Top Ten Rules For Working With A Professional Interpreter

1. Provide your interpreter with background material
Even the most qualified professional interpreter who is a subject matter expert improves his performance with reference material specific to the subject matter to be discussed.

2. Allow the interpreter to perform a pre-session
A pre-session allows the interpreter and all parties to introduce themselves and discuss the flow of the meeting. It specifically allows the interpreter to introduce himself as an unbiased party to the proceeding.

3. Announce that all communication will be interpreted
Announcing that all communication will be interpreted reduces the margin for error in the interpreted session and allows all parties to know that whatever is said will be heard by the other party.

4. Eliminate cross talk and side bar conversations
Multiple conversations during an interpreted session lead to confusion and are difficult to follow. Side conversations in a language not understood by the other party are often considered rude.

5. Speak as if all parties understand your language
It is not uncommon for participants in a multilingual meeting to understand the languages being spoken, but to prefer the use of an interpreter to ensure proper understanding.

6. Allow the interpreter to take notes
Note taking is an important interpreter skill set that improves retention and ensures an accurate rendering in the target language.

7. Speak directly to the other party and not the interpreter
The interpreter is present to facilitate communication between all parties. The interpreter should not be a distraction to a normal flow of communication between parties.

8. Speak clearly and at a normal pace and tone, pausing during normal breaks in speech
Most interpretation is done consecutively. This means that the interpreter interprets after normal pauses and during breaks in speech. Pausing during normal breaks in speech allows the interpreter to process information and provides the most accurate rendering in the target language. Simultaneous interpretation is done as the speaker is speaking and requires a simultaneous conversion between languages. It is important to note that simultaneous interpreting is both physically and mentally exhausting for the interpreter and requires either a team of interpreters or frequent breaks in communication. Even with frequent breaks, use of one interpreter performing simultaneous interpreting can result in a significant loss of communication and is not recommended.

9. Eliminate the use of Idioms and slang
Idioms and slang are language specific expressions that have a figurative meaning and cannot be accurately interpreted or translated into a target language. For example ‘He kicked the bucket’ figuratively means that the individual in question passed away, literally it can be interpreted as the individual physically kicked a bucket. Eliminating idioms and slang reduces the margin for error.

10. Allow the interpreter to perform a post session
A post session is a client focused review of the interpreted session and allows for parties to discuss lessons learned and how best to adjust processes to ensure effective communication in future interpreted sessions.

A Quick Primer for Going Global

When doing business internationally it is incredibly imperative to localize your operations and marketing. It is not enough to assume that both your employees and clients will be tolerant of materials that are not communicated in their local language. Localized operational and marketing materials result in increased adoption rates, a homogenous corporate culture, better customer service skills, and increased sales.

Localization is a broad term and its meaning is dependent upon how it is utilized.

Localizing your marketing
Obviously, any marketing campaign needs to focus on its target market. If you are marketing to a particular country, its businesses, and people then you need to be sure that you have ‘localized’ all of your marketing collateral intended for that target market. This includes websites, brochures, and all other sales related material. Please note that this not only includes translating, but also includes ensuring that your marketing message, graphics and images are also culturally appropriate. Forester research has done studies which suggest that you are three times more effective when marketing to a person in their native tongue. It is also imperative that your proposals and contracts reflect the locally accepted format.

Localizing your sales and marketing materials will increase sales and revenue and can be accomplished at a fraction of the cost of generating those materials in their native language.

Localizing operational material and staff
My personal experience has been that it is also important to utilize a local staff that intuitively know the target market culture and can handle local protocol efficiently and fluidly. These key staff become bridges between your company and your target market. As such, it is important that the target market staff be trained and acclimated to the corporate culture. This will generally require an expatriated employee(s) who can help facilitate this knowledge transfer. This knowledge transfer will help to create a homogenous corporate culture between all locations and ensure that key corporate values and customer service expectations are understood.

In many instances, an international presence occurs based upon the need of an existing client(s) currently working with the home office. In this instance it is beneficial to have consistent personnel to manage the relationships between all client offices at a higher level relying on local staff in each location to handle the day to day operations.

HR and professional development
All HR related documents that are utilized for staff in the home country need to be localized for international staff. This includes not only translating, but also modifying to incorporate local legal and regulatory compliance, while also ensuring cultural acceptance. This will, obviously, vary by country. Examples of key target market areas to be aware of are health and safety requirements, regulated work hours and pay rates as well as mandatory legal holidays. Professional development plans for local staff should also reflect local culture and language. Localizing professional development plans will ensure increased adoption rates as staff begin to assimilate corporate culture.

Operational protocol
All operational documents that affect the target market will also need to be localized. This is to be determined by accurately reflecting whatever protocol is normally utilized in the home country for the target market product or service to be utilized and modifying for local legal and regulatory compliance as well as cultural assimilation.

If you have any questions or would like more information on taking your company global please do not hesitate to contact me directly. Doug Green doug.green@translation-source.com.”

Language Access in the International World of Luxury Retail

Editors note: The following blog post discusses the interpersonal relationship and divergent business carreers of two long time friends. The tone utilized in the post is designed to convey the nature of that relationship and to convey the conversations and experiences as authentically as they occurred.

In early October of 2009, Douglas Green, VP Business Development, and Camilo Munoz, Managing Director of Translation Source had an informal lunch with Marc Hruschka, CEO of Chopard, NA. While the conversation covered many areas, Mr. Hruschka was candid and open enough to talk about dealing with issues of language access in luxury retail and the important role it plays in establishing relationships with international consumers. This encounter is told by Douglas Green, who has known Mr. Hruschka for over 14 years.

I've known Marc Hruschka a while. Our careers are forever intertwined. He has been a mentor, a friend, and a confidant.

It had been 7 years since we had seen each other. The phone calls we had while he rode the train from New York to Connecticut were not quite doing the trick.

When I confirmed a business trip to New Jersey I knew I'd have to cross the river, slip into Manhattan, and climb the steps of the Historic home Chopard now occupied across from Central Park on 61st. It had been much too long.

The Benefits of a Second Language
My first international trip with Marc was to Frankfurt, Germany to the world's largest show for ‘up market’ writing instruments, pens that could start at a hundred, but easily climb to $10,000 and, on occasion, even the rare air of 6 figures. We had had a successful day at the show, cementing some relationships, securing cooperative advertising dollars, and confirming orders for some rare finds.

That evening we went to a traditional German restaurant. Upon entering we were quickly sized up as 'American' and escorted through the main dining area with its crystal and linen to tents pitched in the back with tables arranged end to end with heaters blowing to keep the cold German air at bay.

It was at the end of the meal, when the waiter brought the bill, that the benefits of a second language were made clear.

We handed over our credit cards to the waiter who was clearly expressing complete dismay. Our service had been less than shoddy, our treatment rude, and it was clear from his facial expressions that he did not appreciate the American arrogance associated with paying for fine German food with plastic. The waiter turned, made a theatrical movement with his arms outstretched and said something to the rest of the diners in a vulgar guttural German that I couldn't understand and to be perfectly honest did not want to. Marc had had enough (and a beer or two). I'll never forget the smirk on his face as his towering frame rose and he berated the unsuspecting waiter in his mother tongue. With outstretched arms Marc smiled and finished in English 'German or English Hans? It doesn't matter to me' The waiter scurried off and miraculously processed our credit cards which minutes before had seemed an impossible task.

Camilo and I took the Ferry across the river and New York loomed large. A city big enough to handle the 3rd generation jeweler. I've never known anyone so suited for a job. Marc is a tall, good looking German with sharp features and a warm personality, he could talk spreadsheets or watches or both without much hesitation.

We climbed the steps of the historic building, the onset of winter in the air. We were immediately buzzed in.

‘Camilo Munoz and Doug Green to see Marc Hruschka'.

'Of course’ said the receptionist, ‘Marc is expecting you'.

A solid security guard escorted us up to Marc’s office. As soon as the doors opened, Marc called from behind a half closed door, the greeting was quick and sharp and immediate. Introductions were made and we quickly fled the corporate confines of luxury defining Chopard and made our way to a cozy Italian restaurant around the corner. Marc warmly greeted the maitre 'd and requested a secluded table in back.

International Luxury
We small talked about Marc's enthusiasm for the automotive world, everything from American muscle to European stealth. Our conversation turned to business and Marc was enthusiastic for the family owned brand. We discussed foreign clients and global opportunities. Chopard’s business in China was strong and growing. Russia was off, but some big sales were happening with former soviet states such as Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

So while this call was about connecting with an old friend, the conversation couldn't help, but turn to work.

'So Marc, really, with such an international clientele, how do you handle communication?'

The question dropped like a brick.

Mark smiled to himself, placed an olive pit on his side plate, sized the question up and decided it was innocuous. There was no doubt we could talk about anything, the sizing up was whether he was going to give me a hard time or not. He decided not.

The next few minutes were interesting in that it highlighted problems that most global companies encounter.

Marc talked about his personal experience and the company’s in reaching out to the client in their own language.

The Language Barrier
Marc’s frustration was evident as he talked about the subtlety of the side conversations that were missed when family members interpreted. The lack of a bond with the client that existed because of the lack of interpersonal communication was detrimental to explaining the brand and its provenance, something essential to selling a piece of jewelry that commanded five figures or negotiating international business deals.

Hire Bilingual Staff
Marc talked about the importance of the personal relationship. He was clear that he felt the best way to do this was to hire bilingual employees in specific target languages. There was a nuance and cultural bond that could be quickly established with someone who spoke the language. I couldn’t help but think that it was the same for most of our clients. A strong desire to hire direct and outsource when it made sense.

Translate Documentation
Marc went on to explain that it was also important to support their bilingual employees. He described how all of their documentation and brochures had been translated into their key languages, but obviously, on occasion there was a demand that could not be met, in which case, they would do their best to meet their client’s needs through the use of an interpreter.

Our conversation with the CEO of Chopard, with Marc, made clear what so many other international companies forget – the importance of the personal bond and the lack of cultural and conversational cues that allow the astute sales person to key in on the sensitive points of conversation. Whether it be the Oil and Gas executive negotiating a multi-million dollar contract or the retail sales associate trying to sell a $5,000 watch, the need for clear communication is paramount. Marc got it, Chopard got it, and most importantly, their clientele get it.

Phineas and Ferb Go Bollywood or the Ever Increasing Cultural Education of the United States

Over 28 million people in the United States were born outside of the country and over 53 million US residents speak a language other then English in the home. These are numbers are from the 2000 census and they will increase significantly with the release of the new census in 2010. The reality is that the demographic landscape of America contniues to diversify at an ever increasing rate. If you are over 30 years old in the United States then the country you grew up in is vastly different than the United States that your children will or are growing up in. Instead of The Electric Company and School House Rock our children are learning a completely different skill set through today’s early child hood television programming. The evidence of this programming became self evident this past Sunday.

It was a relaxing Sunday, the kids were in my lap and we were watching one of our favorite shows – Phineas and Ferb . The keyword is ‘our’ and if you watch Phineas and Ferb then I am sure you know what I mean. In this episode Phineas and Ferb are helping their neighbor, Baljeet, with his science project, a portal to Mars. At some point, in traditional Bollywood fashion, the neighbor, Baljeet, bursts into a traditional Bollywood song replete with backdrops of India. The episodes ending credits also ‘Go Bollywood’ with songs and images. I was pretty amazed.

Many are familiar with Dora the Explorer and her cousin Diego who teach kids Spanish while on their popular adventures. Not as many are familiar with Ni Hao, Kai-lan which takes the same premise and applies it to the Chinese langauge.

Spanish and Hispanic culture are an inherent part of the Southwestern United States. China and India continue to have an ever increasing impact on global culture as these two countries emerge on the world stage. For International business the focus is no longer solely on Europe, but what is commonly referred to as the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India, and China). As these countries continue to influence global politics and business understanding their languages and cultures will continue to be increasingly important. (There is an excellent piece on BRICs by Goldman Sachs

here.)

As someone who deals with issues of language and culture on a daily basis, I am excited to see the inclusion of cultural education in television programming.

Businessmen and Government officials take cultural and linguistic courses in order to improve international relations. The best of these courses include an immersive technique so that language and culture can be assimilated into normal thought processes and patterns. Ideally, an individual must deveop the ability to think in another language or culture, not just translate mentally before speaking. Immersion forces the brain to begin this process.

It is exciting to note that diversity and culture have gone mainstream and our kids are being taught the importance of diversity while being exposed to the cultural backgrounds of their friends. It is this type of inclusive mentality that will ultimately help break down the barriers that exist between cultures and improve relations in our ever shrinking world.

The following is a short list of culture and language focused children’s programs.

Spanish

Dora the Explorer

Diego

Handy Manny

Chinese

Ni Hao, Kai-lan

British Culture

Charlie and Lola

Global Culture

Toot and Puddle

Culture

Little Einsteins

Thanks to two super moms, Julie Salek and Rachel Haygood, for many of these references.

Do you know of any other Children specific cultural or linguistic television programs? What about programs outside of the US?

Translation Source Executive Testifies on Healthcare Interpreter and Translator Qualifications

Douglas Green, Vice President of Business Development for Translation Source, testified on behalf of the Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters and Translators in front of the Texas Senate Committee on Health and Human Services on May 21st, 2009 regarding qualifications for healthcare interpreters and translators.

Mr. Green testified on the economics and business case regarding the impact of utilizing highly trained and qualified interpreters and the benefits that they would provide the State, healthcare providers, and limited English proficient recipients of healthcare related services.

Mr. Green cited the $73 billion lost annually due to poor communication within Healthcare, the burden that a lack of language access creates on the Healthcare system, and the potential liability that exists when non-qualified interpreters and translators are utilized. A copy of Mr. Green's testimony can be found online at http://tinyurl.com/dgreentahit.

Mr. Green's testimony was seen as vital to the unanimous passage of a bill that would establish an advisory committee to develop healthcare interpreter and translator qualifications. The bill was signed into law by Governor Rick Perry on June 19th, 2009. A history of the law and the press releases associated with it may be found online at the Texas Association for Healthcare Interpreters and Translators website at http://www.tahit.us.

Mr. Green will also be presenting on 'The Economics of Language Access in Healthcare" at the upcoming International Medical Interpreter Association Conference in Boston, Massachussetts on October 9th-11th, 2009.

Camilo Munoz, Managing Director of Translation Source, Interviewed by the Wharton School of Business

Camilo E. Munoz G'99, W'99

Earlier this year, Camilo attended the Wharton Global Alumni Forum in Bogota in his
native Colombia. Here he talks about his exciting and varied career path since graduation.


Wharton School of Business Alumni, Camilo MunozWhat is your occupation?

I am the Founder and CEO of Translation Source. We help companies communicate in any language across 4 continents, 24 hours a day, and 7 days a week. The company is also currently launching a language interpretation solution via video conference.

What effect has Wharton had on your life?

Wharton has had an impact in my life at different levels, but the major effect has been that the School gave me the tools and confidence to manage my own career in a more satisfying and rewarding manner. In my case, that meant becoming an entrepreneur. A little interesting fact about my career progression is that I went to Wharton to become a Wall Street banker. Wharton helped me achieved that goal – I went to work at Lehman Brothers after my MBA; however, in the process, the Wharton experience changed my career expectations and goals and all my pre-Wharton plans ended up fully altered.

How would you describe your career path to fellow alumni?

It has been fun, bumpy and different than expected. Most of my pre-Wharton life took place in Colombia, my native country. My post-Wharton career has taken place in the United States and, mostly, as an entrepreneur in the language services industry. I believe in taking educated risks and that often means doing things a bit differently from the norm. The road has not always been glamorous, but it has always been exciting.

Do you have a story that illustrates the Wharton ROI?

In cold numbers, my Wharton investment was paid in two years by simply calculating my pre- and post-Wharton income differential. However, the real ROI is much greater, though more difficult to calculate. In my case, the Wharton ROI keeps going up every time I meet a potential client through the network or I share ideas with fellow alumni.

Please describe your experience with the Wharton alumni community and share any instances in which you have remained a part of the community as an alumnus.

I am fairly active in the local Wharton Houston Club which, by the way, is pretty well run. I also attend many events: This year I went to the Latin American Forum in Colombia and to my 10th year alumni reunion in Philadelphia. I highly recommend both events. I also interview MBA candidates.

What is it about your work that most excites you?

My big picture motivation drivers are (1) making a positive impact and (2) creating something that lasts. Currently, I am very excited about our video interpretation initiative. I believe this solution will increase language and health care access in an efficient manner and it will also target an often overlooked audience – LEP (Limited English Proficiency) persons in the United States. There are currently 20-25 million persons who do not speak English in the United States.

What books are you reading today?

I am usually reading one business and one literature book at any given time. Right now, my business book is “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell and my literature book is “Buda Blues” by Mario Mendoza.

What gets you up in the morning?

My daughter Isabella and my son Nicolas.

What do you see as the next big change in your industry/niche?

Technology adoption is the biggest shift in the interpretation and translation landscape. In the interpretation industry, the adoption of on-demand, video interpretation solutions will change a landscape currently dominated by expensive on-site interpreters and limited interpretation telephonic services. In the translation industry, machine translation is improving and will change the role translators play in the next 10 to 20 years. I believe translators tasks will increasingly be related to editing and proofreading rather than straight translation work.

Understanding the Translation Certification Process in the United States

Oftentimes clients within the United States will request that a document be certified in order to meet the needs of its intended purpose. US Entities that may require certification of translated documents include educational institutions (foreign transcripts and diplomas), the legal system (divorce decrees, marriage licenses, or law firms wishing to certify translations submitted as evidence), and the Immigration and Naturalization Service (birth certificates).

Certification of a translated document within the United States is a notarized affidavit stating that the translation is a true and accurate translation of the source document. The translation process involves many steps including translation, editing, proofreading, and desk top publishing or formatting. Each step is performed by a separate individual as part of an overall quality control process that is necessary for most any translation, but is especially important in the certification process. The certification is provided by the entity that oversees this comprehensive multi-step quality control process much as a manufacturer of clothing or other goods will put their stamp of approval on the item once it has passed their quality control process.

The certification is an additional layer of assurance to the client and anyone who may have need of the translation.

Do certified translations need to be performed by certified translators?
The short answer is no. Any entity overseeing the translation process can certify a translation.

Document certification and certification of individual translators are two separate processes. As discussed above, certification of a translation is a notarized affidavit assuring that the translated document is true and accurate to the source document, while certification of translators is a process ensuring the competency and skill level of an individual to perform translations.

Who certifies translators in the United States?
The American Translators Association (ATA), a national professional association of translators, does offer certification for translators working into and out of several languages. It is the largest organization in the industry with over 10,000 members and 30 years of experience.

In order to be certified by the ATA a translator must pass an examination that is administered across the United States several times a year. Translators must apply to take the exam by providing proof of eligibility to the ATA. Proof of eligibility includes education and other relevant experience. The test consists of translating one general subject document and another ‘technical’ document from the translator’s area of expertise from the following areas science/technology/medicine or law/business/finance. Upon completion, the translations are graded for accuracy by a select group of qualified ATA graders from across the country. Candidates that pass both the general and the technical document translations are awarded the ATA Certificate for Professional Translators.

The ATA certification is available for individuals qualified to translate into English from the following languages including; Arabic, Croatian, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish and from English into Chinese, Croatian, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Ukrainian.

For hundreds of languages of lesser diffusion the ATA has yet to develop a certification/test. It is important to note that even without the certification these languages get translated everyday to and from English, by many professional translators in a very competent manner.

Chetana Baskota
chetana.baskota@translation-source.com