Draft document on Categories of Interpreters

Best Practices: Interpreter Categories

A qualified interpreter is someone who can understand a chunk of language, accurately recall the chunk of language and accurately render it into the second language without adding, omitting, or altering the message, while managing the communication environment, and following an interpreting code of ethics and standards of professional practice.  Professional interpreters interpret using the 1st and 2nd person, and do not report the communication in the 3rd person.  They do not answer questions; rather they interpret questions so that the parties are in direct communication.  They use consecutive interpreting during direct exchanges between parties.  However, when side conversations occur between two parties speaking the same language, they simultaneously interpret for the parties speaking the other language, so that all parties can participate in the event in the same way they would participate if all parties spoke the same language.  A professional interpreter will ensure that everything is said in both languages, so that all parties are included in all aspects of the communication.  A trained interpreter will take time to introduce the role of the interpreter at the beginning in both languages, and will interrupt to manage pacing, length of chunks, and to get clarification.  A trained interpreter has also done research on specialized terminology and will use a glossary or dictionary for specialized terminology, as necessary.

Category 1a:  Certified Interpreters

•  interpreters who have 9 credit hours of training on the role of the interpreter and consecutive interpreting, and
• who have passed one of the following certification exams of interpreting skills,

• Washington State Medical Interpreter Certification Exam,
• Washington State Human Services Interpreter Certification Exam,
• NAJIT Certification Exam,
• MICE (National Center for Interpreting Studies),
• NCSC Cort Certification Exam (includes Wisconsin and Minnesota Court Certified Interpreters),
• Federal Court Interpreter Certification Exam

Category 1b: Qualified Interpreters in languages where certification is not available

• interpreters who have completed an 18+ semester credit certificate in interpreting , including at least 3 credits in each of the following:  role of the interpreter, consecutive interpreting, simultaneous interpreting, terminology or glossary development, socio-linguistics, and
• who have 1000 hours of interpreting experience AFTER completion of the program, and
• who have language proficiency scores in both languages of Advanced High on the ACTFL OPI, or equivalent.

Category 2:  Trained Interpreters

• interpreters who have completed an 18+ semester credit certificate in interpreting, including at least 3 credits in each of the following:  role of the interpreter, consecutive interpreting, simultaneous interpreting, terminology or glossary development, socio-linguistics, and
• who have language proficiency scores in both languages of Advanced High on the ACTFL OPI, or equivalent test.

Category 3: Beginning Interpreters

• interpreters who have completed 9 semester credits or more in interpreting including at least 3 credits in each of the following:  role of the interpreter, consecutive interpreting, and
• who have language proficiency scores in both languages of Advanced High on the ACTFL OPI, or equivalent test.

Category 4:  Minimally Trained Interpreters

• interpreters who have completed 3 semester credits or more on the role of the interpreter, ethics of interpreting, and standards of practice for interpreting, and
• who have language proficiency scores in both languages of Advanced High on the ACTFL OPI, or equivalent test.

Category 5: Untrained bilinguals

• bilinguals who have language proficiency scores in both languages of Advanced High on the ACTFL OPI, or equivalent test, but less than 3 semester credits of training.

Category 6:  Minimally proficient bilinguals

• people who speak a language at a non-professional level (below Advanced High on the ACTFL OPI, or equivalent test)

Standard Practice in the Minnesota State Courts

The Minnesota State Courts use only three categories of interpreters and a three-level pay scale. 
Rule 8 requires the use of certified interpreters, unless none is available.  It requires the use of rostered interpreters, unless none is available.  The 3 categories they use are:

$40-50 for court certified interpreters,

$30-40 for interpreters who have gone through the courts’ training program, and

$20-30 for interpreters who have not gone through their training programs and are not on their roster.

The Courts also pay a 2-hour minimum for interpreters.  The rationale for the 2-hour minimum is that even a 30 minute engagement, often means that the interpreter cannot schedule more than one other engagement on that morning or afternoon, and without the two-hour minimum they cannot make a living
wage and would eventually have to leave the field.