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Language Line Services - "In Other Words"
June 2009

Greetings!

Welcome to "In Other Words" from Monterey, California -- The Language Capital of the World.

If you would rather receive our monthly healthcare version of In Other Words, just send a note to healthletter@languageline.com.

Thank you!

In this issue
  • Services for You, Your Staff and Your Customers
  • Interpreter: "So began a most rewarding experience of my life"
  • Free! "The Guide to Translation and Localization"
  • London, Canada FreePress: "Cruisers Sport Multicultural Decals"
  • Who's Hispanic? "Anyone Who Says They Are..."
  • White Paper: "Breaking the Language Barrier" - Free Download
  • June 2009 News, Language and Cultural Items
  • We Are Hiring. Interpreter & Corporate Opportunities
  • Thank You For Subscribing to "In Other Words" Newsletter!

  • Interpreter: "So began a most rewarding experience of my life"
    chopter

    As told by French-language Interpreter, Marie Dart

    On April 28th, I received a call from my sister. There had been a terrible accident on Highway 101-a bus with 36 French tourists had overturned on the overpass in Soledad (Central California) and authorities were appealing to the public for interpreters. She knew that at least one of the victims had been transported to Fresno, where I live, a three hour drive from the accident site.

    I felt compelled to do something. Uncertain of which hospital any accident victims would be flown to, I proceeded to our largest facility, Fresno Regional Medical Center. After a phone call, the admitting clerk declared, "Yes, we do have a patient from that accident here." I felt relieved that I had found the right hospital. As my escort and I snaked our way through the corridors, my thoughts turned towards what might be awaiting me. My "relief" was replaced with apprehension.

    So began one of the most rewarding and interesting experiences of my life. The accident victim was a 13 year old girl, Emilie. In summary, it was Easter break in France when Emilie and her mother, Anais, departed for a two-week tour encompassing the Grand Canyon, San Francisco, Monterey, and Hollywood. Nearing the completion of the tour, the bus was in route from Monterey to Hollywood when the accident occurred. Unfortunately, mother and daughter were separated at the scene of the accident.

    Anais had been ejected from the bus, rolled down a 60' embankment, and lay motionless in a ravine below the overpass. Restrained by officers at the scene, Emilie didn't know if her mother was alive or dead.

    From the emergency room I broke the news to Emilie's father, Evan, in France. Reassuring him that his daughter's injuries appeared to be superficial, I promised to remain with her until he arrived.

    Anais' condition and whereabouts remained a mystery for nearly 24 hours. Identified by photo, Anais was in an induced coma on a respirator at Stanford Medical Center. Her condition was very critical and would remain so for the next 72 hours.

    Over the next two and a half days I spoke with, interpreted, and relayed messages to Evan, the French Embassy, Assistance Europe, social workers, CHP officers, and hospital staff.

    I had the pleasure of meeting Anais before her return to France. She is an amazing woman, spiritually and physically. At the time of my visit, she had been off the respirator for about 10 days and was struggling with pneumonia and jaundice.

    She had undergone surgery to pin her sacrum just days before. She sustained numerous injuries during the accident, not the least of which were twelve broken ribs and a fractured pelvis. A testament to her strength of character is her determination to one day return and complete the tour.

    Since that time, I remain in contact via e-mail with my newfound friends from this experience.

    I began working for Language Line in January of this year and had it not been for the pre-employment training I received, I would not have felt comfortable volunteering my services. I appreciate not only the training, but the understanding and generosity which Language Line Services demonstrated during the time I helped the Boulanger family. It was an amazing experience.

    ____________

    Thank you, Marie, for a wonderful story. And for being an important member of our professional interpreter team.

    If you, our reader, would like to be an over the phone interpreter for Language Line Services, just visit our Career Center here and apply for one of our current openings.

    Photo by physician/photographer Ed Uthman via Flickr


    Free! "The Guide to Translation and Localization"
    Lingo Book


    Communicate the Right Message, Regardless of Language

    Given the changing demographics of today's consumer, many organizations translate or localize their written messages into other languages.

    Unfortunately, if you select an unproven vendor you may end up with mistranslated materials. There are ways to avoid that!

    Sign up here for your FREE copy of "The Guide to Translation and Localization" now and we'll give you 10% off your next document translation project submitted by July 31, 2009.

    PS: Remember to include your mailing address in the brief form on the Web page if you want a physical copy of the book. Otherwise, we'll send you a downloadable PDF version. Thank you!


    London, Canada FreePress: "Cruisers Sport Multicultural Decals"
    Polish Police Language


    Several London, Ontario police cruisers have a new, multicultural look.

    Five cruisers now sport decals with the word "Police" in five languages: Arabic, Chinese, Persian, Polish and Vietnamese.

    "Those languages are popular among new immigrants to London," said police diversity officer Const. Marcel Marcellin.

    Police chose those languages because most are not easily identifiable to English speakers.

    Many newcomers to Canada come from countries where police officers are to be feared, not trusted, and London officers and community workers want to change that attitude here.

    "People are coming from countries where police aren't always helpful," said Suzanne LaRose, the Cross Cultural Learner Centre's acting director.

    "(The police) didn't have to do this. They're trying to help reinforce the fact that they're here to help."

    See what the Canadian police cruisers look like in other languages, and read the rest of this London Free Press article here >>


    Who's Hispanic? "Anyone Who Says They Are..."
    pew hispanic


    By Jeffrey Passel and Paul Taylor, Pew Hispanic Center

    Is Sonia Sotomayor the first Hispanic ever nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court?

    Or does that distinction belong to the late Justice Benjamin Cardozo, who served on the court from 1932-1938 and whose ancestors may or may not have come from Portugal?

    Unscrambling Cardozo's family tree is best left to historians and genealogists. Here the Pew Research takes a stab at a more daunting question.

    Just who is a Hispanic?

    If you turn to the U.S. government for answers, you quickly discover that it has two different approaches to this definitional question. Both are products of a 1976 act of Congress and the administrative regulations that flow from it.

    One approach defines a Hispanic or Latino as a member of an ethnic group that traces its roots to 20 Spanish-speaking nations from Latin America and Spain itself (but not Portugal or Portuguese-speaking Brazil).

    The other approach is much simpler.

    Who's Hispanic? Anyone who says they are. And nobody who says they aren't.

    The U.S. Census Bureau uses this second approach.

    Click here to read the rest of this Pew Hispanic Center article>>

    A PDF Adobe Acrobat version of this report can be found here >>

    __________

    Related Pew Hispanic Center reports:

    For detailed demographic information about the Hispanic population, visit "Statistical Portrait of Hispanics in the United States, 2007" (March 5, 2009) and "Latinos Account for Half of U.S. Population Growth Since 2000" (Oct. 23, 2008), which includes interactive maps.

    To learn more about the Hispanic vote in 2008, read "Dissecting the Electorate: Most Diverse in U.S. History" (April 30, 2009) and "The Hispanic Vote in the 2008 Election" (Nov. 5, 2008).

    To learn more about Hispanic Women in the United States, read the fact sheet "Hispanic Women in the United States, 2007" (May 8, 2008).




    White Paper: "Breaking the Language Barrier" - Free Download
    white paper barrier


    "The growing linguistic diversity of the United States is having a dramatic impact on the delivery of... health care services.

    "Each day, thousands of patients arrive at hospitals, urgent care centers and primary care medical offices, and before their temperature is taken or their blood pressure is gauged, they face a potentially devastating barrier that could affect the quality of care they receive, the outcome of their visit, and their future health."

    So begins a newly published white paper from Language Line Services based upon the latest data concerning the millions of American patients with limited English proficiency (LEP).

    Get your copy now! Share it with your colleagues.

    Complete the brief form here and you can immediately download an Adobe Acrobat (PDF) version of "Breaking the Language Barrier - Health Care Quality, Efficiency and Savings through Professional Medical Interpretation".


    June 2009 News, Language and Cultural Items
    Pooch News


    Selected News of the Month

    Read more Language Line Services news here >>


    We Are Hiring. Interpreter & Corporate Opportunities
    Smiling Interpreter in Center


    Language Line Services, the leader in over-the-phone interpretation, is seeking to increase its interpreter team in many languages.

    If you have excellent proficiency in English, with strong listening and comprehension skills as well as good customer service skills, you can become an interpreter for Language Line Services.

    Visit www.languageline.com/careers.

    View the "How to Become an Interpreter" Video.

    Then, click on "Apply Today" under "interpreter Careers" OR "Corporate Careers" and follow the directions.

    Here's what a valued client said just the other day about one of Language Line Services' excellent interpreters:

    "...interpreter #6100 for Farsi was awesome fantastic and amazing. I am speechless as to how good the interpreter was. We have a very difficult client that he made so easy for me. Thank you..."

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    Services for You, Your Staff and Your Customers
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