Reference

Interpreting & translation glossary.

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Plain-language definitions of the most common interpreting, translation, and certification terms. Bookmark this page or send it to a colleague.

ASL (American Sign Language): A complete, natural language used by Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities in the United States and parts of Canada. ASL has its own grammar and syntax distinct from English. RID-certified ASL interpreters are required for many legal and medical settings.
ATA (American Translators Association): The largest professional association for translators and interpreters in the United States, founded in 1959. ATA offers certification examinations in many language pairs and maintains a public directory of certified translators.
Back translation: A quality-assurance technique in which a translated document is re-translated back into the source language by a different translator to verify accuracy. Common in pharmaceutical, clinical-trial, and high-stakes contractual translation.
CART (Communication Access Real-time Translation): Real-time conversion of spoken English into written English text by a trained CART provider. Used for Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals who prefer text over sign language interpretation.
Certificate of accuracy: A signed statement from a translator attesting that a translation is a true and accurate rendering of the source document. Required for court filings, immigration paperwork, and many official uses. Often notarized.
Certified interpreter: An interpreter who has passed a recognized certification examination, typically state court certification, federal court certification, or specialty medical certification. Certification level required varies by setting and jurisdiction.
Certified translation: A translation accompanied by a signed certificate of accuracy from the translator. Required for official, legal, and immigration purposes. Distinct from "notarized" translation, which adds notary verification of the translator's identity.
Consecutive interpreting: An interpreting mode in which the speaker pauses periodically to allow the interpreter to render what was said. Common in depositions, witness examinations, medical appointments, and small meetings.
Court interpreter: An interpreter certified or registered to provide interpretation services in judicial proceedings. Certification standards vary by jurisdiction. California maintains a state Court Interpreter Program; the federal courts maintain a separate certification.
Deposition: Sworn out-of-court testimony given by a witness, typically with attorneys for both sides present and a court reporter recording. When a non-English-speaking witness is deposed, a certified interpreter renders questions and answers consecutively.
EUO (Examination Under Oath): A formal interview conducted by an insurance carrier or its counsel with a claimant under oath, typically during the investigation of a claim. Recorded and transcribed. Certified interpreters are required when the claimant is not a native English speaker.
IME (Independent Medical Examination): A medical examination of a claimant or plaintiff conducted by a physician other than the treating physician, typically requested by an insurance carrier or defense counsel. Medically-trained interpreters are required when the patient is not a native English speaker.
NAJIT (National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators): The leading professional association in the United States for interpreters and translators working in court and legal settings. NAJIT maintains certification standards and a public member directory.
NAATI / RID / CCHI: Certification bodies. RID (Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf) certifies American Sign Language interpreters in the United States. CCHI (Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters) certifies medical interpreters. NAATI is the Australian credentialing authority.
NAICS 541930: The North American Industry Classification System code for "Translation and Interpretation Services." Used in government procurement, business directories, and economic statistics.
Project Manager: In the language services industry, a point of contact at an agency who can coordinate an interpreting or translation assignment, including scheduling, linguist selection, quality assurance, and client communication.
Section 1557: A provision of the Affordable Care Act prohibiting discrimination in healthcare on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. Section 1557 imposes specific language-access obligations on covered healthcare programs.
Sight translation: Oral rendering of a written document. The interpreter reads a document in one language and translates it aloud in another in real time. Common in legal and medical settings when documents arrive unexpectedly.
Simultaneous interpreting: An interpreting mode in which the interpreter renders the speaker's words into the target language continuously, with only a few seconds delay. Common in conferences, large hearings, and trials. Often requires equipment.
Source and target language: The source language is the language being translated or interpreted from. The target language is the language being translated or interpreted into. Many interpreters work in both directions between two languages.
Title VI: A provision of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that prohibits discrimination on the basis of national origin by recipients of federal financial assistance. Title VI imposes language-access obligations on courts, schools, agencies, and many healthcare providers.
Transcription: The process of producing a written record of audio or video content. Verbatim transcription captures every word, pause, and false start. Clean transcription removes filler words and false starts. Time-coded transcripts map text to specific points in the recording.
Translation: The conversion of written text from one language to another. Distinct from interpretation, which deals with spoken (or signed) language in real time.
VRI (Video Remote Interpreting): Interpretation delivered through a live video connection between the interpreter, the speakers, and any other parties. Common for short medical appointments, sign-language interpreting, and assignments where on-site is not feasible.
WCAB (Workers' Compensation Appeals Board): The California state agency that adjudicates workers-compensation disputes. WCAB hearings and depositions involving non-English-speaking workers require certified interpreters.