Response to Commentary: Bush's translator in Romania - U.S. government standards for translation and interpretation

[Scott McGinnis]

With thanks to Glenn Nordin for this very clear and concise summary....

----- Original Message -----
From: <glenord at att.net>
Sent: Thursday, December 05, 2002 9:12 AM

> Some factoids related to translation and interpretation in the US as seen
from
> an interested observer's viewpoint.  Others may have better or more
information
> and I would be delighted to receive that information.
>
> To the best of my knowledge, there is no US federal agency that is
responsible
> for certification or qualification of interpreters and translators across
all
> federal activities. Other countries have established performance criteria
or
> indicators and have strong education requirements.  See ATA Chronicle back
> issues for articles on other countries' policies and practice.
>
> There are ASTM standards related to contracting for language teaching and
> interpretation services and a draft ASTM standard for contracting for
> translation services. While these documents provide guidance as to
customer and
> provider responsibilities, they do not establish firm criteria for judging
> performance of teaching, translation or interpretation.
>
> Federal agencies and departments that have substantial translation and
> interpretation activity within mission have established internal
proficiency
> criteria and performance testing.
>
> In 1996, Congress authorized the US Department of State to be the
department in
> charge of the nation's foreign language affairs but did not appropriate
for
> staff or activities.
>
> The US court system has made a beginning at certification and testing
processes
> and qualification criteria. Some but not all state court systems have
initiated
> qualification processes. Find the NAJIT homepage and learn about their
> initiatives.
>
> Executive Order 13166 has provided impetus to provide qualified
interpretation
> and translation services for those who do not speak English in accessing
social
> and healthcare services. See White House homepage for details of the EO.
>
> There are about 8 to 10 higher education institutions that have declared
> programs in interpretation or translation. See ATA publications for a
recent
> study. To the best of my current information, only the Monterey Institute
of
> International Studies provides for study leading to advanced degrees in
the
> arts of interpretation and translation.
>
> The Translation and Interpretation Interest Group of the Interagency
Language
> Roundtable meets about 10 times a year in one hour sessions to share
> information on issues and prospects for improving the national capability
in
> interpretation and translation of languages other than English.
>
> See www.atanet.org for information on the organization that represents
over
> 8000 professional translators and interpreters.  The ATA has a working
group on
> the issues in certification, standards and testing.
>
> The American Foundation for Translation and Interpretation is a fledgling
spin-
> off from the American Translators Association and will sponsor activities
> leading to improved national posture in these arts.
>
> Glenn Nordin
>
>
>
>
>
>