Working with Interpreters: Beyond Language Translation

Working with Interpreters: Beyond Language Translation

Category: Practical Tools & Skills
Reading time: 7 minutes

You're meeting with a client who speaks limited English. Their teenage daughter translates.

You discuss domestic violence. The daughter translates selectively. Changes the story. Minimises. Protects her father.

This isn't an interpretation. It's re-traumatisation.

Your agency books a phone interpreter. A male interpreter for a woman discussing sexual assault.

She shuts down. Says everything's fine. The session is useless.

Wrong interpreter choice prevents disclosure.

You work with an interpreter regularly. You brief them in front of the client about "the difficult patient" you're about to see.

You've just destroyed trust and confidentiality.

Let me show you how to work effectively with professional interpreters, why family members should never interpret, and how to create culturally safe practice through good interpretation.

Understanding Professional Interpretation

What Interpreters Do

Professional interpreters:

• Translate language accurately

• Convey meaning, not just words

• Maintain neutrality

• Respect confidentiality

• Understand interpreting ethics

• Navigate cultural context

Not:

• Just bilingual community members

• Advocates (that's a separate role)

• Your assistants

• Cultural experts (though they have cultural knowledge)

• There to agree with you

Why Professional Interpreters Matter

Clients have the right to:

• Understand information fully

• Express themselves fully

• Access services in their language

• Confidential interpretation

• Culturally appropriate interpretation

Professional interpreters enable:

• Accurate communication

• Informed consent

• Therapeutic rapport

• Cultural safety

• Legal compliance

• Effective service

It's not a luxury. It's access.

Types of Interpreting

In-person:

• Face-to-face interpreting

• Best for complex, sensitive, or long sessions

• Allows non-verbal communication observation

• Most effective for building rapport

Phone:

• Quick access

• Useful for short, non-complex communication

• Less ideal for sensitive topics

• Can't see body language

Video:

• Middle ground between phone and in-person

• Can see participants

• Good for remote services

• Technology-dependent

Each has its place. Choose appropriately for the situation.

Choosing an Interpreter

Match to Need

Consider:

Gender:

• Critical for sensitive topics (DV, sexual assault, reproductive health)

• Ask the client's preference

• Default to matching gender for sensitive topics

Language and dialect:

• Not all "Arabic" or "Chinese" is the same

• Specify dialect/region when booking

• Ask the client what language they're most comfortable in

Cultural background:

• Sometimes, a specific cultural match matters

• Other times can be a barrier (small community, privacy concerns)

• Ask client

Age:

• It may matter for some topics

• Older clients may prefer an older interpreter for respect

Professional vs. community interpreter:

• Trained professional for complex/sensitive work

• Qualified, accredited where possible

Consistency:

• The same interpreter builds a relationship

• Client doesn't re-explain each time

• But balance with privacy in small communities

Never Use Family Members

Why family/friends should NOT interpret:

For client:

• No privacy (family hears everything)

• Can't disclose family issues, abuse, secrets

• May not translate accurately (protect family, change story)

• Reverses family roles inappropriately

• Traumatises family member with content

• Violates confidentiality

For family member:

• Burden of adult responsibility on children

• Exposure to inappropriate content

• Conflicting loyalties

• Emotional impact of content

• No training or ethics requirements

For you:

• Can't trust the accuracy

• May miss critical information

• Legal and ethical concerns

• Inadequate consent

Common scenario: Child interprets parent's medical diagnosis, domestic violence disclosure, or mental health crisis.

This is harmful to the child and ineffective for the parent.

Always use a professional interpreter.

Exception: Emergency only, and only for immediate safety, not ongoing service.

Before the Session

Book Early

Don't leave it to the last minute.

Interpreters need:

• Notice to be available

• Time to prepare

• Clarity about the assignment

When booking, provide:

• Language and dialect required

• Gender preference

• Topic/context (so they can prepare relevant vocabulary)

• Estimated duration

• Format (in-person, phone, video)

• Location details

Brief the Interpreter

Brief separately from the client, but briefly.

Don't:

• Have a long conversation in front of the client in English

• Share confidential information unnecessarily

• Express judgments about the client

• Tell them what you want them to say

Do:

"Today we're discussing [general topic - housing, health, legal issue]. I'll speak directly to [client name] and pause for interpretation. Please interpret everything said by everyone, including side comments. Let me know if you need clarification."

That's it.

Context without confidentiality breach.

Set Up Physical Space

Positioning matters:

Best arrangement:

• Triangle formation

• You and the client face each other

• Interpreter slightly to the side

• All can see each other

Why:

• Maintains a relationship between you and the client

• The interpreter can see both people

• Client and you are primary relationship

Not:

• An interpreter between you and the client

• Interpreter directly next to you (looks like your assistant)

• The client can't see the interpreter

• Behind client

The interpreter is present but not the centre of interaction.

During the Session

Speak Directly to Client

Look at the client, not the interpreter.

Say: "Can you tell me about your situation?"

Not: "Can you ask her to tell me about her situation?"

The conversation is with the client.

An interpreter is a tool for communication, not the person you're speaking to.

Use First Person

Say: "I am worried about..."

Not: "Tell her I am worried about..."

The interpreter will translate "I" as the client saying "I."

Maintains direct communication.

Pause Appropriately

After each complete thought, pause for interpretation.

Not:

• Long monologue, then pause

• One word, then pause

• Interrupting mid-sentence

Complete thought = usually 1-2 sentences.

Then pause. Let the interpreter work.

Speak Clearly

Clear speech:

• Normal pace (not too fast)

• Simple, direct language

• Avoid jargon, acronyms, and idioms

• Don't use slang

• Break complex ideas into chunks

Say: "You have the right to make decisions about your own life."

Not: "You know, like, at the end of the day, what we're getting at here is sort of like, you're the captain of your own ship, right?"

Check Understanding

Throughout the session:

"I want to make sure I'm being clear. Can you tell me what you understand about [topic]?"

This checks:

• Your clarity

• Interpretation accuracy

• Client comprehension

Not: "Does that make sense?" (people say yes even when no)

Allow Time

Interpretation takes time.

Session will be:

• Longer than a monolingual session

• Sometimes much longer

• Requires patience

Don't:

• Rush

• Get frustrated with the pace

• Pressure the client to speak faster

• Cut off interpretation

Build extra time into appointments.

Interpret Everything

Instruct interpreter:

"Please interpret everything said by everyone, including side comments, interruptions, or anything said by others in the room."

Everything means:

• Your words

• Client's words

• Anyone else present

• Side comments

• Phone interruptions

• Everything

Selective interpretation prevents full participation.

Manage Group Conversations

If family/multiple people:

Clarify: "Please speak one at a time so [interpreter] can translate everything."

Manage conversation flow:

• One speaker at a time

• Clear who's speaking

• The interpreter indicates who said what

Otherwise, chaos and partial translation.

Watch Non-Verbal Communication

You can observe:

• Body language

• Emotional responses

• Non-verbal cues

• Tone (even without understanding words)

These inform your practice.

But don't:

• Make assumptions based only on non-verbal

• Ignore verbal content

• Over-interpret cultural differences in expression

Address Confusion

If something seems off:

Stop. Clarify.

"I'm noticing [observation]. I want to make sure we're all understanding each other. Can we go back to [topic] and clarify?"

Might be:

• Translation confusion

• Cultural misunderstanding

• Missing context

• Complex concept

Better to stop and clarify than proceed with confusion.

Cultural Interpretation

Sometimes the interpreter will say:

"There's no direct translation for that concept. In [language], the closest meaning is..."

Or:

"In their culture, this means..."

This is an appropriate cultural context.

But the interpreter should:

• Still translate what was said

• Add cultural context as an explanation

• Not substitute their opinion for translation

You can also ask:

"I notice [client] seemed [confused/upset/uncertain]. Is there a cultural context I should understand?"

An interpreter can provide context without breaking neutrality.

After the Session

Debrief Briefly

Quick check:

"Thanks for interpreting today. Was there anything culturally important I should be aware of for future sessions?"

Not:

• Long discussion of the client

• Gossip

• Sharing confidential information

• Asking them to make judgments about the client

Brief, professional, focused on improving practice.

Document

Note:

• Interpreter used (name if known, agency if not)

• Language/dialect

• Any challenges in communication

• Cultural context learned

Helps continuity for next time.

Common Challenges

Interpreter Adds or Omits

If you suspect the interpreter isn't translating accurately:

Indicators:

• Very long client speech, very short translation (or vice versa)

• Interpreter arguing with client

• Interpreter answering for the client

• Body language doesn't match translated words

Address it:

"I notice [client] spoke for several minutes, but the translation was brief. Can you translate everything they said, even if it seems repetitive?"

Or:

Speak to the agency/service about interpreter quality.

Cultural Conflicts

An interpreter may have:

• Different political views from the client

• Different religion

• Historical community conflict

• Different class background

If this affects interpretation:

• Request a different interpreter

• Address with the agency

• Prioritise client comfort

Small Community Privacy

In small communities:

• Everyone knows everyone

• The interpreter may know the client

• Privacy concerns real

Acknowledge:

"I know this community is close-knit. Everything discussed here is confidential. [Interpreter], you're bound by confidentiality. [Client], if you have any concerns about privacy, please let me know."

Sometimes:

• Client prefers an interpreter from a different community

• Phone interpretation for privacy

• Travel to different areas

Respect concerns about privacy.

Trauma Content

Interpreters are exposed to:

• Trauma stories

• Distressing content

• Secondary traumatization

Remember:

• Thank them

• Acknowledge the difficulty of the work

• Don't dump all your hardest cases on the same interpreter

• Advocate for interpreters to have supervision/support

Building Good Relationships with Interpreters

Regular interpreters become part of the team.

Treat professionally:

• Respect their skills

• Pay them appropriately (or ensure the agency does)

• Don't waste their time

• Brief and debrief appropriately

• Thank them

• Don't treat as an assistant

Good relationship with the interpreter:

• Improves communication

• Builds trust with the client

• Increases cultural understanding

• Makes your work more effective

Organisational Responsibilities

Organisations should:

• Have a budget for professional interpreters

• Have contracts with interpreting agencies

• Train staff in working with interpreters

• Have a list of qualified interpreters for common languages

• Know how to access phone interpreting

• Have a policy against using family members

• Pay interpreters fairly and promptly

• Provide private space for interpreted sessions

Not:

• Expect workers to manage with limited English

• Force the use of family interpreters to save money

• Book male interpreters for sensitive women's business

• Skip interpreters because "they seem to understand some English"

Accessible services require investment in interpretation.

The Bigger Picture

Language access is a human right.

People who don't speak English fluently have the right to:

• Understand services

• Be understood

• Informed consent

• Full participation

• Privacy

• Cultural safety

Professional interpreters enable this.

Working effectively with interpreters is:

• Skill

• Professional responsibility

• Justice issue

• Quality practice

Not using interpreters or using family members is:

• Discriminatory

• Unethical

• Ineffective

• Potentially dangerous

Invest in:

• Professional interpreting services

• Training for staff

• Time for interpreted sessions

• Good relationships with interpreters

This is how we serve linguistically diverse communities with dignity and effectiveness.

Key Takeaways

• Always use professional interpreters, never family members; family interpreting violates privacy, creates conflicts, and traumatises family members

• When booking, specify language/dialect, gender preference, topic, duration; don't assume all "Arabic" or "Chinese" is the same

• Position in triangle: you and the client face each other, the interpreter to the side where all can see; maintains the primary relationship between you and the client

• Speak directly to the client in the first person ("I am worried about..."), not to the interpreter in the third person

• Brief the interpreter separately but briefly; don't have long English conversations in front of the client or share unnecessary confidential information

• Pause after 1-2 sentences for interpretation; not long monologues or single words

• Interpret everything said by everyone, including side comments; selective interpretation prevents full participation

• Professional interpreters are bound by confidentiality, translate accurately, understand ethics; they're not advocates or assistants

Reflection Questions

• Have you ever relied on family members to interpret? What were the risks?

• How does your organisation support professional interpreter access?

• What could you do differently to work more effectively with interpreters?

• Are your interpreted sessions long enough, given the time required?

Sarah Smallman is the founder of The Community Workers Hub and believes language access is a human right requiring investment in professional interpretation.