Strategies for Effectively Communicating through an Interpreter

On November 23, we offered a webinar called Strategies for Effectively Communicating through an Interpreter.  There were some follow-up questions that people asked on our post-survey, and our presenter, Betty, has answered them below.

For additional information, programs can purchase the Authentic Voices Educational Setting, which I believe would be most compatible with Cooperative Extension programming.  Additional information can be found at our website: www.diversity-project.org

 

1.      How to address the community interpreter if s/he is adding in their own content. I have observed sometimes it can enhance the session when cultural info is shared, but it can also take us off track. I'm also concerned, too, by elaborating on the content, the interpreter may not be giving correct information.

 

Anything that an interpreter says should be said in both languages of the meeting/session.  If an interpreter is going to add cultural information aimed at increasing understanding, they should announce their shift from direct interpretation to sharing cultural information.  They would then repeat the information in both the source and target languages.  Finally, they would announce their shift back into the role of interpreter, and the session would continue.  If the educator wanted to expand or clarify any information as a result of the interpreter’s sharing, they would be able to do so.  The interpreter would interpret their response.

 

2.      How to handle interpretation with a mixed audience with multiple primary languages.

 

It depends on whether you are using simultaneous or consecutive interpretation. 

 

With simultaneous interpretation and interpretation equipment, the interpreters would out of the way be in the back and sides of the room.  Participants would be wearing headsets corresponding to their spoken language.  The interpreter speaks at the same time as the speaker, speaking at the same rate with only a few seconds of lag time.  The speakers flow is a sentence or two behind the speaker.  When a participant who speaks one of the target languages has a question or comment, the interpreter for that language will use consecutive interpretation to interpret what they say.

 

When the interpreters are providing consecutive interpretation, the interpreter alternates with the speaker, each person speaking a few sentences at a time.  For a large group presentation, the interpreters would stand at the front of the room along with the presenter.  The presenter would say a few sentences in the source language, and then the interpreter would repeat the information in the target language.  In this instance one source language and one target language is the preferred.  I would not recommend more than two target languages.  With a bilingual meeting, the session will take twice as long, as everything needs to be said twice.  With a trilingual meeting, the session will take three times as long, because everything is being said three times.  It is critical to plan for the extra time.