PEARL LINGUISTICS YOUR NEW LANGUAGE SERVICE PROVIDER FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 1) Hw d I determine which service I need? 2) Hw d I bk face t face interpreters? 3) Hw d I bk telephne interpreters? 4) Hw d I bk translatin services? 5) Hw d I bk services ut f hurs? 6) Hw quickly can yu send an interpreter? 7) Hw can I use a face t face interpreter effectively? 8) Hw can I use telephne interpreting effectively? 9) Which languages can yu translate and interpret frm and int? 10) What shuld I d if I dn t knw which language my client speaks? 11) Hw can I cancel a service I previusly bked? 12) Why shuld I prefer telephne interpreting ver face t face?
1) Hw d I determine which service I need? TRANSLATION is written. If yu have a dcument, leaflet, brchure, website, e-mail, letter, frm, r any ther kind f written text which yu need t have cnverted frm English int anther language (r languages) r frm anther language(s) int English, then yu need translatin. FACE-TO FACE INTERPRETING is required when a linguist has t be physically present and interpret (rally) the cntents f a cnversatin between yu and a third party (yur client) frm ne language t anther. TELEPHONE INTERPRETING is the same as face-t face interpreting except that it is cnducted ver the telephne as the interpreter is nt in the physical presence f yu and yur third party. This is ideal fr urgent situatins when yu d nt have the time t wait fr a face-t-face interpreter. 2) Hw d I bk face t face interpreters? All interpreters are freelancers and are used as and when needed. It is therefre advisable t make the bking as much in advance as pssible, ideally 48 hurs in advance. We may be able t send yu an interpreter with nly ne hur s ntice; hwever that wuld limit ur ptins in rder t match yur requirements, such as age, gender, etc. Every time yu need an interpreter, please fill an nline Interpreting Request Frm: https://imperial.rbit.pearllinguistics.cm/lgin If yu d nt have yur lg in details, please cntact Pearl n 020 7253 7700 r email: interpreting@pearllinguistics.cm Once yur interpreter is bked, yur crdinatr will cnfirm the bking f an interpreter by emailing the Interpreter Request Frm back t yu, with the indicatin CONFIRMED at the end f the frm, prviding the name f the interpreter and a jb reference number. 3) Hw d I bk telephne interpreters? - Please call 0800 206 1119 and enter yur 6 digit Language Access Cde (withut the first letter). 2
- Yu will then be cnnected t an peratr. - The Operatr will need the fllwing infrmatin: Cuncil Name Department Name Yur First Name and Surname Required Language - The peratr will then put yu n hld whilst they find the first available interpreter. - Once an interpreter has been arranged, yu will be transferred t a three-way telephne line. - Intrduce yurself t the Interpreter. - Brief the interpreter n the issue, where yu are and describe the type f telephne equipment yu are using (cnference telephne, dual handset, single telephne). - Intrduce yurself and the interpreter t the client. - If yur client is n the phne t yu, yu will speak t the interpreter and pause fr him/her t interpret. - If yur client is present, yu will need t pass the phne t yur client each time yu finish speaking t the interpreter. 4) Hw d I bk translatin services? Every time yu need a translatin, please fill an nline Request Frm: https://imperial.rbit.pearllinguistics.cm/lgin If yu d nt have yur lg in details, please cntact Pearl n 020 7253 7700 r email: interpreting@pearllinguistics.cm Alternatively yu can pst yur dcument t Pearl Linguistics. Pearl Linguistics, 2nd Flr, Jrdan Huse, 47 Brunswick Place, Lndn, N1 6EB Please send the dcuments with a cvering letter stating: 3
full cntact details which language(s) yu want it translated int when yu require the translatin delivered back t yu Once we have received yur dcuments, we will review yur prject and e-mail yu back a cst estimate in line with the agreed rates. If yu are happy with it, we will g ahead. 5) Hw d I bk services ut f hurs? All yu need t d is call ur ffice switchbard n 020 7253 7700. 6) Hw quickly can yu send an interpreter? Althugh it is advisable t give us as much ntice as pssible, fr emergencies and last minute requirements, we will d ur best t send yu an interpreter within hurs. Hwever, yu are still strngly advised t bk yur interpreters as sn as yu are aware f yur need rather than leaving it t the last minute. Making bulk bkings fr future dates wuld als help yu spend less time n admin f individual bkings. 7) Hw can I use a face t face interpreter effectively? Befre the sessin Befre the sessin begins, it is advisable t determine if briefing the interpreter is necessary. This culd be because yu need t: clarify cultural differences explain specialised terminlgy which might prve difficult t translate int the secnd language explain the curse f the sessin as yu have envisaged give the interpreter an pprtunity t raise any issues s/he might fresee ccurring during the curse f the sessin 4
Yu shuld make sure the seating psitins enable smth three-way cmmunicatin. The interpreter shuld be sitting either between the speakers r in any ther central psitin that wuld nt hinder the audibility f the interpretatin. Once the client arrives, it is advisable that yu intrduce yurself bth t the client and the interpreter. Eye cntact shuld be maintained with the client, rather than with the interpreter, and the whle interview shuld be cnducted in direct first-persn speech. Yu r yur client has the right t decide t discntinue the service f a particular interpreter in the subsequent sessins withut stating any reasn. After the sessin At the end f the sessin, yu will be asked t fill in the interpreter s time-sheet. Please nte that the start f the sessin will always be taken as the time when the bking was cnfirmed fr, even if the actual start time f the sessin is delayed due t unfreseen circumstances unless the interpreter is directly respnsible fr the delay. The interpreter will take the time-sheet away with them at the end f the sessin. Shuld an ccasin arise when the interpreter des nt attend the interpreting sessin, fr any reasn, this shuld be reprted immediately t Pearl Linguistics. We will take all necessary measures t ensure this practice is nt repeated. 8) Hw can I use a telephne interpreter effectively? Speak in first persn at all times (say "Hw d yu feel?" rather than "Ask her hw she feels"). Keep the amunt t be interpreted shrt, with ne idea per sentence. Include a pause after each sentence, s that the participants d nt talk ver each ther r cut each ther ff. Chse yur wrds carefully and use an apprpriate tne f vice. If yu are in the same rm as the client sit facing them. Be aware f yur bdy language and use plenty f nn-verbal reassurance; smiles and ther gestures. 5
If the cnsultatin is ging t be a lng ne (we recmmend n mre than an hur), make sure yu give the interpreter a few minutes break n the half-hur. 9) Which languages can yu translate and interpret frm and int? We are able t prvide yu with ver 270 languages, frm the mst cmmn cmmunity languages t the rarest dialects. 10) What shuld I d if I dn t knw which language my client speaks? Pearl Linguistics has prvided yu with varius Language Identificatin Tls in the shape f large psters r small leaflets. Please shw ne f these t yur client and wait fr them t pint ut the language they speak. If yu cannt identify their language, please call Pearl Linguistics. Please let us knw if yur client has a distinct reginal lk and put yur client n the phne. We will ask them a series f questins phnetically in freign languages in rder t identify which ne they speak. 11) Hw can I cancel a service I previusly bked? Every time yu need t cancel a service, please d it nline: https://imperial.rbit.pearllinguistics.cm/lgin Yu can als cancel the services via email r by simply calling ur ffice. Please make sure yu give us at least 24 hurs ntice in rder t avid a cancellatin charge f 1 hur bking fee. 12) WHY SHOULD I PREFER TELEPHONE INTERPRETING OVER FACE TO FACE? 6
Telephne interpreting facts & figures: Number f interpreters available 6870 Languages cvered 230 Cnnectivity reliability 100% Average call cnnectin time - day time 30s Average call cnnectin time - ut f hurs 1.45s Average call-answer time by live peratr 5s Service availability 24/7 Call cnnectin success 99.95% Average call duratin 18 mins Telephne Interpreting is the fastest and mst efficient way f getting hld f an interpreter. The advantages are as fllws: It takes rughly 40 secnds t get cnnected with a telephne interpreter whereas yu will have t wait at least a cuple f hurs fr a face t face interpreter t arrive (if there is an available interpreter). In an emergency r an unexpected situatin, telephne interpreting is ideal as there is n waiting time invlved. Yu d nt have t bk it in advance; yu can be speaking with an interpreter within minutes f realising yur need. Yu d nt have t fill a frm and cmplete any paperwrk t rder a telephne interpreter. Yu just need t dial the number mentined in Questin 3 and tell the peratr the language. Telephne interpreting des nt require any preparatin in advance. Telephne interpreting is ideal in situatins where the client is nt uncmfrtable with the physical existence f an interpreter. There may be cultural, gender r illness specific reasns fr this. It is als preferred by clients fr cnfidentiality reasns. Clients ften fear that the interpreter may be smene frm their wn cmmunity. Telephne interpreting is als very useful in cnveying a shrt message t client r a next f kin wh are at their hmes, i.e. change f appintment times, requesting dcumentatin etc Telephne interpreting is much mre cst effective than face t face interpreting. Using telephne interpreting ver face t face will help yu use yur annual interpreting budget helping mre clients. 7