Experiences as an interpreter (2nd Part)
If you didn't read my first part go to my December 2004 posts, the one for December 6.
Remember that there are 3 people in our calls: the client (english), the LEP (spanish) and me (the interpreter). I am giving examples today of any type of call.
Scenario # 1
Client: Hello interpreter, please ask the lady why is she calling in today? How may we help her?
Interpreter: Buenos días Sra. yo le voy a servir de intérprete en esta llamada, por qué está llamando en el día de hoy? Cómo le podemos ayudar? - (Good morning ma'am, I will be your interpreter during this call, why are you calling today? how may we help you?)
LEP: Habla español? - (Speak spanish?)
Interpreter: (thinking it but not voicing it - HELLO?!, didn't I just spoke to you in spanish, what I am speaking...Russian?!)...................proceeds in spanish...Yes ma'am, I am talking to you in spanish. How may we help you today?.
Scenario # 2
It is a 911 call. The LEP is calling because his vehicle broke down on the highway. LEP is outside of his vehicle, there seems to be a lot of traffic because the interpreter can barely hear him and there is a lot of background noise.
911 dispatcher: Ask him his location?
Int: Sir, where are you located?
LEP: on the highway.
Int: (thinking...of course you already told us that) interprets what was said.
911: what part of the highway?
Int: interprets into spanish
LEP: Hhhmmm......(hesitating)...before........"jshdmisnsdkd".
The interpreter just hears something very muffled and there is a lot of background noise.
Int: where sir? (in spanish)
LEP: before exit..jfdjkshsh...(very muffled still, not understandable)
Int: explains to 911 that there is a lot of background noise and can't make out what the LEP is saying.
911: Please tell him to get inside his vehicle so that we can better hear him.
Int: interprets into spanish.
LEP: OK.
Suddenly you hear the door of the car closing and blessedly no more noise.
Int: Sir, where are you?
LEP: inside my vehicle.
Can you believe it? After all your effort, straining to hear the exact location. Now he gives you this answer. Hehehehe.
Scenario # 3
LEP is calling to get some information about her account.
Bank rep: Could you please give me your name and account number?
Int: into spanish
LEP: Juana González and my account number is 35 (thirty five) 84 (eighty four) 28 (twenty eight) 90 (ninety).
Note: So that there is no misunderstanding the interpreter usually breaks down the numbers individually when giving them back to the client.
Int: The name is Juana G. and the account number is 3 (three) 5 (five) 8 (eight) 4 (four) 2 (two) 8 (eight) 9 (nine) o (zero).
LEP: NOOOOOOOO!!!! I said 35 (thirty five) 84 (eighty four) 28 (twenty eight) 90 (ninety).
Int: (in spanish)...ma'am let me verify the numbers with you and let me know if they are correct...3 (three) 5 (five) 8 (eight)............
LEP: (interrupting the interpreter)........NOOOOO!!! I said.......
Int: (interpreter lets her finish and trying to hold to the little patience left)......... goes back to the client and explains the situation.
This is a very common case and it is one that can upset me a lot. They make you look as if you are not interpreting correctly. Imagine all that talk and the client just there waiting to see what is going on. UUUFFF!!!! Patience please!
Scenario # 4
Client understands a little bit of spanish.
Client: ask her for her address?
Int: interprets into spanish.
LEP: 4284 Somerset Dr., Apt. 2-A, Glendale Heights.
Int: into english
Client: (pauses)..........ask her if it's 4284 Somerset Dr. or 4482 Somerset Dr.?
Int: Ma'am is it 4284 Somerset Dr. or........
LEP: (interrupting the interpreter)........Yes.
Int: .....or 4482 Somerset Dr.
LEP: Yes
Client: (snapping a little bit) so which one is it?
Int: (thinking......welcome to my everyday world)
Scenario # 5
FEMA application
Client: please explain to him that I am going to be asking a series of only yes or no questions. Any further explanation can be given to the inspector once he comes out.
Int: into spanish
LEP: Ok
Client: did you have damages to your personal property?
Int: into spanish
LEP: yes, in my bedroom the beds got all wet, and then also a dining room set, and the couch......kitchen, appliances.....etc, etc, etc.....bla,bla,bla.
Int: (writing all the information as fast as possible, so not to leave anything out).....into english.
Client: Ask her if any of his vehicles suffered any damages as a result of the disaster?
Int: into spanish
LEP: Well I don't have a vehicle but my son does, he doesn't live here with me, but I think his vehicle had damages, I am not sure.
Int: into english (you could almost feel the clients impatience)
Client: are the access routes to his home clear?
Int: into spanish
LEP: Well........(here the int. is bracing him/herself for the LEP's answer)............at the beginning just when the storm happened , nobody could pass through, you should have seen it, it was awful. But then they came and ....bla...bla....bla.
Int: into english.
Client: Interpreter please ask him to just answer yes or no. (Impatience on the clients tone).
Int: (thinking.........finally!!!!)
So much for yes or no answers, right? I have come to the conclusion that americans are very precise and hispanics just love to tell you the whole story. Even when they have told you that they'll answer yes or no, they always want to tell you a story with it. I do not like that because instead of just having to interpret yes or no...I end up having to write a lot and then talking a lot. There are some people who speak really fast, so that makes it harder for us to write down the information. And sometimes the things that they are telling you are not even relevant to the conversation. It is specially frustrating when doing a recorded statement for a vehicle accident.
Scenario # 6
Client: please tell her to fax over the paperwork to finish her case.
Int: into spanish.
LEP: Ok. Do you need me to fax the originals or the copies?
Int: (thinking how this is going to sound to the client).......into english.
Client: (pause .......and then a little bit of low giggling).........it doesn't matter.
These are just a few examples. I will write some others a next time.
Remember that there are 3 people in our calls: the client (english), the LEP (spanish) and me (the interpreter). I am giving examples today of any type of call.
Scenario # 1
Client: Hello interpreter, please ask the lady why is she calling in today? How may we help her?
Interpreter: Buenos días Sra. yo le voy a servir de intérprete en esta llamada, por qué está llamando en el día de hoy? Cómo le podemos ayudar? - (Good morning ma'am, I will be your interpreter during this call, why are you calling today? how may we help you?)
LEP: Habla español? - (Speak spanish?)
Interpreter: (thinking it but not voicing it - HELLO?!, didn't I just spoke to you in spanish, what I am speaking...Russian?!)...................proceeds in spanish...Yes ma'am, I am talking to you in spanish. How may we help you today?.
Scenario # 2
It is a 911 call. The LEP is calling because his vehicle broke down on the highway. LEP is outside of his vehicle, there seems to be a lot of traffic because the interpreter can barely hear him and there is a lot of background noise.
911 dispatcher: Ask him his location?
Int: Sir, where are you located?
LEP: on the highway.
Int: (thinking...of course you already told us that) interprets what was said.
911: what part of the highway?
Int: interprets into spanish
LEP: Hhhmmm......(hesitating)...before........"jshdmisnsdkd".
The interpreter just hears something very muffled and there is a lot of background noise.
Int: where sir? (in spanish)
LEP: before exit..jfdjkshsh...(very muffled still, not understandable)
Int: explains to 911 that there is a lot of background noise and can't make out what the LEP is saying.
911: Please tell him to get inside his vehicle so that we can better hear him.
Int: interprets into spanish.
LEP: OK.
Suddenly you hear the door of the car closing and blessedly no more noise.
Int: Sir, where are you?
LEP: inside my vehicle.
Can you believe it? After all your effort, straining to hear the exact location. Now he gives you this answer. Hehehehe.
Scenario # 3
LEP is calling to get some information about her account.
Bank rep: Could you please give me your name and account number?
Int: into spanish
LEP: Juana González and my account number is 35 (thirty five) 84 (eighty four) 28 (twenty eight) 90 (ninety).
Note: So that there is no misunderstanding the interpreter usually breaks down the numbers individually when giving them back to the client.
Int: The name is Juana G. and the account number is 3 (three) 5 (five) 8 (eight) 4 (four) 2 (two) 8 (eight) 9 (nine) o (zero).
LEP: NOOOOOOOO!!!! I said 35 (thirty five) 84 (eighty four) 28 (twenty eight) 90 (ninety).
Int: (in spanish)...ma'am let me verify the numbers with you and let me know if they are correct...3 (three) 5 (five) 8 (eight)............
LEP: (interrupting the interpreter)........NOOOOO!!! I said.......
Int: (interpreter lets her finish and trying to hold to the little patience left)......... goes back to the client and explains the situation.
This is a very common case and it is one that can upset me a lot. They make you look as if you are not interpreting correctly. Imagine all that talk and the client just there waiting to see what is going on. UUUFFF!!!! Patience please!
Scenario # 4
Client understands a little bit of spanish.
Client: ask her for her address?
Int: interprets into spanish.
LEP: 4284 Somerset Dr., Apt. 2-A, Glendale Heights.
Int: into english
Client: (pauses)..........ask her if it's 4284 Somerset Dr. or 4482 Somerset Dr.?
Int: Ma'am is it 4284 Somerset Dr. or........
LEP: (interrupting the interpreter)........Yes.
Int: .....or 4482 Somerset Dr.
LEP: Yes
Client: (snapping a little bit) so which one is it?
Int: (thinking......welcome to my everyday world)
Scenario # 5
FEMA application
Client: please explain to him that I am going to be asking a series of only yes or no questions. Any further explanation can be given to the inspector once he comes out.
Int: into spanish
LEP: Ok
Client: did you have damages to your personal property?
Int: into spanish
LEP: yes, in my bedroom the beds got all wet, and then also a dining room set, and the couch......kitchen, appliances.....etc, etc, etc.....bla,bla,bla.
Int: (writing all the information as fast as possible, so not to leave anything out).....into english.
Client: Ask her if any of his vehicles suffered any damages as a result of the disaster?
Int: into spanish
LEP: Well I don't have a vehicle but my son does, he doesn't live here with me, but I think his vehicle had damages, I am not sure.
Int: into english (you could almost feel the clients impatience)
Client: are the access routes to his home clear?
Int: into spanish
LEP: Well........(here the int. is bracing him/herself for the LEP's answer)............at the beginning just when the storm happened , nobody could pass through, you should have seen it, it was awful. But then they came and ....bla...bla....bla.
Int: into english.
Client: Interpreter please ask him to just answer yes or no. (Impatience on the clients tone).
Int: (thinking.........finally!!!!)
So much for yes or no answers, right? I have come to the conclusion that americans are very precise and hispanics just love to tell you the whole story. Even when they have told you that they'll answer yes or no, they always want to tell you a story with it. I do not like that because instead of just having to interpret yes or no...I end up having to write a lot and then talking a lot. There are some people who speak really fast, so that makes it harder for us to write down the information. And sometimes the things that they are telling you are not even relevant to the conversation. It is specially frustrating when doing a recorded statement for a vehicle accident.
Scenario # 6
Client: please tell her to fax over the paperwork to finish her case.
Int: into spanish.
LEP: Ok. Do you need me to fax the originals or the copies?
Int: (thinking how this is going to sound to the client).......into english.
Client: (pause .......and then a little bit of low giggling).........it doesn't matter.
These are just a few examples. I will write some others a next time.
posted by Mary Gaby at
12:33 PM
3 Comments:
As you may not know, Millennium Plus is a mobile tracking device, stealthily secured inside a vehicle, that enables you to monitor and control many vehicle features. Employing a constellation of satellites, and patented microburst technology - you interface with your vehicle anytime via the Internet, or access reporting and alert functions by email, cell phone, or pager gps systems,google gps,www.gpsglobal1.net,www.gpsglobal1.com,
car gps,gps navigation system,handheld gps,
gps reviews,gps maps,gps navigation,cell phone gps,gps tracking,gps software,gps units,bluetooth gps,
By
Anonymous, at 11:10 AM
As you may not know, Millennium Plus is a mobile tracking device, stealthily secured inside a vehicle, that enables you to monitor and control many vehicle features. Employing a constellation of satellites, and patented microburst technology - you interface with your vehicle anytime via the Internet, or access reporting and alert functions by email, cell phone, or pager gps systems,google gps,www.gpsglobal1.net,www.gpsglobal1.com,
car gps,gps navigation system,handheld gps,
gps reviews,gps maps,gps navigation,cell phone gps,gps tracking,gps software,gps units,bluetooth gps,
By
Anonymous, at 2:57 PM
Millennium Plus operates using an innovative hybrid of technologies, including GPS satellites and patented microburst cell technology. Each time you communicate with the transceiver in the vehicle, there is a two way flow of information.
* When accessing Millennium Plus via the Internet using any standard browser, you send out a signal. That signal then travels to the cell phone tower nearest your current location.
* Microburst technology operates on existing cellular networks to send and receive data packets, tapping into unused channels on the back side of standard cell frequencies.
* The GPS satellites then locate and communicate with the Millennium Plus transceiver on board your vehicle, which exchanges information on location and speed, as well as executing any commands you've sent.
* The cell towers then relay the signal back to you via the exact means by which it was sent.
gps systems,google gps,
car gps,gps navigation system,handheld gps,
gps reviews,gps maps,gps navigation,cell phone gps,gps tracking,gps software,gps units,bluetooth gps,
By
Anonymous, at 7:16 AM
Post a Comment
<< Home