Dynamic Equivalence Blog

Photo by Billy Pasco Throughout my translation and interpreting career, I have had a number of mentors, both formal and informal who have helped me develop and grow as a professional. Recently, I was approached by an interpreter seeking my mentorship and guidance as she makes a significant transition in her professional journey, and it made me reflect on my personal journey and my best mentorship experiences. Step 1: Research  One of the many reasons to seek out a mentor is for functional mentorship or get guidance and direction to acquire a specific skill or accomplish a specific goal. In my experience, as the mentee, it is important that we do some research and have, at least, a general idea of what we want to do and who can help us accomplish it. I do not have any regrets because my professional journey has helped me develop and grow, but had I done some research, my path may have been less bumpy and windy. Early in my career, I was unsure of what direction I wanted to head, I h...

Photo by Raúl Nájera A national conversation related to the professionalization of interpreting and translation in education has been developing under the Interpreting and Translation in Education (ITE) Workgroup. One of the committees under this Workgroup is the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice Committee. As a volunteer serving on the committee, I started reflecting on my ethical decision making journey and the many codes and standards I observe. I discovered that, in over 10 years of interpreting, my ethical decision making has evolved significantly. What is ethics? Ethics is a set of standards of behavior that tell us how we should act in any of the many situations we may find ourselves in (SCU, 2009). Codes of ethics established specifically for interpreters and translators, usually establish accuracy, confidentiality, and other commonly expected behaviors for all in our profession, as well as domain specific behaviors or practices that are specific to the sector to which w...

Photo by Armando Ramon Faur A couple of months ago, before COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, I was faced with an uncommon challenge: I was interpreting for a non-English speaker and, as a Spanish interpreter, I was unable to provide them equitable access to information. I should clarify that as a Spanish interpreter working in Southern California, I often come across speakers of indigenous languages. However, usually one or more of the participants are aware, and the services I provide are limited to confirming the next appointment when a qualified interpreter in the language they understand best will be available. In these instances, I am given an opportunity to truly partner with all participants to ensure the message is fully understood. This situation was different. Sí, hablo español. Unfortunately, as reported by Amnesty International, members of indigenous communities are often discriminated against and marginalized. Due to this, as Odilia Romero from CIELO has shared in various ...