| Latino Opinion |
| A collection of Latino opinions by Ricardo A. López |
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| Translation & Interpreting |
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Hispanic Research has an impressive network of simultaneous interpreters in most key Hispanic markets as well as on-staff interpreters in their NY/NJ and Miami offices. All written translations are handled from our Miami, FL office.
Hispanic Research Inc. follows accepted industry interpreting standards and has helped write research industry best practices for interpreting qualitative research. The following information comes from a paper published by the Qualitative Research Consultants Association (QRCA) Latino Special Interest Group.
For in-language groups, hire a qualified/experienced simultaneous interpreter. The job of the QRC is often dependent on the competency of the interpreter because the client is only grasping what the interpreter is able to translate. Interpreters must be capable of translating continuous conversation streams. Professional interpreters with experience in other fields that allow for a pause for translation (e.g. court interpreters) may have difficulty handling continuous conversation. Good qualitative research interpreters know how to read non-verbal cues and use nuances and emotions as they interpret the language. This is extremely important in conveying Latino opinions that very often include more meaning than what is simply being verbalized. Being able to catch the emotions and feelings behind a statement can make an enormous difference. Strongly advise against the client tendency to invite a Spanish-speaking company employee to serve as a back room translator. Just speaking the language does not mean that you are able to translate a conversation. Interpreters that are excellent translating from English to Spanish may not be competent translating from Spanish to English. The reverse is also true. Check that the interpreter is competent working in the desired flow of the translation. Instruct the client on the importance of not interrupting the interpreter or asking questions that can disrupt the communication flow. Ensure that the facility can provide the interpreter equipment if an interpreter is needed. The equipment should at the very minimum include a headset for the interpreter and a way of recording the language translation. Optimal equipment includes headsets for everyone in the viewing room and the ability to choose the language (room language vs. interpreter’s voice). Check that someone in the facility knows how to use the equipment and can fix unexpected equipment problems before and during the interviews.
Attention Field Houses and Focus Group Facilities: If you need to book interpreters and/or arrange for interpreting equipment for in-house projects and have questions regarding the logistics, please give us a call. We can help! |
Note...
How come some of the people shown on the left don't look Hispanic?Hispanic or Latino is not a race. There are Latinos of many different races and physical characteristics. For more information see our FAQ article, Why doesn't the census include Hispanic as a race?, and the Latino Blog post Let's Stop Segmenting People by Race!