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Interpreting glossary

Plain definitions for the words agencies, interpreters, and clients use. 77 terms, from consecutive interpreting to rate cards.

77 terms

A

Account
In IMPA client in IMP, with its own users, rate card, and invoices. More
Account Admin
In IMPThe IMP client role that requests interpreters and approves requests from Limited Requestors. More
Activity log
In IMPThe record in IMP of job changes, invoices, pay statements, and other actions, with who did them and when. More
ADAAmericans with Disabilities Act
Laws and accessRequires effective communication with people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, which can mean providing a qualified interpreter.
After-hours rate
Scheduling and billingA higher rate for work outside business hours. More
Agency Admin
In IMPThe IMP role for an agency's schedulers and office staff. More
AI OPIAI Translator
In IMPMachine translation for routine spoken-language calls in IMP. More
ASLAmerican Sign Language
Credentials and peopleA complete language with its own grammar, used by Deaf communities in the United States and parts of Canada. It is not English on the hands. More

B

BEIBoard for Evaluation of Interpreters
Credentials and peopleThe Texas program that certifies ASL interpreters, at levels I through V and in specialties.
Broadcast
In IMPSending a job offer to the interpreters who qualify, so they can accept it in the IMP app. More
Buffer
In IMPTime you set between jobs in IMP. When you broadcast, interpreters booked inside it get a warning. More

C

CARTCommunication Access Realtime Translation
Settings and servicesA trained captioner writes what is said, word for word, as it happens.
CDICertified Deaf Interpreter
Credentials and peopleA credential from RID for interpreters who are Deaf. More
Certified interpreter
Credentials and peopleAn interpreter who has passed a credentialing exam from a recognized body, like RID, a state court program, or a medical interpreter certification board.
CHI and CoreCHI
Credentials and peopleCredentials for healthcare interpreters from the Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters.
Cleared settings
In IMPThe settings, like Medical or Court, an interpreter is cleared for on each language pair in IMP. More
CMICertified Medical Interpreter
Credentials and peopleA credential from the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters.
Community interpretingPublic service interpreting
Settings and servicesInterpreting for everyday services like health care, schools, social services, and local government.
Conference interpreting
Settings and servicesSimultaneous interpreting for meetings and conferences, often from a booth.
Consecutive interpreting
Ways of interpretingThe speaker pauses, and the interpreter renders what was said in segments. Common in medical visits, interviews, and depositions.
Court certified interpreter
Credentials and peopleAn interpreter certified by a state court program, or, for Spanish in federal court, through the Federal Court Interpreter Certification Examination.
Court interpreting
Settings and servicesInterpreting in court proceedings, usually by interpreters certified by the courts. More

D

Deaf and deaf
Credentials and peopleDeaf with a capital D refers to people who share the language and culture of the Deaf community, often using a sign language. Lowercase deaf refers to hearing loss itself.
Deaf interpreter
Credentials and peopleAn interpreter who is Deaf, often working with a hearing interpreter to make communication clearer. More
DeafBlind
Credentials and peopleHaving both hearing and vision loss. DeafBlind people communicate in many ways, including tactile and ProTactile methods.

E

Educational interpreting
Settings and servicesInterpreting in schools and colleges, from classroom support to IEP meetings. More
EIPAEducational Interpreter Performance Assessment
Credentials and peopleAn assessment used to evaluate interpreters who work in schools.

H

Hard of hearing
Credentials and peopleHaving some hearing loss. Many hard of hearing people use speech, captions, or hearing technology, and some sign.
Holiday rate
Scheduling and billingA higher rate for work on a holiday. More

I

IEPIndividualized Education Program
Laws and accessA written plan for a public school student who receives special education. Families who are Deaf or have limited English may need an interpreter at IEP meetings. More
IMEIndependent medical examination
Laws and accessAn exam by a doctor who has not treated the patient, often for an insurance or legal claim. More

L

Language access plan
Laws and accessAn organization's written plan for serving people with limited English or who use sign language: when interpreters are provided, how to request them, and who arranges them.
Language pair
Credentials and peopleThe two languages an interpreter works between, like English and Spanish. More
Late cancellation
Scheduling and billingA cancellation inside the notice window a contract sets. It may still be billed. More
Settings and servicesInterpreting for attorneys, depositions, and legal matters outside the courtroom. More
LEPLimited English proficiency
Credentials and peopleDescribes a person who does not speak English as their primary language and has a limited ability to read, speak, write, or understand it.
Limited Requestor
In IMPThe IMP client role whose requests wait for an Account Admin to approve them. More

M

Medical interpretingHealthcare interpreting
Settings and servicesInterpreting in health care, from routine appointments to emergencies. More
Modality
Credentials and peopleHow a language is expressed: spoken, signed, written, or tactile. It is also used for how interpreting is delivered: onsite, by video, or by phone.

N

NADNational Association of the Deaf
Credentials and peopleThe national civil rights organization of and for Deaf and hard of hearing people in the United States.
NICNational Interpreter Certification
Credentials and peopleA credential from RID for ASL and English interpreters.
No-show
Scheduling and billingWhen the client or the interpreter does not appear for a confirmed job.

O

On-demand interpreting
Settings and servicesRemote interpreting requested the moment it is needed, without an appointment.
Onsite interpretingIn-person interpreting
Settings and servicesThe interpreter is in the room with the people communicating. More
OPIOver-the-phone interpreting
Settings and servicesA spoken-language interpreter joins by phone. It is not used for sign language. More
Overflow coverage
In IMPAn IMP setting that offers a live video or phone call to the IMP Interpreter Network after a delay you choose, while your own interpreters can still take it. More

P

Pay period
In IMPThe span of work a pay statement covers, on the agency's payroll schedule. More
Pay statement
In IMPWhat IMP shows an interpreter for a pay period: the jobs and what they earned. More
ProTactile
Ways of interpretingA set of touch-based communication practices developed by DeafBlind people.

Q

Qualified interpreter
Credentials and peopleUnder the ADA rules, an interpreter who can interpret effectively, accurately, and impartially, both receptively and expressively, using any specialized vocabulary the situation needs.

R

Rate card
Scheduling and billingThe rates and rules an agency uses to price jobs for a client: hourly rates, minimums, rounding, and special rates. More
Recurring series
In IMPA set of jobs that repeat on a schedule, created together in IMP. More
Relay interpreting
Ways of interpretingInterpreting through a second interpreter. A Deaf interpreter working with a hearing interpreter is one form. Passing between two spoken languages through a shared third language is another.
Requestor
In IMPThe IMP client role that requests interpreters and follows those requests. More
RIDRegistry of Interpreters for the Deaf
Credentials and peopleThe national professional association for sign language interpreters in the United States.
Rush rate
Scheduling and billingAn extra charge for a job booked on short notice. More

S

SC:LSpecialist Certificate: Legal
Credentials and peopleA credential from RID for legal interpreting.
Scheduled interpreting
Settings and servicesInterpreting booked ahead for a set date and time.
Section 1557
Laws and accessPart of the Affordable Care Act. It bars discrimination in health programs that receive federal funds, including on the basis of national origin and disability.
Section 504
Laws and accessPart of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. It bars disability discrimination by programs that receive federal funds.
Sight translation
Ways of interpretingReading a written document out loud, or signing it, in another language on the spot, like a consent form or discharge instructions.
Simultaneous interpreting
Ways of interpretingThe interpreter renders the message while the speaker keeps talking or signing, a few seconds behind. Sign language interpreting is usually simultaneous, and spoken conferences use booths and headsets.
Source and target language
Credentials and peopleThe source language is the one being interpreted from. The target language is the one being interpreted into.

T

Tactile interpreting
Ways of interpretingInterpreting for a DeafBlind person through touch, often with the person's hands on the interpreter's hands.
Team interpreting
Ways of interpretingTwo or more interpreters sharing one assignment, trading off and supporting each other. Common for long or complex work. More
Team job
In IMPAn appointment in IMP with two or more interpreters on it. More
Title VI
Laws and accessPart of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It bars national origin discrimination in programs that receive federal funds, which includes giving people with limited English meaningful access.
Translation
Ways of interpretingWritten work. Interpreting is spoken or signed, in real time. Translation turns written text in one language into written text in another.
Transliteration
Ways of interpretingRendering between spoken English and a signed form that follows English word order, rather than ASL grammar.
Travel and mileage
Scheduling and billingWhat some agencies bill for the distance an interpreter drives to an onsite job.
Trilingual interpreting
Ways of interpretingInterpreting among three languages, most often ASL, English, and Spanish.
Two-hour minimum
Scheduling and billingA common billing rule: an onsite job bills at least two hours, even if it ends early. More
TypeWell
Settings and servicesMeaning-for-meaning transcription that captures what is said in clear, condensed text as it happens.

V

Voice interpretingSign-to-voice
Ways of interpretingRendering a Deaf person's signing into spoken English.
VRIVideo remote interpreting
Settings and servicesAn interpreter joins by video for people in the same place, like a patient and a doctor. Used for sign language and spoken languages. More
VRSVideo relay service
Settings and servicesA phone service regulated by the FCC that lets people who use sign language make calls through a video interpreter. Unlike VRI, it connects people in different places and is free to callers.

W

Whispered interpretingChuchotage
Ways of interpretingSimultaneous interpreting spoken quietly to one or two listeners, without equipment.

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