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hOW TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF AS AN INTERPRETER

The document provides guidance on how to introduce oneself as an interpreter. It recommends including information about confidentiality, speaking in first person, ensuring flow of communication, and interpreting everything said. It also provides an example self-introduction and notes what to do if the service provider has worked with interpreters before.

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Monasterio del inka
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147 views2 pages

hOW TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF AS AN INTERPRETER

The document provides guidance on how to introduce oneself as an interpreter. It recommends including information about confidentiality, speaking in first person, ensuring flow of communication, and interpreting everything said. It also provides an example self-introduction and notes what to do if the service provider has worked with interpreters before.

Uploaded by

Monasterio del inka
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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How to introduce yourself as an interpreter:

At any interpreting job, it´s safe to assume the possibility that your clients have not worked with interpreters. Even if
they have, the interpreters they´ve worked with may not have explained to them how it works. This is why it´s helpful
when you introduce yourself, to also ask if they´ve worked with an interpreter, and if they haven´t, slip in your 20-
second spiel to explain your role and how the session will go.

The introduction should be short, brief, and to the point. Your goal is conveying your role and to let the clients know
how to communicate through an interpreter. Sometimes you´ll find it hard to explain your role because the service
provider (doctor, lawyer, etc.,) may be impatient, but try your best to get through it.

Your self-introduction should include for elements:

1. Confidentiality – Everything said will be kept confidential. This applies especially to legal and medical
interpreting case.

2. First person – Everything will be interpreted in first person. If the patient says, “My head hurts”, the interpreter
will relay, “My head hurts”, for the provider.

3. Flow of communication – To ensure the flow of communication, interpreters should ask all parties to speak
directly to each other and keep sentences short to ensure accuracy of the message. Interpreters should also
assign a hand motion to signal pauses (in case the speaker goes onto long) to allow time to complete the
interpretation.

4. Everything – Everything that is said will be interpreted, even if it was not directed to the other party. For
example: if the doctor has side conversations with the nurse and you and the patient can both hear it,
interpreter it. The patient has the right to hear everything spoken in the room.

Note: when speaking to the provider, you´ll use your source language, and when speaking to the client, you´ll repeat
the same information in the target language.

What if the provider says? He´s worked with interpreters?

If the provider has worked with interpreters, they may not want to or need to spend the extra 20 seconds with you
to learn about something they already know how to do. Don´t force it. But during the session, if you notice that the
provider is speaking to you and not to the client, you can make gentle nudges to help them speak directly to the
client.

Here´s an example of what you can s ay.

My name is:

Hired by Agency: (________________________________________________________), and I will be interpreting for


you and the patient/ client today. I will repeat everything will be interpreted in first person. To ensure accuracy,
please keep your sentences short. If I raise my hand like this (stop signal), Please pause so I can catch up.

Finally, I will keep everything said here confidential.


Isn´t that penguin much bigger than the other?

Please stop talking so loudly near the birds.

George dislikes the smell of some animals at the zoo.

The smell of the steak makes me hungry.

They´ve quit using elephants in this show.

The penguins walk quietly. They are quiet animals.

Everyone loves the smell of fresh roses.

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