It takes more than just the ability to understand two languages.
Professional translators and interpreters have the education, experience, and expertise to understand the nuances in one language and transfer them to another. The right professional will have solid knowledge of your industry and will know how to culturally adapt your content for the target audience you are trying to reach. You only get one chance to make a first impression, so make sure it counts.
Can I afford to hire a professional?
You can't afford NOT to. Getting your message wrong can cost money, ruin your image, and even cost lives. Whether you’re having a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign translated or need an interpreter to communicate treatment options between a doctor and patient, it pays to hire a professional to get the job done right.
Instead of hiring a professional, this restaurant used machine translation and did not realize the result was an error message.
Understanding what’s at stake
ATA publishes articles to illustrate why it is critical to hire qualified translators and interpreters.
Professional Medical Interpreters: Four Signs of a True Pro
If you work in healthcare, chances are you’ve encountered limited English proficiency (LEP) patients who aren’t fully comfortable communicating in English. When no professional interpreter is available, it’s tempting to turn to whoever is bilingual in the room, such as a staff member or family member. But bilingual doesn’t equal qualified, and a well-meaning but untrained interpreter can have a…
What Is Audio Description?
Audio description (AD) is narration used to convey visual information to audiences with low or no vision. It occurs between bits of dialogue in order to add relevant information that an audience member doesn’t receive visually. At its most basic, audio description essentially means an additional voice-over to help Blind audiences. Audio description is a vital tool for accessibility, expanding…
Empowering LEP Communities with Language Access Cards
Millions of people in the United States have limited English proficiency (LEP), which can create barriers when accessing healthcare, legal services, education, and other essential resources. To help LEP individuals request language support more easily, the American Translators Association (ATA) now offers Language Access Cards. These cards are available for download in over a dozen languages (and counting). Anyone can…
Translators as Cultural Consultants: Why We Bridge More than the Language Gap
When clients talk to translators about a translation, the first question is usually about accuracy. Is the terminology correct? Does it say the same thing as the original? Those questions matter. Accuracy is essential. Still, communication works only when meaning and context move together. The message must also fit the cultural and situational context in which it is received. This…
From Roncando to the Record: Best Practices for Forensic Transcription/Translation (FTT)
At 2:09 p.m. on October 29, 2024, Damian Valdez-Galloso, a Cuban man living in Hialeah, Florida, was interrogated by a Miami homicide detective for allegedly killing Jose Manuel Carbajal Zaldivar, a Cuban reggaeton artist popularly known as “El Taiger.” He and the detective talked exclusively in Spanish, and in the subsequent three hours and eight minutes, he answered the detective’s…
Best Practices for Virtual Interpreting: What Clients and Language Service Users Should Know
Thanks to rapid technological shifts and the global landscape of recent years, the demand for virtual interpreting services has increased. Virtual interpreting is a linguistic solution that allows people in different locations to connect with professional interpreters who help break down language barriers. Virtual interpreting is used in a wide range of settings, the most common being healthcare, but also…
Why Hire an ATA Member?
ATA members have a commitment to continuing education and are held to the highest professional standards. Feel secure knowing if you’re hiring an ATA member, you’re hiring the best in the business.
