simultaneous Interpreting – Professor Chikako Tsuruta – Tokyo University of Foreign Studies

[i] Sometimes this happens because those that work with interpreters (professionals and others) lack an understanding of the interpreter’s work and role.

There’s an old adage that goes “to be ahead of the curve” which means “to be one of the first to change to a new idea or way of doing something that later becomes generally popular.”[1] These days we are using a different type of curve analogy: “flattening the curve” is an expression about society coming together to slow down the spread of this current coronavirus – COVID-19. Both are good things: to be forward looking and to be in solidarity.

When we started moving our Interpreter Education programs online in 2017, we encountered some reluctance from prospective students about taking an online course. Comments like “I don’t have a fancy computer,” or “I’ve never taken an online course before” or even “I don’t think I am good enough with technology to do it” were very common. But we encouraged our clients and showed them not only how easy it truly is, but how much better it can be. Our courses are what is called Blended Learning, because we blend live, teacher-led instruction with self-directed content (you can find out more here – Frequently Asked Questions) and this enhances the whole learning experience.

With online courses, as opposed to classroom-based programs where students attend in-class lessons, students are given a student manual or handouts, and then left to their own devices.  We connect you to external resources – like speech depositories, online tools and videos – and to experts from other parts of the world (something which was not possible in the older model of programs). Not only that, students can keep coming back to their secure student portal to revisit the lessons, as well as the RECORDINGS of each lesson, whether or not the student missed the lesson. This access is open for a period of 3 months from the time the course begins. The learning continues at the student’s own pace, (something which is not typical of the on-site, classroom based courses)

“I always thought old school concept was better, but I never knew online class is going to be the best.”
TIL student – 2020

After 2 years and over 200 students later, we can definitely say that moving online was the best decision we made, and given the current situation, we were definitely ahead of the curve. But who could foresee such a tragic and historic event? We simply wanted to make programs and courses more easily accessible for our students and now we find that online is how the world is connecting – it’s the new normal.

At a recent open Forum we hosted, “What COVID – 19 is Teaching Us: An Open Forum on the Effects and Impacts of Crisis on Interpreters” — we wanted to focus on the current situation as not only a time of great stress and anxiety, but also as an opportunity for learning, preparing and looking toward the future. The exchange of questions, ideas and feedback that emerged from the discussion inspired us to create a COVID-19 RESOURCE PAGE for interpreters — we will be periodically updating this page and welcome any resources you’d like to share with us so that we can share with others.

Planning, learning something new, and preparing for the future are all ways to overcome the disquiet and uneasy feelings caused by these uncertain times. And although we still have some challenging times ahead, we also have seen some progress for which we can be thankful – both near and far. Now is a good time to prepare for the future – now that we have been given this gift of downtime and reflection. We want to encourage all of our readers and clients to consider taking an online course or program to keep yourself engaged in learning and in community. While we would love for you to take one of our courses – or maybe even re-take one as a refresher[2], we don’t mean you should take our courses exclusively. On The Interpreter’s Lab COVID-19 RESOURCE PAGE we have listed a number of FREE online courses ranging from medical terminology to philosophy to emotional and physical well-being (also included in this newsletter below).

Take a moment to visit our online Resources Page and consider expanding your skills and knowledge. An informed interpreter is always a better interpreter. As a couple of other old adages go – “luck is preparation meeting opportunity” and “knowledge is power” – so get prepared and empowered to meet the opportunity.

[1] Collins Dictionary online
[2] If you are interested in re-taking a course as a refresher, we can offer a discounted price – contact us for more information. All of The Interpreter’s Lab courses are updated annually – new content – new activities – new learning

Without interpreters working and working safely, essential communication is jeopardized. And that affects us all.

Interpreters foster community cohesion, community safety and community health, and are an integral part of our system. Accurate communication is vital during emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic.

It has occurred to me, in recent years, that the core concern of the interpreter’s responsibility – be it in court, classroom, office, hospital, correctional facility or a client’s home – is not language, but communication. To not recognize that very important distinction relegates the role of the interpreter to that of a language converter. And that strongly devalues the work that interpreters do, for to simply convert words in one language into words in another is a task that can be done by AI, or even a simple, old-school, bilingual dictionary. Instead, interpreters spin together words, meaning, context, situation, goals, interpersonal relationships, culture, awareness, responsibility, accountability, strict role boundaries, empathy, objectivity, intrapersonal communication, systemic realities, and non-verbal communication to ensure that speaker and listener are achieving the communication exchange necessary – without altering an iota of the intended message – if they are an educated, professional interpreter (let’s not confuse bilingualism with interpreting). I know that for many in the field, this is a very obvious conclusion. But an awareness of the depth and breadth of the interpreter’s role and work must also extend outside of the inner circle. We work and live in a world where, in most part, our essentiality in a multilingual world goes unrecognized.

Creative responses to crisis in a virtual age should be immediate

Good interpreters make it look easy. But it’s not. Not only is it not easy, it is a role that comes with immense power and, subsequently immense responsibility. Without educated, professional interpreters, health care professionals, lawyers, judges, social workers, correctional officers, community workers, and other professionals, inclusive of the system, are unable to effectively communicate with their clients – unable to do their job or achieve their mandates. But because it is commonly believed that interpreters work strictly in language, and if we are satisfied that what is happening in front of us is indeed someone saying words in two different languages, then we assume all is good. False assumption. Which brings us to the reason why, in the current health care and community crisis, there is not enough being done to support the critically important, or rather, the essential work of interpreters and translators. While our government officials are busy ensuring that the message gets out, that the population understands, are they also ensuring that limited-English or limited-French speakers are also included? And if they are not, how effective can the public health campaigns be if they are not reaching the whole population.

Our personal health status is conditioned on the health status of every member of our community.

I recently have had to interact with the health authority because of the needs of my elderly parents. I am an educated, English speaker that has worked in the healthcare system. I should, therefore, understand. One would assume. But the system is confusing, disease and illness are stressful, what to do where and with whom is a complex network of assumptions and connections that can be overwhelming. Even for me. We cannot take this essential communication for granted, for we do so at the risk of the population’s health.

When interpreters are not available, community members that do not speak, or understand the language of government and government services are denied critical information and access.

The COVID-19 pandemic is something that we, as a global village, have not experienced, on a similar scale, in recent memory. It has fostered fear, anxiety and concern in all of its unknowns and the missteps of the leadership in some regions. We try to heed the advice of experts and keep ourselves safe. But for some, withdrawing to work at home is not always a possibility. Essential services must remain. Doctors, nurses, allied health care, law enforcement, border patrol, prison guards, lawyers, judges, and others, must continue to work as the society cannot simply stop functioning. And alongside these professionals, when needed, you may also find interpreters – supporting them in their services. However, while all of the professionals listed above are given some protection if or when they fall ill, but interpreters are not always given any such security. And so, in a move for the preservation of their own and family’s health, they decide to not accept any assignments, decline work, remove themselves from the lists. They choose to be careful, because guidance for them in this case, may not exist, at least not from public health or government officials. The federal and provincial governments have made changes to some of our social safety nets, allowing for speedier responses and access to resources, and while those changes keep evolving for a more comprehensive response, will those changes align with the nature of the freelance interpreter and translator work world?

More important is how to keep interpreters working AND safe, because when interpreters are not available, community members that do not speak, or understand the language of government and government services are denied critical information and access. Professional interpreters are what’s required for complex settings and crisis scenarios, not naive assumptions that the message is being communicated.

Interpreters work as freelancers, for the most part and in most regions around the world, because it is the nature of the field, the nature of the work. And along with that also comes a lack of stability, minimal access to ensured coverage or services when adverse events occur, and lack of access to financial services available to employed positions. While interpreters in some sectors and in some jurisdictions in Canada are considered essential services, these policies are not universal, leaving large gaps for some communities.

We need interpreters to feel secure, protected and valued in order for them to be able to dedicate their professional skills and abilities in aid of community cohesion and continued good health.

Let us also find ways to acknowledge and support these heroes as well: these service providers that act as multilingual conduits for our multicultural, Canadian community. We are in this together for a better outcome. Let’s keep them working, and facilitating communication by acknowledging their need for financial and other resources, securing their safety to the best of all abilities and by recognizing them as vital members of our social and health services continuum.

It’s already hitting the fan – Language barriers hamper corona virus response.

Note: this article was originally posted in LinkedIn

As an organization that serves many different clients, it of course came to mind to write a piece relevant for the current crisis that we are all facing as a global community. But then I thought to myself that all of the do’s and don’ts must have already been delivered by the various agencies where our community of students and clients work. Not only that, if they, like me, belong to other mailing lists (lists which seem to daily and independently multiply in my inbox) they must also have received such notices from those organizations as well. So, I have made the assumption that most people receiving this newsletter are already well informed. If I am incorrect in that assumption, then I urge you to please visit the Centre for Disease Control website (BCCDC can be found here – BCCDC COVID-19, along with the information translated into other languages here – CDC Translated Content) for critical information on this virus. Do NOT trust information that does not come from a reliable source (no, FOX News is NOT a reliable source).

Moving to online, virtual programs and courses now seems like even more of a positive step in the right direction given the additional benefit it brings when we are encouraged to keep a “social distance”. While people are at times hesitant to try online courses, they soon find that it can be a very pleasant and easy option. However, the daily work of interpreters is rarely all online – which means that interpreters will travel to many different settings, meet many different people, often be in close proximity to others, and of course, for those interpreters that work in healthcare settings, be exposed to a variety of contagions. But all of this need not lead us to fear and withdrawal.

As I started thinking more about the nature of freelance work, the “gig-like” economy of it, I was struck by how, if we allow it, such a way of working can lead us to be in a constant state of reaction, anxiety and maybe even fear – if we let it affect us that way. And perhaps now is the time to not simply react but realize the personal and community benefits that interpreters bring and allow that to guide us in an informed and rational way. In a multilingual community, interpreters are an integral part of the service continuum. The services you provide links essential services to individuals and families in need of those services.

The spread of COVID-19 is a very serious situation and we must treat it as such. There is NO denying that. And that is not what this blog post is about. It is more about recognizing that there will always be something that can become an obstacle, situations that can make us anxious and fearful and that become bigger than our rational, thinking selves. But when, and it will be ‘when’ not ‘if’, our amazing scientists and health care personnel find a way to tame COVID-19 and add it to the growing list of infections, diseases and conditions that humanity has learned to manage, another crisis will come our way (many of us can well remember SARS – from which Canada learned many lessons applied to our current situation, or the AVIAN Flu – and other similar epidemics). Will we also react with fear, or will we be ready to wisely manage the situation, without losing our sense of control?

The nature of working as a freelancer, or even more broadly in self-employment, means that we live with an abundance of uncertainty and with a work life that may change more often than we wish. Even when balanced with the positives of freelance work – such as the freedom and autonomy that it brings – such a situation can cause stress and anxiety. What can be done? They say that the anecdote to fear and anxiety is knowledge and preparation. How can freelancers prepare? Taking the current situation as not only an example, but also as an opportunity for evolution, we can use this time to reflect, plan and prepare. Think about:

• What is causing you the most anxiety at this time?
• Why are you feeling this emotion?
• Can you think about things that could have been done in preparation for such an event?
• What might you do differently next time?
• What do you need (resources, connections, people, etc.) for you to be able to better face any future, similar, situations?

It does not need to be a global pandemic to affect us as the COVID-19 is currently doing. And while I do NOT want to understate the importance of taking this corona virus spread seriously, we are also vulnerable to other circumstances: what happens when we are sick and can’t work? what about if our children or spouses are sick and we need to stay home? what happens if a complaint is made against us and the work is suspended for a time? or what if we lose a contract? or the agency we work with has a decline in appointments and we are getting fewer assignments? These are all situations that may expose us to undesirable consequences. But it doesn’t have to be that way. So, let’s take this time to learn, converse, engage, and evolve so that next time we are not reacting in fear. With that in mind, we’ve scheduled a special session of The Interpreter’s Lab Online – Professional Development session on Thursday, March 19^th  as part of our free monthly sessions.Join us this Thursday: What COVID – 19 is Teaching Us: An Open Forum on the Effects and Impacts of Crisis on Interpreters.

A colleague of mind recently wrote a beautiful piece about her reflections on the current situation, and I want to share some of her article with you. Ashley Avinashi is the Founder of Raising Humanity – a global village focused on supporting the change we wish to see in the world, in our children and beyond. I particularly like Ashley’s last positive point – to build our own immunity. As our students know, we continuously say that the best interpreter is a healthy interpreter – in mind and body.

“The survival state has a funny way of bringing up what is truly important for our humanity to thrive – it’s not the productivity, not the mass consumerism, not quick fix-band aid solutions that has us ‘progress,’ but rather an authentic regard and mindful attention towards self and community.

As humans, we tend to respond only when situations become elevated and we HAVE to do something about what is in front of us. We take a great deal for granted. We are passive until we are not – and then, our hyper vigilance tends to become aggressive. From this fear-based state, no productive change can come about. We become caught in a deeply reactive cycle as a humanity, looking for the next external upset to tackle. Our reactive approach to live does not give us relief from the ongoing struggle, nor does it create a strong, sustainable foundation for future generations. Only healing the disconnection within will do that.

With that, I share some ‘survival’ tips that come to mind

• Take precaution. It is not a time to be naïve nor defiant (these are also old childhood patterns!), whether it be this global recalibration or any other. Understand the impact of your fear management on your own well-being, and that of others. How do you model dealing with ‘crisis?’ Particularly in the presence of our vulnerable populations – children and elders?

• Allow yourself to not ask WHAT this is all about, or WHY it is happening, but HOW can you move through it with awareness and ease.

• If you do feel safe to venture out, explore the natural world around you. You will find that you are not alone. The animals, the trees, the grass is supporting you at every moment. At no point are you alone in your journey.

• Hold grace and compassion for those who are riding the wave of fear, without wallowing in their fear with them. Allow them to face their inner beliefs as they may. We are all in different places on the path – some, to model what’s possible.

• Honour this day today. Be grateful you are alive and well,

• Last but not least, take your health seriously – BUILD YOUR OWN IMMUNITY. Eat nutritious foods. Stay well hydrated. Sleep with ease. Dance. Play. Laugh. Set intention for how you wish to experience your day. Get your Vit D outside and ground in nature. Breathe in good air amongst the trees. Surround yourself with others who take responsibility for their own well-being and have honest conversations. Accept the fear that may be moving through you, so you can process your emotions, pains and past hurts.”

Looking for more strategies for calmly living through these challenging times? Below are links to an article on Bustle and a Podcast by Global News called “Wait, There’s More” on the current situation:

Article: Coronavirus Anxiety Is Everywhere. Experts Explain How To Feel Better.

Podcast: Wait, There’s More

To quote one of the experts recently heard in a CBC interview – now is the time to be a citizen of your community. As a community of interpreters, let us work together for a better tomorrow.

Join us on Thursday, March 19 for our free Online Professional Development Session: What COVID – 19 is Teaching Us: An Open Forum on the Effects and Impacts of Crisis on Interpreters. Let’s start the conversation on what we can do and how to get it done.

This forum will be co-hosted by Angela Sasso and Annike Andre-Barrett