Tips for insurance industry professionals

Additional  Resources:

 

“What do You Mean By That?”  Specific Terms in a Q&A Produce Direct Responses

Claims Magazine - National publication of the Insurance management industry

 

IW Publications                                     January 1999 

Available online at http://www.claimsmag.com/Issues/January/WhatMean.asp

 

Have your office qualify the interpreter before adding them to the list.

If you take the time to set up your criteria once, and make a list of who meets that criteria, you'll be ready for any call for interpreters including those last minute only appointments.  If you rely on an Interpretation/Translation agency to meet your requests, ask how they qualify their staff.

 

 

 

Here's what to look for:

 

Þ Obtain Texas Department of Licensing Licensed Court Interpreter Number.

Þ Verify their status online at http://www.license.state.tx.us/LicenseSearch.

Þ  Focus on candidates who specialize in legal interpreting and translation and who cite training and membership in professional associations.  Note their training and CE’s, a degree in Spanish is simply not enough.

Þ Verify their law firm references.

Þ Verify their fluency in English yourself by calling and speaking with them.

Þ Confirm if they perform simultaneous or consecutive translation; see TIP under “Modes of Interpreting” on the Working with Interpreters page.

Þ Ask about their rates, payment terms, minimums and advance notice requirements.

 

TIPS TO AVOID PROBLEMS DURING Q&A

 

Giving these instructions to the respondent through the interpreter before you begin a statement and you will avoid the more common problems that arise when a respondent does not know how to speak through an interpreter.

 

1.  The interpreter works just like a telephone.  You are not speaking directly to him/her.  You are speaking to me or to your attorney.  This prevents the respondent from starting private conversations, asking the interpreter to clarify a question or confiding in the interpreter.

 

2.  You must answer verbally, out loud, do not nod or shake your head to respond.  Do not respond with uh huh or unh uh.  Do not point to parts of your body as a response.  This prevents the recording being blank because there were no words spoken or you having to repeat the response in your own words.  It also prevents the interpreter from having to guess what the motion signifies.

 

3.  Don’t respond before the question has been interpreted.  Don’t respond in English.  This prevents the respondent from responding to a misunderstood question and the recording of both the interpreter and respondent talking over each other.  It also disrupts the interpreter’s flow and can confuse the questioner.

 

TIPS FOR A SMOOTH QUESTIONING PROCEEDURE

 

· Speak in the first person and directly to respondent.  (“Are you…” not “Is he…”)

· A reasonably good consecutive interpreter should be able to handle 5 or less sentences at a time.  Speaking only one sentence at a time to be interpreted actually jolts our flow.

· Avoid compound questions and statements.

· Avoid idiomatic expressions.

· Consider cultural distinctions of law enforcement and social behavior for new immigrants to The United States.

 

 

SEATING

 

In most recorded statements, the inexperienced claimant naturally perceives that he/she is speaking to the interpreter.  This can be distracting to both you and the interpreter and will detract from your effectiveness asking the questions.  Also it will cause the respondent to go into the third person (tell him that...) which disrupts proper interpretation.

Sit across from the respondent, maintain eye contact to maintain control of the questioning.

The interpreter should sit next to the respondent.

 

ARE YOU BILLINGUAL IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH?

 

Pump up your translation and interpreting skills and increase your value to your company!

 

Increase your value and productivity at the office.

 

This specially designed group course includes:

· Individual aptitude assessment.

· Language skills improvement: written and spoken, terminology and phraseology.

· Professional Interpreting skills improvement: consecutive and simultaneous modes.

· Interpreting tools and resources

· Translation tools and resources

The course is designed to meet your firm’s needs and to enhance your performance.  Contact Diane dianeteichman@linquisticworld.com for details today.