The ATA Chronicle - May/June 2021 - 32

INTERPRETERS FORUM

By Yasmin Alkashef

Motivation: For many
interpreters, there may
be little motivation to
become certified. This is
especially true in health
care interpreting. The status
quo dictates that if there
is no certified interpreter
available, a qualified
interpreter may be appointed.
Unfortunately, some
language services companies
have little interest in hiring
certified interpreters as
long as they can make do
with providing qualified
interpreters. Their reasoning
is that paying the higher
rates certified interpreters
command will lower profit
margins. I know interpreters

To Be or Not to Be Certified:

who have expressed concern
that agencies would drop
them if they became certified

The Dilemma for Non-Spanish Interpreters

and increased their rates.

In an industry where the majority of professionals are freelancers and

cost of certification can

where subject matter expertise cannot be easily judged by clients or

Prohibitive Costs: The
be prohibitive for many
freelancers. Attending

intermediaries, certification remains the gatekeeper to quality. Hiring a

training and exam

translator or interpreter without verified qualifications or certification is

preparation sessions, paying

a very risky endeavor. The result may cost a limited-English-proficient
(LEP) individual their life, a hospital thousands of dollars in unnecessary
procedures, or a defendant in a court proceeding delayed justice or
even their liberty.

exam fees, and purchasing
exam preparation materials
(if they are even available
in their languages) add up
to a significant financial

(The following was originally published on the blog of ATA's Interpreters Division,
www.ata-divisions.org/ID/blog.)

investment. This is especially
true for interpreters in lowdemand languages whose

O

32

application, practice test, and

income is quite limited. In
n the other side
of this dilemma
stand thousands

languages, interpreters can
only be considered qualified.)
The following focuses

addition, interpreters may
need to pay to take the exam
more than once since passing

of interpreters who need

on languages other than

on the first try is not that

certification to make a living

Spanish in which interpreter

common. After obtaining

and compete in the U.S.

certification is available.

certification, renewal costs

market. It's a challenging

Despite this availability,

are also not insignificant.

position, especially for

however, obtaining

interpreters who work in

certification remains a

Preparation Material:

languages where certification

challenge for many interpreters

Although there are plenty

is unavailable. (For these

for various reasons.

of preparation materials in

The ATA Chronicle | May/June 2021

www.atanet.org
http://www.ata-divisions.org/ID/blog http://www.atanet.org
The ATA Chronicle - May/June 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The ATA Chronicle - May/June 2021
