Let’s dive into the world of legal interpreting so that we can develop a deeper understanding of what it is and what a legal interpreter does. At Day Interpreting we cater to all your on-demand interpreting needs, including legal interpreting. So, let’s get right to it and dive into the topic!
What is Legal Interpreting?
Legal interpreters are very skilled in their craft and work with spoken words. These interpreters work in a number of legal settings to include depositions, court, on the phone, on video calls and in interviews.
Legal Interpretation happens either simultaneously or consecutively. At times, the job of a legal interpreter is stressful. Especially when the pace of the speaker is fast. Misinterpretation easily leads to serious legal ramifications. Therefore accuracy is a legal interpreter’s top priority.
Legal Interpreting, a Highly Skilled Profession
Fast thinking is a major skill many legal interpreters have. They operate well on the spot and in the heat of the moment. Don’t be fooled however, because legal interpreting is no walk in the park. This is especially critical when they translate from one language to another, all while being as close to instantaneous as possible on top of everything.
A highly skilled interpreter also thinks in a strategic way. Adjustments happen quickly in their line of work as they ensure they use the right words that fit within the context of the conversation. If they interpret words or phrases with the incorrect context, there’s a risk of extreme legal ramifications.
Legal interpreting doesn’t always stay in the confines of a courtroom. Instead, legal interpreters also assist during attorney-client conferences. They work with ongoing investigations by law enforcement, during depositions with witness interviews, and also real estate settlements.
Other settings where legal interpreters work include administrative and legislative hearings, court-ordered treatments, and legal education programs. As we stated before, failed or misunderstood interpretation is not an option due to the very high possibility of harsh and in some instances, irreversible consequences.
How Can I Become a Legal Interpreter
Legal interpreters are always in high demand. Training and certification is therefore essential for anyone pursuing this career. This is a specialized career field that requires familiarity with legal terms in the source and target languages. You must also take the context into consideration for accurate interpretation.
An in-depth understanding of the law and the legal system is also a key requirement. Furthermore, you will also work with teams and with deaf interpreters. There are many cases where hearing-impaired individuals are witnesses of crime. In these circumstances, they require the assistance of an interpreter in sign language to assist them. It’s a plus when an interpreter also understands sign language to help bring everything together.
The world of legal interpreting can be very broad. Choose an area for specialization to begin your journey.
In Summary
There are many dimensions when it comes to legal interpreting. It’s a very dynamic field of work that challenges interpreters to always be their best. Accuracy is what makes the job well done and nothing below that standard will do. We could take for example, when providing interpreting services for the police, an interpreter in this setting is governed by a different set of legal rules as opposed to when interpreting for the highly privileged attorney-client conferences.
We mentioned accuracy as an important pillar for success in legal interpreting but interpreters must be governed by good ethical standards at all times as well. These standards are set in place to maintain confidentiality no matter the setting.
Before working with anyone, legal interpreters will give their clients guidelines for working with them in specific settings.
Court interpreting is probably the most popular reason why someone may need a legal interpreter. Legal interpreters are actually officers of the court and are considered to be experts in their field of work.
Similar to this fact, the experts here at DayInterpreting are on-demand phone interpreters who are available 24/7, 365 days per year. No matter your legal interpreting needs and no matter the language of focus, our human-powered interpretation services are available with just the click of a button.
Download the DayInterpreting app today to get started.
Kayan is a multi-talented writer based in the beautiful island of Jamaica. Her strong point is ideation and she loves to take on new challenges.
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