To celebrate interpreters’ success stories, Monterey Language Services has put together a video showcasing the friendliness, professional, expertise, and different roles of our interpreters in shaping the harmonious community of our nation.  You can view the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYxpYyoC7z0

Interpreters can spend years honing their skills to become subject matter experts in their fields, such as healthcare, education, or the legal sphere. Some have even worked in these fields as doctors, nurses, teachers, paralegals, and more before becoming language experts.

Interpreters believe in the fidelity and fairness of their work. Interpreters ensure that information is relayed accurately between the parties involved, making sure that nothing is omitted or erroneously said and everyone is on the same page. This is incredibly important in medical and legal settings.

Interpreters describe their work as rewarding and fulfilling. Many times, the act of interpreting contains an emphasis on helping those limited or non-English speakers or hearing disabled persons who are in need, such as to help with healthcare or education. This gives many interpreters great satisfaction in giving back to the community and keeps them looking forward to their work.

Monterey Language Services has the pleasure working with so many talented, devoted, professional interpreters, providing excellent service for your needs, whether your event is large, small, private, or a personal matter.

Thank you so much to our interpreters for working with us for all these years, and for the years to come.

Let’s start with the basics. To connect to a Zoom meeting, you will first need to have Zoom downloaded to your computer or device and installed. Then, you will need the host to send you one of two things— either a link to the meeting or the meeting ID and the password. Some meetings do not have passwords though, but it’s good practice to ask for a password regardless when agreeing to the meeting. Meeting IDs typically follow this format, 000 0000 0000, with a total of eleven numbers. If the client sends you a meeting ID that does not consist of eleven numbers, you should check with them to confirm. Alternatively, if you do not want to connect through the computer or just want audio only, most Zoom meetings come with a phone number with which you can call into as well.

When you connect, there are several things that might happen depending on both your settings and how the host set up the meeting. If it is a large meeting with many people, then it’s possible that the host will have the meeting set up so that they will have to manually let participants into the meeting. This means that when you connect, you will not go directly into the call. Instead, you will see a screen that says that the host will let you into the meeting. When you get into the meeting, depending on your settings, you might join with your camera on and microphone on, or maybe both of them off, or a combination of the two. Be wary of that if you need a minute or two to get settled and do not want to have your microphone or video on when you connect. You can change this before you connect in the settings of Zoom.

When you are in the meeting, you will notice that there are different buttons at the bottom. As an interpreter you most likely will only need to use the buttons to toggle your microphone and video, the interpretation button if the client has it enabled, and of course the end call button when the meeting ends. Moreover, Zoom has a recording function and a function where the program can transcribe what was said during a recording in the target language. This will only work for the target language, which is English by default depending on what language the host has their program in. The transcription is fairly accurate and can be useful if you want to review what was said or translate the questions into a different language.

First, the host should not be using a free account. The free account comes with many features, but it does not come with the interpretation feature enabled. The easiest way to do this is to upgrade to a business account. Along with a variety of features, the interpretation function is enabled on student and business accounts. Also, be sure to have Zoom updated to its latest version. The interpretation function did not come to the program until later versions, so older versions will not be able to use it. There are many clients who do not realize this and are confused as to why they cannot use interpretation despite perfectly following the instructions.

The next step is to make sure that the interpretation function is enabled. To do this, the host will need to go into the web portal for Zoom and sign into their account. From there, they will need to go into Settings and then go to In Meeting (Advanced). If there is no option for this, you will need to contact Zoom support to have it enabled. After you go into In Meeting (Advanced), all you need to do is scroll down to Language Interpretation and add the languages you need. Just note that you can add as many languages you want to the list of languages, but in a meeting, you can only set up a maximum of five at once.

After enabling the interpreter function and adding the desired languages, it is time to add the interpreters. While still in the web portal, navigate to Schedule a Meeting, and after setting up the meeting as you like, then scroll down to Interpretation and check the box for Enable Language Interpretation. In that same section, there should be a box where you can add an interpreter by their email address, and you can add what language they will be speaking. When you do this, be sure that the interpreter is using a Zoom account that is linked to the email that you put in. If they use a different account, then be sure to ask them for that email address so that you can add them.

Finally, you can launch the meeting. After the meeting is launched, have the interpreter(s) join, and then in the meeting controls, you should see Interpretation. Click on that and you will be able to add and remove interpreters as necessary. If the interpreters are not appearing, make sure that they are properly added, on the right account, and that you have the latest version of Zoom. If you follow all these instructions, then you will be on the way to a successful Zoom interpretation session!

First, let us define what localization is. Broadly, localization is taking one material and transforming it into something that is understandable and relatable in a different culture or region. This means that localization is all about adaptation. When localizing something, you will be looking out for concepts, symbols, and words that would not fit into the target culture or region. This means adapting the original product into something that looks as if it was not created in a different country entirely.

For example, this can be something as simple as general design. When looking at an ad or commercial, for it to be successfully localized, you will have to make sure that the info displayed (i.e. numbers, date, time, etc.) are all changed into the appropriate format. If you kept the dollar sign when changing an advertisement for your product for an audience that does not use USD, they would be confused about how much the product actually costs and if it is even sold in the country that they’re in.

Internationalization is different than localization in that it focuses more on trying to universalize settings. Internationalization can be thought of as a typically more “under the hood” kind of process, where you will focus more on the coding side of things. This means focusing on hard-coded strings, concatenation, and finding out what is supported in Non-English input and output. If this is not taken into account, anything that is displayed is at risk to not display correctly. Internationalization is therefore more of a system focused on making sure that the software itself has no problem being used in different languages and thus focuses a lot less on linguistic errors like localization is.

There are more subtle nuances between internationalization, but it will be easy to remember the overarching difference between the two if you just remember that localization focuses more on the linguistic aspects of things while internationalization focuses more on the software that the localization will use to display or function.

For example, even within English, there are regional differences that can sometimes prevent fellow English speakers from having the same understanding of even simple conversations. Winter can get cold, and when that happens, people in the United States (US) might want to buy a sweater. However, in the United Kingdom (UK), if you asked for a sweater, you might be met with some confusion. Sweater is not the common word that people in the UK would use. Instead, they would use the word “jumper.” Conversely, if you asked for a “jumper” in the US, you would be met with a lot of confusion because the word “jumper” is typically reserved for people who do such activities as jumping.

Moreover, word for word conversion is the number one killer in rendering translation and interpretation. Often times, target audiences have no idea of what a translation is trying to say is because of that. For example, we often have to adjust English to Chinese translations done by other people, and to make the focus of each point clear and to be sure it’s easy to read and understand. The issue is that the original translation was literally written in a way that followed English words and grammar too closely. Unfortunately, Chinese grammar is not the same as English grammar. Therefore, ideas/points were not communicated easily and clearly for Chinese readers.

Another tough aspect to deal with is related to cultures. Many translators or interpreters struggle to find a perfect fit to certain idioms or phrases that might be frequently used in one country, but not in another. For example, in Japan, every time they eat, they have a small ritual of expressing gratitude for the food both before and after eating the food. In most other cultures, there is no such ritual, so it is hard to perfectly translate it. In general, there are many phrases in Japanese to show respect that would not translate easily into other languages without the same kind of rituals. Instead, translators and interpreters will have to skirt around and find similar phrases or words that will be “good enough” to convey the meaning.

Culture is a big part of what makes languages end up having such a big gap in phrases and words, and because of that, a one to one translation is virtually impossible for languages. There will almost always be at least some tiny nuance that is lost in translation. Even so, translators and interpreters do their best to minimize these bumps in the road. Translators and interpreters ensure that even if nuances are lost, an understanding is still able to be passed on, which in our opinion is the essence of translation and interpretation.

1. Read extensively

If you are a book lover, then you are half way there to being a good translator. Reading extensively is useful in that it helps to hone your writing skills and make you more sensitive to the subtle differences between similar words. As a translator in a specialized field (e.g. law, finance, medicine, etc.), reading parallel texts is even more crucial. Parallel texts make you familiarized with terms in a particular field and allow you to familiarize yourself with the field. As a result, your translation won’t look like it’s written by an outsider with no knowledge of the subject. For example, let’s say you’re translating a warranty from Chinese into English. If you find an English-language warranty and compare it with the original text, you’ll see how a warranty is formulated in English and you can use that reference as a guide for your own translation.

2. Write well

Being an excellent writer is essential to success in translation. Writing well means writing clearly, which is as necessary for communicating the source message in a translation as it is for making sense in any kind of written work. Don’t get confused – translation may be an art in its own right, but here writing well doesn’t refer to being a good creative writer; many translators may write impeccably, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they have the creativity to write the next great novel from scratch. Writing is also a largely mechanical skill that can be learned. It means, in part, being familiar with the conventions and preferences of the often very different writing styles that are used in various fields – something which the previous tip can help you with.

3. Be patient and pay attention to detail

Unlike interpretation which is done within seconds, translation is an extended process and your finished texts will be there for all to see long after your work is done. Of course, there are both pros and cons to this: one good thing is that translators don’t have to work under quite the same pressure as interpreters, and they can afford to spend time choosing the most suitable word for any given context. One of the negative sides is that your work will likely be subject to greater scrutiny than many interpretations, since, especially in the digital age, a document can essentially exist indefinitely, whereas the average interpretation is gone forever after it’s been completed. In general, translation demands patience and extreme attention to detail. Translators need to be very careful in editing and proofreading their work in order to avoid mistakes before it is published or presented to others.

4. Learn how to do research

As a translator, you’re bound at some point to encounter a word or phrase you don’t know. Be it an idiom, the name of an organization, someone’s title, or even their name, translators need to have the ability to do extensive research using whatever tools are at their disposal. A translator’s research isn’t limited to looking for difficult to render words, either: they should know how and where to look for reference material – those parallel texts that were mentioned before, and other materials that will make translation much easier. Thanks to modern technology, translators today have incredible access to potential sources of research, starting with everyone’s favorite, Google, which can let you quickly check whether or not your translation is idiomatic in the target language. Frequently translators have to go much deeper than just a Google search, though, accessing various corpora, specialized dictionaries, trade publications, and so on. The internet even makes it possible to reach out to the author of a text to ask for clarification or explanation when a translator encounters difficulty understanding the source. As wonderful as the internet is, a translator shouldn’t rely on it to the total exclusion of good old-fashioned books and other printed material. You never know when you’ll be without internet access, and the sheer volume of information on the Web can make it difficult to know what’s correct, whereas a specialized Spanish-English medical dictionary has been compiled by an expert.

5. Use CAT tools

Recent years have witnessed the nearly universal application and rapid development of computer assisted translation tools, such as Trados, MemoQ, Wordfast, etc. These CAT tools have effectively become the industry standard and can help improve translation efficiency and save time and energy. CAT tools can cut down your time spent and simplify any number of situations, for example handling a large translation project that involves multiple languages. While some of these tools are both powerful and fairly user-friendly, it can be difficult to intuitively navigate and manage some CAT programs with all their features and options. Fortunately, there is no shortage of online tutorials and other CAT tool guides available, but whether you decide to make use of them or explore your CAT tool of choice independently, one thing is for sure: the sooner you learn how to use CAT tools effectively, the better.

These are just a few tips to help you become a better translator. There is one other thing which shouldn’t be overlooked: be passionate about translation! Great translators are “doing their job” all the time, always translating (at least mentally) whatever they see and hear around themselves, be it a sign at the park or an advertising slogan on TV. Enjoying what you do and making it into an everyday, fun activity may be the most important key to becoming a better translator.

Monterey Language Services is committed to bridging the world’s languages by providing quality, professional and efficient translation & interpretation services in over 175 languages.

As another year passes behind us and a new one begins, may nature’s beauty surround you and may your life be filled with all the blessings the universe has to offer.

The universe is filled with wonders big and small, from a single grain of sand to the sun in the sky. Nature’s beauty is all around us – the endless blue horizon, an ancient rock, palm trees rising from the sand.

Other miracles of life are invisible: do we see the wind, or just feel its warm breeze? The clouds in the sky are too high to touch, but we feel their rain. Everything is connected and part of the same wonder, even us.

If at first you don’t see life’s blessings, don’t be discouraged: remember that like the wind they are all around, and you feel their cool breeze! Yes, it’s important to be at peace with our environment and the people we are with. Let’s be patient, communicative, considerate, and think of others – because everything is part of the same harmony.

As interpreters, it’s our mission to bridge the gap of different ideas, backgrounds, languages, and cultures. Being an interpreter is a noble calling, we are blessed by those we have served!

In the same spirit, let’s all once again remind ourselves: to be communicative to bring people closer together and let them see that we were never that far apart to begin with.

From the team of Monterey Language Services, happy holidays and may 2017 bring you peace and prosperity.