Tips for Working with a Phone Interpreter
The Do’s and Don’ts of Working with an Interpreter
Working with a telephone interpreter is not intuitive. It makes sense; most people don’t work with one as part of their job. But if you’re one of the lucky folks who do, there are best practices available that will make your session more effective. Follow these do’s and don’ts, and no one has to know you’re a newbie.
Do
Don’t
Let the interpreter introduce themselves to you and the individual with a non-English language preference (NELP).
Assume the NELP individual knows an interpreter is on the line or what the interpreter’s role is.
Speak directly to the NELP individual.
What to do: “Hello, Mr. S. Can you tell me why you’re calling today?”
Speak directly to the interpreter.
What not to do: “Please ask Mr. S why he’s calling today.”
Talk in short, 2–3 sentence segments, and then pause to allow for the interpretation.
Use jargon, overly technical language, unnecessary acronyms, slang, or colloquialisms.
Respect interpreter protocol and their judgment.
Ask for the interpreter’s opinion or ignore an interpreter’s request for clarification.
Be patient. Communicating with a NELP individual using a telephone interpreter takes a little more time.
Be hard on yourself if the first session was a little awkward. It will get easier!
