Translation and Interpreting: A Guide for Staff
Language Translation and Interpreting
This guidance covers all communication needs including Braille, large print,
BSL and the different languages spoken in Taunton Deane.
It is important that we have access to appropriate translation and
interpretation services to support the work we are doing in engaging
vulnerable and hard to reach groups.
For document translations, face to face interpreting and telephone interpreting
we will use Bristol City Council [BCC] Translation Service.
For Transcriptions [alternative formats such as Braille, CD/ROM, audiotape]
we will use the Somerset Sight Service, Taunton.
For British Sign Language/English Interpreters we will use independent
registered interpreters who advertise in the South West.
This document offers advice regarding how to work with an interpreter and
issues to consider when preparing a document for translation. The following
advice may seem to many officers fairly obvious, but in unfamiliar situations, it
is the obvious that can be overlooked. Much of the advice on face to face
interpreting and telephone interpreting is from BCC’s own guidance notes.
Please note:
Translation and transcription should be offered appropriately based on
the needs of the customer. An interpreter may be able to assist us in
answering enquiries and providing information to customers as an
alternative to translating entire documents. It may only be necessary to
translate or transcribe relevant parts of a document.
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1 Face to Face Interpretation (Languages)
There are times when our knowledge about a customer’s language/culture
may be limited and you will need to be alert to signs that you are not being
understood. Give yourself time to consider the following:
1.1 Does the customer need an interpreter?
Many people from an Ethnic Minority may only possess a superficial
knowledge of English. Greetings and familiar questions may make for an
appropriate response however the customer may not be sufficiently fluent for
an in-depth interview. There may be a repeated “yes” to everything they say.
Double checking, for example, with questions that should require an answer
such as no, should confirm if you are being understood. Some hearing
impaired customers may be able to lip read
1.2 Is the customer happy to communicate through a third person?
Officers will need to be sensitive to the needs of customers in respect of who
acts as interpreter. For example, visiting officers in customer’s homes may
want to use discretion and allow adult family members or friends who are
present at the interview to translate rather than use a professional interpreter.
This can compromise confidentiality and there may be issues that the
customer does not wish to hint at with a family member present. Therefore
please be aware that in many situations it may not always be appropriate to
use family or friends.
It also brings into question the appropriateness of using representatives of
local groups to act as interpreters for the same reasons.
If you are going to use a professional interpreter check that the customer is
happy with this. No doubt there may be times when you cannot communicate
appropriately to check that the customer is happy and you will have to wait
until an interpreter is present.
Please note that a child should never be used as an interpreter under
any circumstances.
1.3 What is the customer‘s first language?
Sometimes this may not be so easy to determine because the customer may
come from a linguistically diverse background. Two examples of linguistically
diverse backgrounds are Africa and India. .There are over 1,000 different
languages spoken throughout Africa .More than 50 of these languages are
spoken by 500,000 or more. Some Africans are bilingual due to European
historical influence.
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In India there are at least 18 major languages each spoken by at least one
million people. Hindi is the official language spoken by 40%-45% of the
population but there is also a diverse population from different parts of the
Indian sub-cultures and religions.
Therefore it will always be important to check the region within the country to
determine the appropriate language for translation using the Language Line
Poster available on reception or the interview rooms.
1.4 Making the Booking
Always aim to book the interpreter as early as possible it simply gives
you more of a chance to have a suitable interpreter available.
BCC are flexible and will respond as quickly as possible but the more time
that can be given the better. Ideally within 3-4 working days they can have an
interpreter available.
Communicate with the customer to arrange an appointment time and date and
establish the reason for the interview. This may be in writing (if the person is
deaf or hard of hearing), verbally or visually.
1.5 Guidelines for interpreter users
There are several approaches to working with an interpreter. Listed below is
some guidance that should be useful
1.5.1 Interview Preparation:
Whenever possible, a pre meeting between you and the interpreter should
take place. This pre meeting will enable you to discuss the following:
•
A background to the case with an emphasis on relevant information
that the interpreter needs to know regarding hearing impairment,
mental health concerns, speech or learning disabilities.
•
The specific purpose of the interview. Aims and objectives should be
clarified. An understanding of the purpose and relevance of your
questions can influence interpreter translation.
•
Establishing the needs of the customer. This could be cultural or
gender needs [it may, in some cases, be necessary to have an
interpreter who is the same sex as the customer]. There may be
religious factors which you may think are relevant or cultural conflicts
which will be important to anticipate.
•
Clarification of your role and the interpreter’s and the way you wish to
work together e.g. the interpreter will want to discuss with you how
they prefer to interpret. Generally speaking there are two styles of
interpreting to be aware of:
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Liaison Interpreting [Verbatim]
The interpreter will translate very short units of speech word for word.
Although more accurate and with less being left to the discretion of the
interpreter, it is slower and the interpreter will need to stop you or the
customer after every few phrases in order to interpret.
Consecutive interpreting
The interpreter summarises longer units of speech and it involves the
interpreter taking notes. It is less accurate but quicker.
Agreement will need to be reached between you and the
Interpreter about which style of interpreting will be used during the
interview.
•
A pre meeting will provide the interpreter with an opportunity to
establish if he/she is known to the customer. If the interpreter does
know the customer, then the customer must be advised and consulted
about the arrangement. If the customer objects to the interpreter the
interview cannot go ahead.
1.5.2 During the interview
Remember to allow more time for the fact that an interview through an
interpreter will take longer than normal.
•
The seating arrangement is important. You should sit so that you are
facing the customer and that the interpreter can watch you both.
•
Allow for introductions. You should introduce yourself through the
interpreter and explain your role. The interpreter should introduce
him/herself and be given the opportunity to explain that his /her role will
be to enable communication between the service provider and
customer throughout the interview. It is important to stress that the
interpreter is impartial and is required to keep everything that is
translated as confidential.
•
Allow for the customer to ask questions in relation to your role and the
interpreter’s. Details of the spelling and pronunciation of the customer’s
name should be clarified.
•
In the course of the interview the interpreter should normally interpret
all that is said by both you and the customer, neither adding or omitting
words unless this is necessary to clarify the intended meaning of either
party. This also includes interpreting expressions of anger, frustration,
threats, and swearing if they occur.
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•
Try to build up your own rapport with the client. This is more difficult
when you are speaking through a third person. But address the
customer directly using appropriate eye contact and facial expressions
to convey meaning to the customer.
•
Try to avoid using jargon during the interview. Unless the interpreter
has a great deal of experience in your field he/she will have difficulty
identifying and translating this kind of language. Also remember some
words or concepts have no direct equivalent in other languages and
can be culturally biased. Best to discuss with the interpreter in the premeeting beforehand exactly the meaning you wish to convey.
•
If you or the customer say something that is not fully understood by the
interpreter, he/she should ask for further clarification .The difficulty
should be explained to both parties.
•
Throughout the interview, separate and exclusive conversations
between the interpreter and you or the customer should be avoided.
1.5.3 After the interview
•
It is important to have a de-briefing session with the interpreter after the
interview. This will provide you with the opportunity to check with the
interpreter any points you think you may have missed. It may be
important to discuss difficult or sensitive issues raised in the interview.
It will also be necessary to establish if the interpreter needs support
following a particularly distressing interview.
•
If an interpreter is unhappy with any aspect of your practice during the
interview, then a de-briefing is the place to discuss this. If the
interpreter still feels that the issue is unresolved then the name of your
line manager should be provided so that a formal complaint can be
made.
2. Requesting a British Sign Language/English Interpreter
For many Deaf people English is their second or third language. It is also a
language that is difficult to lip read and lip reading skills vary greatly. Many
Deaf people may not be comfortable with speaking English.
Deaf people who use BSL as their preferred language and hearing people
who speak English will use BSL/English interpreters to communicate
effectively.
The RNID and Association of Sign Language Interpreters recommend that an
appropriate level of qualification for a BSL/English interpreter is above NVQ
level 3.
In Somerset there is one registered qualified BSL/English Interpreter-demand
definitely exceeds supply. But as the range of deafness is wide many deaf or
hard of hearing people have English as their first or preferred language and
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may prefer a different a different communication service.. It therefore is
always necessary to discuss the communication preferences with deaf
people. Lip speaking or note taking are two methods by which deaf people
may prefer to communicate.
Where a BSL/English Interpreter is required, BSL/English Interpreters can
also be contacted from the Bristol Area.
The following is from the RNID quick reference guide regarding the duty to
provide a British Sign Language /English Interpreter under the Disability
Discrimination Act 1995:
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•
•
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When booking, give information about the nature ,content
and length of assignment.
Send the BSL/English Interpreter background information in advance.
When the interpreter arrives for the assignment introduce yourself
and the Deaf person.
At the place of assignment, make sure that the BSL/English
interpreter and the Deaf person[s] can see each other clearly.
During a lengthy assignment give the interpreter regular breaks.
Normally only one BSL/English interpreter is needed for short assignments.
However, if the assignment is technical,complex or lasts a long time ,consider
booking two or more BSL/English interpreters.
Use the internet to identify a local BSL/English interpreter as the provision of
this service is constantly changing.
3 Telephone Interpreting
BCC telephone translating service can be accessed very quickly [i.e.
within half an hour for most languages]. Therefore a same day service is
possible.
•
If telephone interpreting is necessary, it should ideally be arranged via
a three-way telephone conference call between you, the interpreter and
the customer.
•
Remember that communication over the phone is more difficult than a
face to face process, and speech needs to be slow and clear. You will
need to check the customer’s understanding at regular intervals with
the interpreter as the interview progresses.
•
Generally some of the guidance for face to face interpreting will apply
to telephone interpreting. The following points have been reproduced
below as an aid to conducting an interview by telephone:
Allow for introductions. You should introduce yourself through
the interpreter and explain your role. The interpreter should introduce
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him/herself and be given the opportunity to explain that his /her role will
be to enable communication between the service provider and
customer throughout the interview. It is important to stress that the
interpreter is impartial and is required to keep everything that is
interpreted as confidential.
As the customer is sitting with you, having a two way phone line
makes it easier to maintain a rapport. Eye contact can be maintained
and you do not have to keep passing the phone over.
In the course of the interview the interpreter should normally
interpret all that is said by both you and the customer, neither adding or
omitting words unless this is necessary to clarify the intended meaning
of either party. This also includes interpreting expressions of anger,
frustration, threats, and swearing if they occur.
Try to avoid using jargon during the interview. Unless the
interpreter has a great deal of experience in your field he/she will have
difficulty identifying and translating this kind of language. Also
remember some words or concepts have no direct equivalent in other
languages and can be culturally biased.
If you or the customer say something that is not fully understood
by the interpreter, he/she should ask for further clarification .The
difficulty should be explained to both parties.
remember to tell the interpreter when they are being put on hold
and when the conversation has ended.
4 Requesting Document Translation
When requesting a document to be translated, please note that the
turnaround time at BCC is approximately 4-5 days. Urgent requests will
be dealt with as a priority but this will be more expensive.
Please liaise with the Graphics department on all document translations
requests, who will log the request and advise you on the process.
When preparing a document for translating you will need to remember the
following:
•
Use Stylewriter. It is the best way to check for…
o Spelling
o Punctuation
o Grammar
o Jargon
o Slang,
o Abbreviations
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Remember
If a translator cannot understand anything it may not get translated.
Certain abbreviations may not have an equivalent in another language.
Certain phrases may not translate appropriately – so use Plain English if
you want the translation to make sense.
Remember it would be impossible to translate appropriately a detailed policy
document into [for example] Chinese or Bengali so keep a summary version
for translation purpose [ie 1-2 sides of A4 maximum with bullet points of a few
words conveying the main points].
5 Requesting Transcriptions [Alternative Formats]
To date staff have been using the Somerset Sight Service for Braille/audio
tape/ CD Rom.
Remember the same rules apply when preparing documents for
transcriptions-use Plain English to make sure that the information you
produce is easy to understand.
6 Access Statement
NB All key documents available to the public should contain an Access
Statement to enable people to request the document in either a different
format or another language.
At the time of writing we need to have an Access Statement in the five
languages of our main BME groups in Taunton Deane. Given overleaf is an
example of the wording of our Access Statement with appropriate wording in
Hindi, Bengali, Chinese, Portuguese and Polish [our five main languages]…
Templates are available through the TDBC Graphics team.
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Translation and Interpreting Summary Action Sheet
Request: Face to Face Interpreter
Action: Complete BCC Assignment Sheet - see Page 9 [including date and
time of interview and your contact details] FAX to: 0117 903 6427
Outcome: Interpreter will arrive at appointed time. If any problems you will be
contacted.
Request: Telephone interpreter
Action: Complete BCC Assignment Sheet- see page 9 [including date and
time of interview]. Make sure you write “Telephone Interview” in Box 2:
Assignment Details and make sure that you request that the interpreter
contacts you before the interview to discuss. FAX Assignment sheet to BCC
[FAX:0117 903 6427]. BCC don’t automatically give out phone numbers of
interpreters, usually that happens once interpreter has a rapport with client.
Outcome: Interpreter will contact you before the interview to discuss
Request: Document Translation
Action: Complete Translation/Quotation Request form – Page 10.
Email document with request form - Page 9 to: [email protected]
Outcome: Quotation will be emailed back within 1-2 days. Document will be
emailed back within 4-5 days.
NB Document returned will be in PDF not Word
Request: Document Transcription
Action: Contact Somerset Sight 01823 333818
Confirm which format you require and provide full contact details for invoicing
and posting of transcription.
Outcome: Audio cassette/CD/Braille/large Print will be forwarded to you.
Request: Need BSL/English Interpreter
A local BSL interpreter will need to be sourced via local providers, using the
internet to locate the nearest provider.
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