How Do You Become a Sign Language Interpreter?

Demand for sign language interpreters is skyrocketing all across the United States. The only question is, how do you become a sign language interpreter?

Here at Languagers, we are constantly looking to build relationships with new sign language interpreters. Here, we’ll, therefore, look at what basic credentials you need to become an ASL interpreter who can help us serve our ever-growing list of clients.

 

To Be a Sign Language Interpreter You Need a College Degree

At present, there are hundreds of freelance sign language interpreters in America, many of whom do not have a college education. This being the case, we should make it clear that it is not absolutely essential to attend university to train to be an ASL interpreter. However, having a college degree is advisable.

At Languagers, most of our businesses and government agency clients do require that our interpreters have a college education. Anyone thinking about becoming a sign language interpreter should, therefore, consider studying for a relevant Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree.

Where Can I Study to Become a Sign Language Interpreter?

When looking to study to be an ASL interpreter, it is advisable to look for BA/BS American Sign Language/English Interpreting degree programs at universities that specialize in deaf studies.

As of 2020, several American universities offer a comprehensive range of suitable degree programs. These include Western Oregon University, Florida State College, and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

For a full list of recommended universities and programs, click here.

While studying, aspiring interpreters are also advised to familiarize themselves with the Conference of Interpreter Trainers (CIT). This is a body that promotes standards in the ASL translation industry and offers interpreters the opportunity to network at biennial conventions.

 

Gaining Official Sign Language Interpreter Certification

When you complete your Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree, you won’t immediately quality as a certified ASL interpreter. Instead, it is advised that new graduates gain practical interpreting experience. One way to do this can be to become a visiting interpreter at deaf schools like Gallaudet University.

Once you feel confident in your ability as an ASL interpreter, it will be time to take the National Interpreter Certification (NIC) certification test. The NIC test itself is comprised of written, interview, and performance tests. There are also three levels of tests, ranging from standard to advanced NIC certification. 

 

Landing Your First Role as an ASL Interpreter

At Languagers, we love working with ASL interpreters with a college education and full NIC certification. However, we also require all of our interpreters to have a minimum of 3-years practical interpreting experience.

During your studies did you manage to acquire lots of interpreting experience through extracurricular activities? If so, this is fantastic. However, it is still a good idea to register with the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, to network and search for paid work to build up your interpreting experience.

Mainstream job portals like Monster, deaf schools, startups, and government agencies, can also good places to find paid ASL interpreting opportunities.

How Do I Become a Languagers ASL Interpreter?

Do you have 3-years ASL: interpreting experience? Even better, are you already NIC certified, and do you specialize in interpreting for a specific industry? If so, our team at Languagers would love to hear from you!

See if you could become part of our sign language interpreter team today by clicking here.

 

 

 

Certified Translation Services NYC - What is a Certified Translation?

What is the difference between certified translation services in NYC and uncertified translation services?

At present, neither document translators nor interpreters in the United States require a license to operate. As a result, the translation industry is largely unregulated. However, there are certified translation services available, that give businesses and individuals extra assurances that document translations are accurate.

 

Why Should You be Using a Certified Translation Service in NYC?

Make no mistake, accuracy is of the utmost importance when undertaking any document translation. 

In 2001, Mead Johnson & Company, LLC learned just how costly errors in translated text can be when they were forced to recall millions of cartons of baby formula. This was due to an error in Spanish language instructions on formula cartons, that had the potential to put infant lives at risk.

The lesson, in this case, is clear. If you care about the reputability of your brand, it doesn't pay to cut corners when it comes to translating important business documents or product marketing paraphernalia

Thankfully, when you work with a certified translation service in NYC, you can rest assured that any document you need translating will be translated 100% accurately.

 

What is a Certified Translation?

At its most basic, a certified translation is a document that is delivered to a client with a signed statement guaranteeing that a translation is accurate. When a statement is further signed by a public notary, it becomes what is known as a Certificate of Accuracy.

 

What are the Benefits of a Certified Translation?

As a rule, a public notary who countersigns a Certificate of Accuracy will not always be proficient in the language of a translated document. However, if errors are present in a translation, signed and notarized statements allow businesses and individuals to hold translators legally accountable for subsequent damages.

To prevent potential legal challenges, certified translation services in NYC like ourselves at Languagers, take several steps to ensure that every translation we process is 100% accurate.

·         At Languagers, we only hire document translators with verifiable academic credentials.

·         Before we hire translators, we ask to see evidence of a minimum of 3-years of professional translation experience.

·         Before delivering document translations to clients, we check documents for accuracy, as well as proper use of grammar, synonyms, and syntax. 

At Languagers, we also hire specialist teams of translators, who have proven competency translating medical, legal, engineering, and other kinds of specialized documents.

 

Certified Translation Services in NYC vs Freelance Translation Services

Because the translation industry in the United States is largely unregulated, using a certified translation service is the go-to option for most businesses. However, there are other options.

Just like with interpreters, there are thousands of non-certified freelance translators online at any one moment. However, when you hire a freelance translator, you can never know for certain if a translation is completely error-free.

By offering certified translations, Languagers gives you complete peace of mind that any document you need translating will be translated 100% accurately. To find out more, click here.

 

 

 

 

Will ASL Interpreter Apps Eventually Replace Human Interpreters?

Imagine living in a world where no one speaks your language. As it is, this is how life can feel every day for many deaf people. However, hope is on the horizon.

At present, Google is developing pioneering new ASL interpreter technology. More specifically, ASL apps that can record a deaf person using American Sign Language, before translating hand interpretation into text and audio. The only question is, will apps eventually make human interpreters obsolete?

 

Meet Google’s AI ASL Interpreter

To be clear, when we say that Google is developing ASL interpreter technology, we don’t mean the kind of apps that translate text people type into images of ASL hand motions.

As reported by the BBC in 2019, Google research engineers Valentin Bazarevsky and Fan Zhang, are helping develop AI technology that translates real ASL hand signs (in real-time), into text and audio. This will make it possible for any deaf person to communicate naturally in ASL with anyone with a smartphone.

 

How Does Google’s ASL Interpreter Technology Work?

How Google’s ASL interpreter technology works is simple. Using similar AI technology to that powering Google Translate, apps will use smartphone cameras to record the hand motions of people speaking using ASL hand interpretation. These signs will then be translated to text or audio.

For non-deaf people to converse just as easily, ASL apps will also allow users to type text, which then gets converted to ASL via a 3D animated character on device screens. Surprisingly, though, this technology isn’t anything new.

 

Some Scaled-Down ASL Apps are Already Available

At present, apps like Hand Talk already make it possible to convert typed text into ASL hand signs. In 2018, an app called GnoSys also launched in India, that can translate recorded hand signs into text and audio and vice versa.

Sadly, while ASL interpreter technology does already exist, combing all the capabilities Google has into a single smartphone application is proving to be a little tricky.

One stumbling block that Google still needs to overcome, concerns the fact that its ASL interpreter technology can only partially interpret conversations. At present, for example, Google’s AI can’t detect facial expressions as well as it can hand motions. Neither can apps cope with the speed at which some people sign.

 

When Will Google’s American Sign Language Translator be Ready?

While there are still technical challenges to resolve with real-time ASL interpreter apps, it is likely that apps will start reaching consumers in the very near future. The only question is, will apps eventually become so advanced that they make human ASL interpreters obsolete?

 

ASL Interpreters Don’t Need to Worry Just Yet

Are you an ASL interpreter worried about one day being replaced by a machine learning algorithm? If so, there is no need to worry just yet.

As many businesses find when translating documents with Google Translate, AI translations can be good, but they’re rarely perfect. It will, therefore, still be necessary to hire real-time human ASL interpreters and translators for quite some time yet.

 

 

 

 

 

5 Things to Look for When Working with Phone Interpreter Services

In the United States, it is estimated that 35 million Americans speak a language other than English as their primary language. With 200+ languages spoken in some city areas, this can make modern customer service somewhat challenging.

As it stands, it is simply not possible to be a business owner and a master linguist who can speak all the languages your customers might come at you with. This is why many businesses now use over-the-phone interpreter services to engage with non-English speaking customers and business partners.

 

How Do Over-the-Phone Interpreter Services Work?

How over-the-phone interpreter services work is simple. When you know need to communicate in a language you are not fluent in, you simply reach out to a telephone interpreter service like ourselves at Languagers.

Once you tell us what language you need interpreting, we can have a professional interpreter ready to assist you in a matter of seconds. However, this isn’t always true of other agencies. Here, we’ll, therefore, look at five basic things to look for, when working with other over-the-phone interpreter services.

 

1. Phone Interpreter Services Need to be Available 24/7

As a basic rule, a reputable telephone interpreter service needs to be available 24/7. You never know when a new customer query, complaint, or request for an urgent telephone meeting might land in your inbox. Neither do customers or business partners appreciate communication delays.

Thankfully, at Languagers, our own interpreters are available 24/7 365-days a year. Whenever you might need us, we’ll be ready.

 

2. All Calls Must be Kept Strictly Confidential

In business, it goes without saying that anything you discuss with your clients or company partners, needs to be kept strictly confidential. For this reason, it is important to only ever work with agencies like ourselves who rigorously vet interpreters, and make each sign strict confidentiality agreements.

3. The More Languages Agencies Support the Better

When choosing between different over-the-phone interpreter services, it is important to make sure that agencies you work with speak a variety of languages.

Over 200 different languages are spoken in just the New York metro area. If you are in New York, it, therefore, doesn’t make sense to work with agencies that are only capable of interpreting Spanish or Slovakian.

Thankfully, at Languagers, we support 350 different languages. Best of all, we can connect you with a professional interpreter mere seconds after you call us.

 

4. Look for Localized Language Support

Interpreting telephone calls and customer conversations isn’t just about speaking the same language as your customer or client. In many cases, people you work with will speak precise regional dialects of languages like Italian or Hindi.

To ensure that conversations flow smoothly, it is always advisable to work with interpreters with localized language skills they can match with your customers' or your clients' needs. This isn’t always easy. However, at Languagers, this is something we can help with.

5. Only Work with Telephone Interpreters Who Have a Transparent Fee Schedule

Last but by no means least, never work with over-the-phone interpreter services who can’t tell you upfront how much you can expect to pay.

Some unscrupulous interpreter and translation agencies advertise low fees, but also require their clients to call premium toll numbers that incur excessive extra fees you won’t be aware of until you get your next phone bill. This being the case, always ask about fees and any hidden extra charges, before you start working with any agency.

 

 

 

Poor English to Spanish Translation Services Cause COVID Chaos in Texas

On Sunday March 22nd this year in Hidalgo County, Texas, Judge Richard F. Cortez announced stay at home orders that would come into force on March 26th.

Like in hundreds of other counties, the purpose of orders was to stem the spread of Covid-19. However, not investing in adequate English to Spanish translation services, saw orders fail to reach many county residents.

 

Poor English to Spanish Translation Services Left Latinos in the Dark

For the most part, shelter at home orders were heard loud and clear by the majority of English speaking county residents. However, failing to translate orders to Spanish resulted in hundreds of Latinos later being stopped at police checkpoints.

·         In Texas, over a third of residents don’t speak English as their native language.

·         Having a large Hispanic community means that millions of Texans speak Spanish as their first language.

·         As a result of shelter at home orders not being made widely available in Spanish, most people later stopped at police checkpoints were Latinos.

As Black and Latino Americans are more at risk of Covid-19 than other ethnic groups, not being able to access up to date information may have put real lives at risk. However, not translating shelter at home orders to Spanish, was just the tip of a poor communication iceberg in Texas.

Texas Invested in ASL Sign Language Interpreters - But Not Spanish Translators

Saying that State officials in Texas failed to communicate important information to all State residents throughout the March Covid-19 outbreak is an underStatement.

Hiring an American Sign Language interpreter to translate press briefings seemed to suggest officials were on the right track. However, almost no effort was made to cater to the needs of millions of other non-English speaking Texans.

·         During the Coronavirus crisis, no effort was made to translate transcripts of State Governor press briefings to Spanish or other languages.

·         Updates concerning new Covid-19 hotspots were only made available in English.

·         When Texas began allowing State businesses to reopen, guidelines were made available in English only, leaving many Spanish speaking residents unsure how to proceed.

 

English to Spanish Translation Services are Easily Accessible

It goes without saying that Latinos and other ethnic groups feel let down by how Texas State officials failed to communicate vital information in March this year. However, what makes the situation particularly frustrating, is the fact that English to Spanish translation services are easily accessible all across the State.

At Languagers, we regularly connect businesses and government agencies with Spanish translators and interpreters all across the United States. Best of all, it is possible to work with almost all our translators remotely.

 

Are You a Texas Community Leader?

Are you a State official or community leader in Texas? If so, now is the time to ensure that history doesn't repeat in the event of a second wave of Covid-19.

Find out just how easy it can be to translate important public announcements quickly and confidentially, by reaching out to one of our support team.

 

 

 

Is Demand for Interpreter Services rising or Declining in 2020?

Foreign language interpreting and translation is one of the most secure career paths there is in 2020. However, Covid-19 has seen demand for interpreter services in some industries start falling.

In June this year, interpreters in Europe began sounding the alarm over declining work as a result of Covid-19. Here, we’ll, therefore, look at how the language interpreting industry is changing as a result of Covid-19. We’ll also look at how interpreters need to adapt to the current interpreting landscape.

 

Current Demand for Interpreter Services is Location Dependent

First, let’s address the elephant in the room. Is demand for interpreter services in decline?

At present, many interpreters in Europe are struggling to find work as a result of the Coronavirus crisis. However, while demand for interpreter services in Europe is in decline, this isn’t the case worldwide.

In places like New York and San Francisco, the first two quarters of 2020 saw a sharp rise in demand for interpreters. More importantly, the U.SBureau of Labor Statistics still expects the language services market to grow by 19% between now and 2028.

 

Why is Demand for Interpreter Services Declining in Europe?

Why demand for interpreter services is declining in Europe at present is simple. The EU has 27 member states. Like here in the U.S., all member states regularly participate in dialogue. However, unlike in the U.S., all dialog is facilitated by teams of hundreds of translators.

l  Almost all 27 EU member states speak different languages. As a result, interpreters are present in all official EU meetings.

l  Political discussions between individual member state representatives are often only possible when an interpreter is present.

l  Overall, official EU institutions are the largest employers of interpreters and translators in Europe.

As a result of Covid-19, most official EU meetings have been canceled this year. Demand for interpreters in Europe has, therefore, declined accordingly. The impact on the interpretation industry in Europe might also be long-lasting. However, worldwide, the outlook for the language and interpreting industry is much more positive.    

 

Remote Interpreter Services are the New Normal

Are you a professional interpreter in the EU or elsewhere? If so, the easiest way to counter declining demand for interpreters in your area is to embrace remote interpreting.

Worldwide, providers of on-demand remote interpreter services like ourselves at Languagers, are witnessing an uptick in demand for interpreters as a result of Covid-19. However, Covid-19 isn’t the only factor driving demand for remote interpreting.

l  In October 2019, the United Nations began inviting remote interpretation technology platforms to showcase their capabilities to official members in Geneva. 

l  Even before Covid-19, Video RemoteInterpreting (VRI) was the fastest-growing language service in the United States.

l  According to the National Association of State Courts, 90%of law courts in the U.S. already make use of telephone, radio, and VRI interpreting services.

 

How Can Interpreters Get Started with VRI and Telephone Interpreting?

Are you an interpreter or translator looking to diversify into telephone interpreting or VRI? If so, the easiest way to start is by working with remote interpretation platforms like ourselves at Languagers.

At Languagers, we spend every day connecting professional interpreters with government agencies, medical authorities, and businesses in a wide variety of industries. This being the case, don’t feel helpless if demand for interpreters is declining in your area. Simply sign up to Languagers to start reaching clients remotely.

 

 

 

 

How to magnify screens for sign language interpreters during Zoom video conferencing

When you are video conferencing with someone on Zoom who is deaf or hard of hearing, you’ll want to have a sign language interpreter available to translate your spoken words into sign language. Alternatively, if you’re the one who is deaf or hard of hearing, then you may need the sign language interpreter to translate the spoken words of the conference host for you into sign language.

Video conferencing is widely used especially in this pandemic for webinars, online classes, counseling sessions, web conferences, online meetings and virtual events.

Zoom is a convenient video conferencing software that makes online sign language communication possible because each participant can see a separate video feed of the other participants. You will obviously need to see the other people in the conference call if sign language communication is required. The hand interpretation of the sign language interpreter must be clearly visible to the deaf and hard of hearing on the video. Otherwise, it would be difficult to understand them as they sign.

Fortunately, Zoom gives users the option to magnify their screen so that they can see the other person more clearly. If you’re trying to see the signing of someone in Zoom, then you’ll first want to hide the user boxes of the non-video participants. These boxes take up too much space and make the other boxes smaller.

 

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to magnify screens for sign language interpreters during Zoom video conferencing

1.  Remove unnecessary screens first.  

Hover over any non-video user’s box and click this 3-dot button […]

Then click Hide Non-Video Participants

To start this process, click on the 3-dot button in the upper right corner of any non-video participant’s user box. Choose the option that reads “Hide Non-Video Participants.” Now all of the non-video participant boxes should have gone away.

2.  “Side-by-side mode.”

After the host starts screen sharing, participants can hover over the top of the screen, choose the “View Options” tab. On the drop-down menu, select “Side-by-side mode.”  This option is shown to the participants but not shown to the host. 

3.  Drag the divider toward the left.

You might see the user boxes stacked on the right side of the screen. Next to the boxes is a small divider icon that looks like two tiny parallel lines. Click on the divider icon and hold down your mouse button. As you drag the divider toward the left, it will magnify the size of the user boxes. That means you will be able to see the participants more clearly because they will appear bigger on the screen. 

The presentation area is on the left side. If you want to switch to full-screen mode at any point during the video conferencing, double-click on the left side. But if you’re trying to read sign language from a person’s video, then you must make their user boxes as big as possible. By switching to the side-by-side mode and dragging the divider to the left, you can make their user boxes as big as possible.

On a side note, you should invest in a large computer monitor if you conduct Zoom video conferencing regularly. A wide monitor would give you more room to see the video feed of each user box without any hassle. Then you will never struggle to read the sign language on a video conferencing ever again.

If you like to use laptops, then try to find a laptop with a 17-inch screen. It is one of the largest screens you can have for a laptop. Other than that, you could always invest in a video projection device so that you can see a full video projection of the video conferencing on a wall in your home or office. This would be a more extreme thing to do, but it might work wonderfully for anyone with trouble seeing things up close. 

It is very important to have experienced certified interpreters do simultaneous interpreting for your online video conferencing.  Check out Languagers.com to schedule experienced and certified sign language interpreters in your specific industry at affordable prices.  

Sign Language Interpreting Services for Live Events

More businesses in the U.S. are investing in sign language interpreting services for conferences and live events than ever previously. The only question is, should you be following suit?

If you are not hearing-impaired, the idea of investing in sign language interpreting services for live events might seem confusing. However, hiring an interpreter for your next event might just be the best idea you’ve had this year.

An ASL Interpreter Makes Events More Inclusive

In the U.S. approximately 15% to 20% of people will experience hearing loss in their lifetime. What this means for your business is simple.

By not investing in sign language interpreting services for conferences, expos, and other events, you potentially exclude a fifth of attendees from fully participating.

Is a fifth of your audience worth you not talking to?

Hopefully, the answer to this question is a simple no. However, hiring an ASL interpreter when organizing a live event, doesn’t just make events more inclusive.

Hiring an ASL Interpreter Makes Events More Memorable

In May this year, people worldwide became familiar with the tragedy that was the death of Minnesotan George Floyd. However, when George Floyd’s funeral aired on ABC Television on June 9th, it wasn’t just Rev. Al Sharpton’s eulogy that got people talking.

When George Floyd’s funeral aired on ABC, millions of people started taking to social media to praise Houston ASL interpreter Gloria Alix.

As well as just interpreting the formalities of George Floyd’s celebration of life, Gloria Alix wowed audiences worldwide, as she interpreted not just several moving speeches, but also several high-energy musical performances.

This message is simple. — It’s not just people with hearing loss who benefit from ASL interpreters being present at events. When you hire the right interpreter. Events can become more memorable for everyone.

Sign Language Interpreting Services for Concerts & Performances

Are you planning a concert, theater production, or another kind of performance? If so, you might think it strange to even consider hiring an ASL interpreter. However, interpreters like Gloria Alix interpreting at events like concerts is altogether common.

Contrary to what you might think, only 1 in every 1,000 Americans are born with congenital deafness. Many deaf people can, therefore, appreciate live entertainment just as much as anyone else.

Attendees might not be able to hear singers belt out electrifying vocals. However, they can appreciate the atmosphere and energy of events. This is especially true when an ASL interpreter is present, who can interpret song titles, vocals, and performer dialogue.

Are You Planning a Conference, or Live Event?

Whatever kind of event you are planning, hiring an ASL interpreter is a must if you want to make your event as inclusive as possible. Doing so is also easier than you might think.

At Languagers, we work with hundreds of highly qualified ASL interpreters who have experience interpreting at conferences, expos, and live music performances. Simply tell us what kind of event you are planning, and we’ll find the right interpreter for you.