Telephone interpreting
Encyclopedia
Telephone interpreting is a service that connects human interpreters via telephone to individuals who wish to speak to each other but do not share a common language. The telephone interpreter converts the spoken language from one language to another, enabling listeners and speakers to understand each other. Interpretation over the telephone most often takes place in consecutive mode, which means that the interpreter waits until the speaker finishes an utterance
before rendering the interpretation into the other language.
Telephone interpreting is one modality or delivery mechanism for providing interpreting services. Other forms of delivering interpreting services include in-person interpreting and video interpreting for the deaf and hard of hearing
.
1981–1990: Telephone interpretation enters major U.S. industries including financial services, telecommunications, healthcare, and public safety.
Major providers of telephone interpretation in the United States include Language Line Services
, CyraCom International
and Pacific Interpreters
. In 2009, CyraCom was the second largest supplier of telephone interpretation in the world behind Language Line Services ranked #1, while Pacific Interpreters was the fifth largest .
, so he obtained grant funding to provide free telephone interpreters starting in 1990. Police on the Isle of Dogs
became his second client, and he later began serving corporate clients and converted the charity into a commercial service.
World Interpreting is a service similar to Language Line, but it is offered worldwide. Linguist Sean Hopwood started the service in 2005 which provides service on a global basis, including to law firms, hospitals and media.
Language Direct is a similar service provider but specializes in in-person interpreting and document translations. They provide language services in over 150 world languages, mainly to the government sector.
TheBigWord won a cross government framework in the U.K. in 2006, after which they opened offices globally to supply telephone interpreting (OPI) and related services.
s are also sometimes used, but these can create challenges both in terms of confidentiality, and for the interpreter, especially due to background noise, which can hinder the interpreter's ability to hear.
The dual handset phone was first offered by a company called CyraCom
, a provider of telephone interpreting services, and is now widely available. There is also a variant made specifically for the U.K. Government by their telephone interpreting providers. These companies usually either lease or sell the phones to their telephone interpreting customers but have been known to give them to key accounts as part of a contract. Dual-handset phones can be bought directly by customers, enabling them to obtain the phones without obtaining them through a telephone interpreting company.
Where one party is deaf, hard-of-hearing or speech-impaired
, communication via an off-site sign language interpreter can be performed using a video link
using the necessary video telecommunication equipment.
(e.g. '9-1-1' or '1-1-2'), and others. Telephone interpreting is especially helpful for settings in which the two parties would communicate via telephone anyway, such as interactions between call centers and consumers, calls between members of the public and emergency telephone call centres, etc... Telephone interpreting can be used to take applications over the phone and help individuals with account issues.
Telephone interpretation via Video Remote Interpreting
(VRI) or a Video Relay Service
(VRS) are also useful where one of the parties is deaf, hard-of-hearing or speech-impaired
. In such cases the interpretation flow is normally within the same principal language, such as French Sign Language
(FSL) to spoken French, Spanish Sign Language
(SSL) to spoken Spanish, British Sign Language
(BSL) to spoken English, and American Sign Language
(ASL) also to spoken English (since BSL and ASL are completely distinct), etc.... Multilingual sign language interpreters, who can also translate as well across principal languages (such as to and from SSL, to and from spoken English), are also available, albeit less frequently. Such activities involve considerable effort on the part of the translator, since sign language
s are distinct natural language
s with their own construction and syntax
, which are different from the aural version of the same principal language.
Utterance
In spoken language analysis an utterance is a complete unit of speech. It is generally but not always bounded by silence.It can be represented and delineated in written language in many ways. Note that in such areas of research utterances do not exist in written language, only their representations...
before rendering the interpretation into the other language.
Telephone interpreting is one modality or delivery mechanism for providing interpreting services. Other forms of delivering interpreting services include in-person interpreting and video interpreting for the deaf and hard of hearing
Video Relay Service
A Video Relay Service , also sometimes known as a Video Interpreting Service, is a videotelecommunication service that allows deaf, hard-of-hearing and speech-impaired individuals to communicate over video telephones and similar technologies with hearing people in real-time, via a sign language...
.
Historical timeline
- 1973: Australia introduces telephone interpretation as a fee-free service to respond to its growing immigrant communities.
- 1981: The first Over-the-Phone Interpretation (OPI) service is offered in the United States.
- 1990's: The demand for telephone interpretation grows significantly; contributing factors include decreased prices in long distance calls, toll-free numberToll-free telephone numberA toll-free, Freecall, Freephone, 800, 0800 or 1-800 number is a special telephone number which is free to the calling party, and instead the telephone carrier charges the called party the cost of the call...
access, and immigration trends. - 1995: Language services company Kevmark, later known as CyraCom International, patents a multiple-handset phone adapted for telephone interpreting.
- 1999: AT&T sells language services company Language Line ServicesLanguage Line ServicesLanguage Line Services is an American company headquartered in Monterey, Calif., which provides language interpretation and translation services worldwide for law enforcement, healthcare organizations, the courts and businesses in over 170 languages....
. - 2000's: Telephone interpretation becomes more sophisticated; quality of interpretation, faster connection speeds, and customer service become important to consumers.
- 2005: The U.S. telephone interpreting market is estimated at approximately $200 million.
Providers
There are many types of organizations that provide telephone interpreting services, including for-profit companies, governmental organizations, non-profit groups, and internal divisions within organizations. For example, the government of Australia operates a telephone interpreting service, as do the governments of South Africa and New Zealand.United States
In the United States, telephone interpreting is widely used by its federal courts. Numerous commercial providers are also available and commonly used. Many of the commercial telephone interpreting providers connect users with interpreters for more than 150 languages. Some providers claim to have the ability to connect an interpreter at any time of day, within a matter of seconds. Some hospitals and health care systems also provide telephone interpreting services.Major providers of telephone interpretation in the United States include Language Line Services
Language Line Services
Language Line Services is an American company headquartered in Monterey, Calif., which provides language interpretation and translation services worldwide for law enforcement, healthcare organizations, the courts and businesses in over 170 languages....
, CyraCom International
CyraCom
CyraCom International, Inc., is a diversified language services company operating through CyraCom, which services healthcare markets, and Voiance, which services all other markets. The company provides telephone interpreting, interpreting, Video Remote Interpreting, translation, language...
and Pacific Interpreters
Pacific Interpreters
Pacific Interpreters, Inc., is a language services provider, offering telephonic interpreting 24/7/365 in over 180 languages, document translation, and interpreter program consulting for Healthcare, Business and Government customers...
. In 2009, CyraCom was the second largest supplier of telephone interpretation in the world behind Language Line Services ranked #1, while Pacific Interpreters was the fifth largest .
United Kingdom
Language Line Inc. is a commercial interpreting provider that was initially a charity. British social activist Michael Young noticed that language barriers were leading to substandard services for ethnic minorities at Royal London HospitalRoyal London Hospital
The Royal London Hospital was founded in September 1740 and was originally named The London Infirmary. The name changed to The London Hospital in 1748 and then to The Royal London Hospital on its 250th anniversary in 1990. The first patients were treated at a house in Featherstone Street,...
, so he obtained grant funding to provide free telephone interpreters starting in 1990. Police on the Isle of Dogs
Isle of Dogs
The Isle of Dogs is a former island in the East End of London that is bounded on three sides by one of the largest meanders in the River Thames.-Etymology:...
became his second client, and he later began serving corporate clients and converted the charity into a commercial service.
World Interpreting is a service similar to Language Line, but it is offered worldwide. Linguist Sean Hopwood started the service in 2005 which provides service on a global basis, including to law firms, hospitals and media.
Language Direct is a similar service provider but specializes in in-person interpreting and document translations. They provide language services in over 150 world languages, mainly to the government sector.
TheBigWord won a cross government framework in the U.K. in 2006, after which they opened offices globally to supply telephone interpreting (OPI) and related services.
Equipment
Users typically access telephone interpreting services with a telephone or computer with VoIP. However, if the two parties wishing to communicate are in the same location, using a dual handset phone, a phone with two receivers, can relieve the two parties from passing a phone back and forth. SpeakerphoneSpeakerphone
A speakerphone is a telephone with a microphone and loudspeaker provided separately from those in the handset. This device allows multiple persons to participate in a conversation...
s are also sometimes used, but these can create challenges both in terms of confidentiality, and for the interpreter, especially due to background noise, which can hinder the interpreter's ability to hear.
The dual handset phone was first offered by a company called CyraCom
CyraCom
CyraCom International, Inc., is a diversified language services company operating through CyraCom, which services healthcare markets, and Voiance, which services all other markets. The company provides telephone interpreting, interpreting, Video Remote Interpreting, translation, language...
, a provider of telephone interpreting services, and is now widely available. There is also a variant made specifically for the U.K. Government by their telephone interpreting providers. These companies usually either lease or sell the phones to their telephone interpreting customers but have been known to give them to key accounts as part of a contract. Dual-handset phones can be bought directly by customers, enabling them to obtain the phones without obtaining them through a telephone interpreting company.
Where one party is deaf, hard-of-hearing or speech-impaired
Speech disorder
Speech disorders or speech impediments are a type of communication disorders where 'normal' speech is disrupted. This can mean stuttering, lisps, etc. Someone who is unable to speak due to a speech disorder is considered mute.-Classification:...
, communication via an off-site sign language interpreter can be performed using a video link
Videotelephony
Videotelephony comprises the technologies for the reception and transmission of audio-video signals by users at different locations, for communication between people in real-time....
using the necessary video telecommunication equipment.
Access
The provisioning of telephone interpreting generally fits into two main categories:- Automated: an Interactive Voice Response (IVR)Interactive voice responseInteractive voice response is a technology that allows a computer to interact with humans through the use of voice and DTMF keypad inputs....
application is employed to convert spoken or keyed Dual Tone Multi Frequency (DTMF)Dual-tone multi-frequencyDual-tone multi-frequency signaling is used for telecommunication signaling over analog telephone lines in the voice-frequency band between telephone handsets and other communications devices and the switching center. The version of DTMF that is used in push-button telephones for tone dialing is...
data into a request for connecting to an interpreter in a specific language (identified by unique language-codesLanguage codeA language code is a code that assigns letters and/or numbers as identifiers or classifiers for languages. These codes may be used to organize library collections or presentations of data, to choose the correct localizations and translations in computing, and as a shorthand designation for longer...
). This application is suited to call-centres, which may have the need for very fast (and sometimes a fully integrated) connections to an interpreting service.
- Operator-led: utilise customer-care staff to answer the call, gather the required information from the caller, and facilitate the connection to the interpreter. A service of this nature can be preferred by organisations such as emergency serviceEmergency serviceEmergency services are organizations which ensure public safety and health by addressing different emergencies. Some agencies exist solely for addressing certain types of emergencies whilst others deal with ad hoc emergencies as part of their normal responsibilities...
s, where the client's knowledge of language codes is absent.
Uses
Telephone interpreting is widely used in a number of settings, including health care, government, financial, emergency telephone call centresEmergency telephone number
Many countries' public telephone networks have a single emergency telephone number, sometimes known as the universal emergency telephone number or occasionally the emergency services number, that allows a caller to contact local emergency services for assistance. The emergency telephone number may...
(e.g. '9-1-1' or '1-1-2'), and others. Telephone interpreting is especially helpful for settings in which the two parties would communicate via telephone anyway, such as interactions between call centers and consumers, calls between members of the public and emergency telephone call centres, etc... Telephone interpreting can be used to take applications over the phone and help individuals with account issues.
Telephone interpretation via Video Remote Interpreting
Video Remote Interpreting
Video Remote Interpreting uses video or web cameras and telephone lines to provide sign language interpreting services, for deaf, hard-of-hearing or speech-impaired individuals, through an offsite interpreter, in order to communicate with hearing persons...
(VRI) or a Video Relay Service
Video Relay Service
A Video Relay Service , also sometimes known as a Video Interpreting Service, is a videotelecommunication service that allows deaf, hard-of-hearing and speech-impaired individuals to communicate over video telephones and similar technologies with hearing people in real-time, via a sign language...
(VRS) are also useful where one of the parties is deaf, hard-of-hearing or speech-impaired
Speech disorder
Speech disorders or speech impediments are a type of communication disorders where 'normal' speech is disrupted. This can mean stuttering, lisps, etc. Someone who is unable to speak due to a speech disorder is considered mute.-Classification:...
. In such cases the interpretation flow is normally within the same principal language, such as French Sign Language
French Sign Language
French Sign Language is the sign language of the deaf in the nation of France. According to Ethnologue, it has 50,000 to 100,000 native signers....
(FSL) to spoken French, Spanish Sign Language
Spanish Sign language
Spanish Sign Language is a sign language used mainly by deaf people in Spain and the people who live with them.There are small differences throughout Spain with no difficulties in intercommunication, except in Catalonia and in Valencia...
(SSL) to spoken Spanish, British Sign Language
British Sign Language
British Sign Language is the sign language used in the United Kingdom , and is the first or preferred language of some deaf people in the UK; there are 125,000 deaf adults in the UK who use BSL plus an estimated 20,000 children. The language makes use of space and involves movement of the hands,...
(BSL) to spoken English, and American Sign Language
American Sign Language
American Sign Language, or ASL, for a time also called Ameslan, is the dominant sign language of Deaf Americans, including deaf communities in the United States, in the English-speaking parts of Canada, and in some regions of Mexico...
(ASL) also to spoken English (since BSL and ASL are completely distinct), etc.... Multilingual sign language interpreters, who can also translate as well across principal languages (such as to and from SSL, to and from spoken English), are also available, albeit less frequently. Such activities involve considerable effort on the part of the translator, since sign language
Sign language
A sign language is a language which, instead of acoustically conveyed sound patterns, uses visually transmitted sign patterns to convey meaning—simultaneously combining hand shapes, orientation and movement of the hands, arms or body, and facial expressions to fluidly express a speaker's...
s are distinct natural language
Natural language
In the philosophy of language, a natural language is any language which arises in an unpremeditated fashion as the result of the innate facility for language possessed by the human intellect. A natural language is typically used for communication, and may be spoken, signed, or written...
s with their own construction and syntax
Syntax
In linguistics, syntax is the study of the principles and rules for constructing phrases and sentences in natural languages....
, which are different from the aural version of the same principal language.
Market
In 2007, the global telephone interpreting market was worth $700 million, with an estimated $500 million generated in the United States. Industry analyst firm Common Sense Advisory estimates that in 2012, the market will be worth $1.2 billion, an increase of 70% from 2007. The market for telephone interpreting is global in scope and includes companies from the United States, the Netherlands, Sweden, France, the United Kingdom, Canada, India, China, Norway, Spain, and Hong Kong.See also
- Language interpretation
- Video Relay ServiceVideo Relay ServiceA Video Relay Service , also sometimes known as a Video Interpreting Service, is a videotelecommunication service that allows deaf, hard-of-hearing and speech-impaired individuals to communicate over video telephones and similar technologies with hearing people in real-time, via a sign language...
: for use where a deaf/hard-of-hearing/speech-impaired person is not located at the same place as the hearing person. The sign language interpreter is additionally situated in a third location, typically a video-enabled relay call centre. - Video Remote InterpretingVideo Remote InterpretingVideo Remote Interpreting uses video or web cameras and telephone lines to provide sign language interpreting services, for deaf, hard-of-hearing or speech-impaired individuals, through an offsite interpreter, in order to communicate with hearing persons...
: for use where a deaf/hard-of-hearing/speech-impaired person and the hearing person are located at the same place, such as a hospital, with the sign language interpreter located off-site.