In this number Greetings! False cognates Thinking of Hiring a Maid? New Useful Links Obvious Tips Jurisdiction of State and Federal Courts
We had a great meeting last week. With Grettel, we discussed terminology related to Protection from Abuse Orders (PFAs,) such as "no unlawful contact and no adverse contact". We discussed "ningun contaco ilicito" and "ningun contacto adverso." We also read from a wonderful little book titled "Hablando bien se entiende la gente" which contains false cognates that may slip-in while interpreting. A few of us decided to purchase the book! We composed a list with some terms from the book and some of our own. Alina shared her experience of having to sight-translate strong sexual slang; it's much harder after seeing it in writing than immediately interpreting as you hear it. We discussed different meanings of the slang word pend%!#. The Coordinator informed us of the recent release of "Fundamentals of Court Interpretation: Theory, Policy, and Practice" Second Edition- 2012!
Are you working longer hours and starting to feel that you need a little help keeping your home neat? Maybe you're considering having a maid come-in once a week or once every two weeks to do the basic indoor maintenance like scrubbing the bathrooms and dusting. Well, it seems that for self-employed interpreters and translators there are a few things to consider. I did some research and discovered the following: There are generally three different types of cleaning companies: independent housekeepers that are self-employed and work alone, cleaning agencies that hire self-employed maids as subcontractors, and companies where the maids are employees. Hiring an independent housekeeper (usually a sole-proprietor small business) may allow you to build a relationship over time and the care for your home may require less direction. Agencies with maids as sub-contractors may be a little cheaper and their schedules may be more flexible. Cleaning companies that employ maids usually have constant coverage even if one maid goes on vacation. Employees also have health and liability insurance covered by their employer. If you hire an independent housekeeper or an agency that provides self-employed maids, you will have to ask the maid to complete a 10-99 form, since you will need to present this form when you do your taxes. You must also make sure that the maid is registered with the State to conduct business (they must show you their business license) and they must be bonded and insured. If you decide to use a cleaning company where the maids are employed by the company, you can always talk to the manager if you're not happy with their service or if you feel uncomfortable with one of their employees. Some homeowners prefer this indirect relationship with their maids; it can sometimes be stressful having to tell somebody you don't like their services.
A Reminder from their Interpreting Department
Make sure the LEP speaks your language Introduce yourself to the LEP as the interpreter Do not interpret what you cannot hear Ask for repetitions if you need them Do not give advise nor opinions Communicate with the court Do not try to hide your mistakes Always ask the judge's permission for everything