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Off topic: rude health care "professionals" Thread poster: Lynda Tharratt
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Wreybies
Local time: 12:25
English to Spanish
| Culture & Language | May 19, 2008 |
I think that this can be summed up easily in that too often these issues happen because of cultural, not linguistic, devides.
I work as an English ~ Spanish interpreter and I can tell you that more often than not I find myself in the role of 'culture broker' more than interpreter. Many people coming to the USA from Spanish speaking countries are people with very traditional backgrounds for whom the culture of the USA is as alien as any Science Fiction backdrop. Even I have to remi... See more I think that this can be summed up easily in that too often these issues happen because of cultural, not linguistic, devides.
I work as an English ~ Spanish interpreter and I can tell you that more often than not I find myself in the role of 'culture broker' more than interpreter. Many people coming to the USA from Spanish speaking countries are people with very traditional backgrounds for whom the culture of the USA is as alien as any Science Fiction backdrop. Even I have to remind myself of this regularly because, although I am Latino, I was raised in the USA.
Thankfully, the company for which I work allows me to speak to this point whenever I feel that the conversation is 'going south' due to cultural misunderstandings.
For example: Today I interpreted for someone wanting to handle a transaction as simple as setting up a new account for electric service in their new small business. My English speaking client was having trouble understanding why the Spanish speaking client was so frustrated and asking about government offices. The Spanish speaking client was upset at having been turned away at the government offices she found because these offices do not handle these matters and the poor lady was under the assumption that she was being shown prejudice because of her hispanic heritage. Both induviduals were frustrated with eachother by the time I took the call to help out.
It was immediately apparent where the communication had gone wrong and I stepped out from behind my 'cloak of invisibility' and asked both parties if I might not help in clearing the matter up so that the interaction could resume a more professional flow. I gathered from the Spanish speaking person that in her country of origin all matters of this kind are handled by government offices. I explained that the same was not true in the US and that these matters are handled by privates businesses. I also explained to her that she had not been sent away by the government offices because she was Latina, but simply because those offices are not the correct venue. I explained to my English speaking client why my Spanish speaking client was upset and she immediately understood and fell over herself with apologies as to what had happened. I stepped back behind my 'cloak' and the conversation resumed a very polite, friendly, and smooth course from there. When the job was done, the English speaking client thanked me profusely for having removed that stumbling block.
So much frustration for something so simple. It only took a few words on my part to remove the anguish from both parties.
I know it can be frustrating to be the proverbial fly on the wall and only watch as a situation devolves into misunderstanding over things that may be glaringly obvious to you. Worse yet, when you find you yourself, as interpreter, being the target for the frustration from both parties because you are the only one who can understand both parties.
You should find out ahead of time how invisible you are expected to be in a given situation and go from there.
[Edited at 2008-05-19 15:05]
[Edited at 2008-05-19 15:14]
[Edited at 2008-05-20 01:26] ▲ Collapse
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rude health care "professionals"
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