FAQs

Please use the CONTACT  page to schedule an interpreter and when available please attach WCC Forms, Notices, Orders, etc. Thanks.

1-Interpreters love clarity and organization. So, please give us a contract or agreement if that makes your practice and our relationship clearer or better defined. We welcome it. Otherwise, we’ll understand that common business practices and reasonableness should always prevail. We'll also need a Notice of an assignment to schedule it appropriately in our calendar. 

2-Before a hearing, deposition or mediation please give the interpreter a legal form with the case facts or summarize them to the interpreter. This helps in selecting appropriate vocabulary and terms for the occasion, aside from mental and emotional preparedness.

3-Since interpreters begin rendering utterances at the moment a proceeding begins, interpreters should be sworn-in at the very beginning of legal procedures, and especially before any witness’ testimony.

4-Always address the LEP speaker in 1st person, never the interpreter unless absolutely necessary. And please don't ask us to advise or explain. We can only transmit whatever either party says. 

5-Please attempt to keep sentences and questions short, but don’t break either into segments as grammatical rules slightly differ in each language and sequences can change meanings. And, thanks for making one question at a time rather than combining them. 

6-Idioms, colloquialisms, sayings, jokes hardly ever translate well, or at all. Please avoid them. Yet, be precise, not ambiguous, when selecting your vocabulary. 

7-Maintain vocabulary simple and consistent; don’t use synonyms if one word has already registered with a LEP speaker.

8-Interpreters always assume someone else in the conversation or room is also multilingual and understands what we are transmitting to the L[imited] E[nglish] P[roficient] speaker. If we request clarification from you or the LEP during an assignment, that only makes us human, not deficient, negligent or incompetent. Rather, it allows us to render a more precise transmittal and gives the LEP a well founded basis for their response. And although we always appreciate your assistance and suggestions, we'll sometimes choose a different expression that best matches the speakers' words, intent and understanding. Fortunately, those occasions are far and few.  

9-Unless there’s factual basis for such an allegation, attributing miscommunications solely to a linguistic barrier after a rendition has been vetted and delivered by a certified interpreter can be construed as slander and discrediting of a language rendering professional. Clarification from either party can easily be obtained before continuing.

10-No professional interpreter would actively sabotage your case. So please, let us know where we can precisely improve or modify our delivery or practices to suit yours. We value your fair, impartial, and precise feedback. 

Finally, click here for a few FAQs on working with interpreters in SC.

Each state may publish a list for court purposes, and some states make theirs public. Click on the state below for some starting points:

• South Carolina

• Georgia

• North Carolina 

Alternatively, the American Translators Association has a comprehensive list of both certified and qualified or approved interpreters and translators in a multitude of language combinations and locations. 

The short of it is, no. 

Although multilingualism certainly opens ones mind, there are other factors that give weight, depth, texture, color, hue, nuance, and register to meaning and effective communication. For comparison, does having ten fingers make anyone an accomplished pianist or musician? Or, is having a discriminating palette equal to being a chef? Not even close. 

Among other factors, language professionals must intertwine a love for language, people, culture, knowledge, law, apprenticeship, practical performance and continued skill development to polish and enhance an individual's ability to strive for professional language rendition commensurately in at least two languages. Besides gramatical knowledge, there are a host of academic and practical fields, principles, court rules, legal terminology and ethics language professionals must adhere to and prove themselves in. For example, a non certified individual isn't self aware enough of their limitations and might make mistakes, overcorrections, or omissions, and probably won't realize they made them.  And just as sharpening a knife makes for a better tool, pursuing continuing education in their respective fields makes each language professional a more effective facilitator. What's more, as in most service industry jobs, the reward isn't merely a title, position, salary or recognition, but rather the conviction of having done the job right the first time while positively impacting someone's life and yet willing to learn from misunderstandings, and simultaneously incorporating criticism from colleagues and even the Limited English Proficient speaker being assisted. It's a constant, multi-leveled and multi-faceted self-improvement discipline to be the best language professional one can be. 

Now that we're able to be sincere with ourselves, click here  to select one of a few eye-opening and self-evaluating reading articles on this fascinating subject. 

Several criminal cases, articles, and a judicial opinion have concluded that translation software, machine learning and/or AI aren't enough to currently replace a trained, live, human interpreter when rendering one language into another, especially in legal and medical settings. Until that day arrives, interpreters and translators have job security, are here to stay, and are ready to work. 

An interpreter faithfully and accurately renders spoken utterances from a source language into a target language, while a translator faithfully transmits written language from one language into another. Both follow similar rules and ethics and must be just as accurate in their vocabulary selection to match words, terminology, register, nuance, intent and meaning of idioms and expressions. However, an interpreter performs this process simultaneous to the speaker, live and unrehearsed. Thus, not all translators interpret, just as most interpreters don't translate. And an interpretator... doesn't exist.

In the USA each state's Supreme Court approves Rules and Ethics for court interpreters similar to those at the Federal level. Search your state's  judicial website for the Rules and Ethics for court interpreters. Likewise, the links to healthcare interpreter sites below would also contain those for the medical industry in the USA, unless a specific state's Supreme Court or Legislature regulates interpreters in that state's healthcare system. And although perusing or having a university or college level degree in language arts or interpretation might be personally helpful, it doesn't substitute or trump a state's court or medical interpreter certification. Please see the Notes 1-3 in the "What resources are available...?" question box below. It's also eye opening to compare how other countries and foreign associations outside the USA address these legal and human rights issues. 

NOTE-1: In the USA, Federal and individual state's courts or judicial branches certify interpreters for court and the legal industry. Either states or national associations may certify healthcare and ASL interpreters. Meanwhile, the American Translators Association certifies translators nationally. 

NOTE-2: While educational institutions' courses may aide in some linguistic aspects, they do not provide a language combination certificate used by any state's judiciary or the healthcare industry as a substitute for reciprocal government licensures unless otherwise specified in an official state's website or correspondence as a requisite for state, national or industry certification exams.

NOTE-3: When deciding on whether to pay for a course, ask yourself: Is it necessary for what I'm pursuing? Why do I want or need this course? What exactly does it afford me? Does it guarantee or increase my chances for a compensable position, job, industry or market? What do I expect to accomplish? Do I need this now? What will I be sacrificing if I do or don't? How soon will I see a return on my investment? Is it aligned with my primary goal(s)? Are there alternatives? Has this course directly helped advance other professionals' careers? What can these professionals tell me about the course I'm considering? 

i-COURT

• United States Federal Courts 

• US State Courts System

• South Carolina

• Georgia

ii-HEALTHCARE

• National Council on Interpreting in Healthcare

• National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters

iii-TRANSLATORS

• American Translators Association

iv-ASSOCIATIONS 

• Legal Interpretation

• Nationwide

• NC & SC

• Georgia  

v-ENGLISH<>SPANISH RESOURCES

• Legal Glossaries; see individual state's judicial sites for their glossaries (CA, UT, NY, etc.)

• Medical Glossary

• Word Reference

• ACEBO

• Cross Cultural Communications

• Remote Oral Self Assessment

vi-ONLINE TRAINING 

• US Federal Courts 

• UNSW eLearning 

• Clarity Interpreting

• Webinars by Blue Horizon

• Southern California School of Interpreting

• De La Mora Institute of Interpretation

Whether it be document translation or spoken interpretation, each job is different. That's why estimates, proposals, contracts, amendments and detailed invoicing are necessary to avoid any misunderstandings. Each professional will have their own pricing or fee schedule they may share. Per hour, per day, per job, per word, per page or byte, in addition to mileage, travel, set-up fee, etc. are all different services and charges common in the industry, among others. Additionally, the language combination, expertise, education, skill, etc. of the individual professional as well as technological and logistical factors will play important roles in pricing.  

Translators: there might be a set fee for some government documents. Other documents might have a cover charge or initial fee to review the document(s) and/or per word, byte or per page charges afterwards. Usually transliterations, numbers and proper names aren't charged. Even reviewing previously translated documents can be assessed a charge since time and expertise are invested. Also, certifying and notarizing a translated document are two distinct exercises, literally and legally.

Interpreters: the federal or state office that appoints an interpreter in a criminal or civil case will be responsible for their time in court while their case is being heard, and perhaps mileage costs; those entities usually have fixed pricing. Nonetheless, rendering language services or assistance to private attorneys outside the time the criminal case isn't active or on a different case all together can be charged to those individual attorneys since they are private entities and did not officially appoint the interpreter. Likewise with unrepresented individuals who need assistance outside the normal course of an appointed criminal or civil case. However, either criminal or civil cases for which an interpreter has not been court appointed but rather directly hired by either a private individual or attorney firms should expect clear pricing from the interpreter before or while services are rendered. 

Either of the two categories mentioned above are used in billing for transcribing existing transcripts or making one from an audio or a video source. However, audio recording a script in a non-English language might be considered a different service all together resulting in a completely different fee. These are but a sample of different services language professionals may choose to charge a fee for. Of course, anyone is free to request discounts, just have realistic expectations from your language professional.

Since most language professionals are independent contractors, wages aren't the only way to measure success or profit. As to how much income can you expect to make as a freelance language professional, the sky's the limit. Obviously, non-experienced v. certified, experienced, skilled individuals can expect to have a wage gap. Nonetheless, a quick online search will reveal that most hourly waged employee-interpreters might start at $15/hr minimum (2021), while staff interpreters can request $30k/yr as a minimum in less populated states. And a 10 year experienced freelancer might average $45k (2021) to more than six figures depending on the type of assignments and work volume. And another bonus are the different types of language professional positions available, from in-person, virtual and remote, to social, community, conference, legal, medical, federal or other. The volume and type of work is never ending; how much work and payment is up to you. 

GUIDEPOSTS

1) Rome wasn't built in a day. Becoming a language professional isn't a hobby or side hustle, its a professional career choice. So first, commit to either being a translator (written) or interpreter (spoken). Verify if your reasons match your chosen role. Secondly, pick a specific field to pursue, be it technical, construction, automotive, manufacturing, safety, community, social, conference, medical, legal, etc. Then, make a list of realistic professional goal(s) and outline how to attain them. In essence, the short, mid and long term goals should all support each other and be aligned with your chosen role. Review them each week. That'll help cement the goal(s) by establishing priorities and a schedule. Remember that goals aren't fixed and either the primary goal(s) or the path to achieve them should be adjusted depending on individual circumstances.

2) Athletes need trainers. Register with a forum or group specific to your goal(s). Subscribe to industry specific associations, websites and/or newsletters. Join or form a human network of professionals that'll help you stay the course towards your goal(s). And compete against yourself by listening, learning, sharing and supporting your peers and colleagues rather than unnecessarily and arbitrarily dismissing them. That's what makes us professionals. 

3) Prep your gear. As part of training, become familiar with the different aspects of the industry that play a roll in it. Learn the lingo, rules, protocols, principles and reasons behind them, within context. Shadow live newscast, record and critique yourself, get live exposure to medical scenarios, depositions, court cases, hearings, etc. simply as an observer or listener. Mentally practice your renditions, take notes and compare your rendition with that of the appointed interpreter. Then, repeat with the improvements added. Practice until the lingo, rules, protocols, principles become second nature, like learning a song, recipe or sport. That’ll build confidence and self awareness. Also, create a folder in your browser labeled "Interpretation" and by bookmarking save the sites that are most relevant and useful to you in that folder. View industry specific videos (e.g. YouTube) and save those that are most helpful for review.

4) Be fair with thyself. During your journey recognize previously unknown or ignored fundamental, personal, academic, cultural and even political traits, habits and skills. Realistically, impartially and honestly identify your specific mental, academic, and professional strengths and hindrances to attaining your goal(s). {Having a proper vocabulary set is a common one, among other things}. Then, obtain in-person and virtual resources to strengthen or eliminate those hindrances while building on the ones that will make a talented professional.

5) Embrace the journey, avoid pitfalls, and celebrate little victories. On the job training always has better dividends. Becoming organized, who and where do I market to, how much to charge, what software, equipment and insurance do I need, etc. are things that'll come as you’re performing jobs. The most important parts are having the vocabulary, ethics and determination to perform in a professional manner, while developing and nurturing those partnerships that will result in long term relationships, income and professional growth. And remember to celebrate your clients, peers and yourself last.  

MOTIVATION

“I was asked: “Who’s your hero?” My hero..., that’s who I chase. It’s me in ten years. Ten years later, I’m still not close to catching up with my hero. Every day, week, month, year of my life my hero’s always ten years away. I’m never gonna beat my hero. I’m not going to obtain that, I know I’m not. And that’s just fine with me because it keeps me with somebody to keep on chasing.”

-Matthew McConaughey 3/11/14

“Without commitment, you’ll never start. But more importantly, without consistency, you’ll never finish. If it were easy…, there would be no you. So, keep working, keep striving, never give up. Fall down seven times, get up eight. Ease is a greater threat to progress than hardship. So, keep moving, keep growing, keep learning. See you at work.”

-Denzel Washington 3/29/17

"Fear, is going to be a player in our lives. But, we get to decide how much. You can spend your whole life imagining ghost, worrying about the pathway to the future. But, all there will ever be is what's happening here, and the decisions we make in this moment based on love or fear. [...] What's your service to the world? What do they need that your talent can provide? [...] The effect you have on others is the most valuable currency there is."

-Jim Carrey 12/13/17