For translation and interpretation projects, why do customers prefer to hire a translation company like Monterey Language Services instead of an individual translator or interpreter?

The short answer is a company like ours has a system and resources in place to guarantee quality and availability.  In other words, we provide professional translation and interpretation services.

We make sure all our customers are confident that their projects are being handled by experts and their requests will be met with the highest possible quality. We are our customers’ external team, helping them move forward to the growth of their core business.

Whether it is a request for a Chinese interpreter for two hour or a couple of Spanish interpreters and Portuguese interpreters for two days; a one-page press release to be translated in eighteen languages, or a thirty page manual to be translated into Spanish, French, German, and Japanese, we take care of them all.  That is our everyday life.

First, we recruit highly skilled translators and interpreters every single day – find the best translators and interpreters with the right language pair and expert background knowledge, and test them. Then, we train them according to the customer’s guidelines. We coordinate them and brief them with all the necessary information, so they become a part of the company we serve.  

We also decide on how many linguists to deploy to assure quality in every aspect and provide backup translators and interpreters if one becomes unavailable. We provide all languages assistance in order to meet our customers’ needs for comprehensive and full line services.  Once a customer finds Monterey Language Services, they don’t need to go anywhere else.  We tailor solutions to our customers’ specific needs.

Last but not least, often times, a translation project, a conference interpretation event, or a voiceover/subtitling project requires a team effort.  Projects are usually supported by a group of professionals rather than a single-handed individual effort.   It could involve so many aspects that only an experienced and professional company like Monterey Language Services can excel in it.

Monterey Language Services strives to provide the highest quality of translation and interpretation services. Please feel free to contact us for a quote.

A Real Life Example

The book “The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down,” written by Anne Fadiman, describes the cultural and medical misunderstandings that occurred between a Hmong refugee family and the American healthcare system.  Lia suffered severe epilepsy, which causes frequent seizures. Hmong people believe that seizures happen because a spirit catches the person, whereas American doctors identified the imbalance of chemicals as the cause of seizures. Without any medical interpreters, the family could only rely on the help of relatives for informal interpretation. While American doctors prescribed appropriate medicine for Lia, the family never gave Lia the right dosage because they did not understand the doctors’ instructions. Moreover, the Hmong community felt skeptical of modern medicine. As the cultural misunderstanding and confusion continued, Lia’s condition worsened.

Lessons Learned

Imagine how differently Lia’s life would turn out if a qualified medical interpreter was in place. Language skills are the basic expertise a medical interpreter should possess, but a professional interpreter should also have a rich understanding of both cultures. In addition, the interpreter should be respectful and sensible towards cultural behaviors, which can easily lead to misunderstanding between the medical providers and the families. When such occasion rises, the interpreter should react quickly and notify each party (usually with: “interpreter explanation”) and then explain the behavior as a result of cultural practices. For instance, doctors may not able to understand why family member cannot make important decisions on the spot. The interpreter should explain to the doctors that in some cultures, family members need to get together in order to make important decisions.

In the complex environment of healthcare settings, medical interpreters should be not only the communicator of different parties but also the bridge of different cultures.

Monterey Language Services strives to provide the highest quality of translation and interpretation services. Please feel free to contact us for more information.

The story below is shared by Ringo Li who came to this country as a young immigrant.

Imagine that you just arrived in a new country and you do not understand its official language very well. The excitement and apprehension you feel are equally intense. For many international and immigrant students, this is an experience they have gone through at least once in their lifetimes.

As the number of foreign or immigrant student increases in public schools, professional translators and interpreters are oftentimes required to assist the newcomers. While the demand for language services increases, the language services in California’s schools and districts lack consistent standards and guidelines. In some cases, these departments are not ready to serve the students and the families who speak different languages.

What Is The Cure?

According to the quality indicators released by the California Department of Education, some attributes a quality interpreter should possess include:

-The interpreter should have extensive understanding in both languages

-The interpreter should convey the messages clearly and accurately.

-The interpreter should be experienced in the fields of his or her qualifications

Why Is This Important?

Without clear and accurate communication, foreign or immigrant students may not be able to voice their concerns and opinions. This lack of clear communication may lead to cultural misunderstanding or even conflicts on campus. Unquestionably, quality translation and interpretation services are the key to quality communication. In the end, a more harmonious education environment can cultivate better citizens, and a more beautiful world will no longer be a dream. The power of language is greater than we think.

Monterey Language Services strives to provide the highest quality of translation and interpretation services. Please feel free to contact us for more information.

The Thanksgiving Day can trace its origins back to 1620, when the pilgrims from Britain settled down in Plymouth, North America. Many pilgrims died or suffered hunger due to the harsh winter conditions. Fortunately, the Native Americans reached out their hands to help and teach the pilgrims to grow crops such as corn, pumpkins, and beans. To express their gratitude, the pilgrims invited the natives to a feast the next winter. This tradition has since then become the Thanksgiving Day, in which families reunite to share a feast and reiterate their gratefulness.

Have you ever wondered how the pilgrims and the natives communicate? If you think about it, it was amazing that they were able to communicate in a relatively primitive method as there was no computer or interpretation software back in the 1600s. Compared to them, our world today is much more advanced in terms of multi-lingual communication. According to the statistics, there are about 7 billion people in the world, and about less than half of them who speak more than one language.

Never Take Things for Granted
While we enjoy the fruits and convenience brought by translation tool, it is very easy to take things for granted and overlook the quality of the translation, which can be inconsistent or even inaccurate. After all, human beings created languages and only humans can master the art of translation and interpretation. So during this holiday, we would like to pay tribute to translators, interpreters, and language professionals who, through assisting with communication, have made our world a better place.

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

Monterey Language Services strives to provide the highest quality of translation and interpretation services. Feel free to contact us for more information.

The Athletes in the Spotlight
Thinking back to the London Olympic Games this past summer, the elegant divers and agile gymnasts delivered near-perfect performances in front of the world and left millions in awe. While we appreciate the outstanding performances of these athletes, it is very easy to overlook the thousands of hours and the sheer amount of energy they devoted for their brief moment under the spotlight.

The Translators and Interpreters behind the Scenes
Translators and interpreters are, in many ways, similar to Olympic athletes. In the interpreting booth, conference interpreters work 20-minute segments, performing their “sport.” And behind the clear, informative message generated in this 20 minutes are thousands of hours spent on professional training, developing vocabulary, and public speaking skills. Translators, too, have to spend many years polishing their language and writing skills in order to deliver work of utmost quality.

Quality through the Pursuit of Perfection
While Olympians can enjoy the attention and spotlight, translators and interpreters, more often than not, remain behind the scenes. This, however, does not stop these linguists from perfecting their skills. Many translators and interpreters are on a journey of lifelong learning, continuously and meticulously honing their skills for quality performances. The “mental workout” that these linguists go through can be as strenuous as athletic training. So if the opportunity arises, remember to recognize those seemingly nameless interpreters and commend them for their hard work. Because in way, they are just as amazing as Olympic athletes.

Monterey Language Services strives to provide the highest quality of translation and interpretation services. Please feel free to contact us for more information.

This think quality story brought to you by our team member Ringo Li.

What the word “quality” means to one person can mean something else to another. Why do people have vastly different measurements for quality? 

Some people strive to attain and maintain high quality; meanwhile, others only give medium or low quality. I, myself, shoot for high quality. I once had a history professor who told me, “your writing doesn’t always have the quantity I expect, but it always has the quality I want.” Therefore, I always got an A.

Today, we must perform at high standards and do high quality work to compete in our global society. Unfortunately, people often tend to turn in work with low or medium quality.

How can we bring the focus back to high quality? First, people need to slow down, put time and effort into their project or assignment, give their best, and be proud of their work. Also, I believe another aspect to this issue is that many bosses or professors don’t give enough praise for a job well done. Not only does praise make an employee feel good about their performance, but it also gives them a better indicator of what the boss really wants. Without praise, people tend to just put in the least amount of effort to get the job done.

Quality can be achieved through practice, pride in your work, and reward for your work. Each person has the ability to give a 100%, yet some try to slide through life giving 50% or less. In today’s global business world, we need to set our standards high. We need to compete and achieve high quality work by giving 100% on each and every project or assignment. The competition is high; therefore, we need to set ourselves apart from the rest. Next time your project is due, give it a second or third revision. This way you can raise your quality level and succeed. Good luck.

This think quality story brought to you by our friend Melissa P. Coyne.

This semester I participated in an internship at Monterey Language Services. My learning expectations when going into the internship were to learn how to respond to opportunities.

After my internship, I exceeded my educational expectations. I learned that being proactive is the best way to be successful. It will allow you to start tasks, complete them and if you do them correctly, you will be set up for more in the future. Also, deadlines and quality are vital.

Monterey Language Services has this desire. A need to produce things on time in the best means possible. This is a good strategy to follow for every product or service developed by a company.

Overall my internship at Monterey Language Services has expanded my horizons much more than an in-text education would bring me. It has focused my attention to finding the opportunity in every problem instead of finding the problem in every opportunity.

I now own a company called Interkonnekt where we do social media marketing. This would never have happened without the help of Monterey Language Services giving me the realization and motivation to take action.

Baby steps, one step at a time in the right direction. That is all it takes. Always moving, never stagnant. That is the key to success.

By Matthew Stone

Translation is not an easy task. It requires knowledge, experience, and cultural awareness. Machines can greatly assist humans in the process of translation, but they are still far from being able to autonomously provide accurate translations that reflect cultural differences and take into account the context of a discourse. This underscores the need to ensure that only the best translators are selected for a particular assignment, based on their experience, subject expertise, and native fluency. When the selection process is not properly carried out, anything can happen. Some examples are illustrated by this lively video we found on You Tube.

Drinking Alone under the Moon

Amongst the flowers I am alone with my pot of wine drinking by myself; then lifting my cup, I asked the moon to drink with me, its reflection and mine are in the wine cup, just the three of us; then I sigh… for the moon cannot drink, and my shadow goes emptily along with me never saying a word; with no other friends here, I have only them for company; in times of happiness, I too must be happy with all around me; I sit and sing and it is as if the moon accompanies me; then if I dance, it is my shadow that dances along with me; while sober, I am glad to befriend the moon and my shadow; but then when I have drunk too much, we remain apart; yet these are friends I can always count on; they are emotionless; I hope that one day we three will meet again, deep in the Milky Way.

The poet:

Li Po (701-762) was probably the greatest Chinese poets of pre-modern times. It is generally agreed that he and Tu Fu raised the poetry form to its highest level of power and expressiveness; later poets at times approached but never surpassed them.

Li Po’s distinction lies in the fact that he brought an unparalleled grace and eloquence to his treatment of the traditional themes, a flow and grandeur that lift his work far above of mere imitation of the past. Another characteristic of his poetry is the air of playfulness, hyperbole and outright fantasy that infuses much of it.  –from the Columbia Book of Chinese Poetry