The ultimate goal of translation services is to break down the barriers in the way of communication by providing a seamless filter between two different languages, which in our case is invariably Polish and English.
This inherently requires a significant level of impartiality and accuracy, as the nuances of different languages can be very subtle and can lead to miscommunication, confusion and in some rare cases outright hostility.
This is particularly important in legal situations where someone needs to provide accurate information that will be relied on in court and used as evidence, as well as in healthcare settings where accurate information needs to be conveyed.
However, the need for accuracy and the need for impartiality can sometimes be tested or even put into conflict by particular situations, which are ironically when careful interpretation is needed the most.
These situations are best resolved through careful interventions, where an interpreter stops purely translating from one language to another and takes the initiative to assist a situation directly.
The most common intervention is to ask one party or another for clarification, either to help their own understanding or so they can accurately convey the intent and meaning of a particular expression.
Typically there is a five-step process translators and interpreters use when deciding whether to intervene in a situation:
- Have they noticed a problem?
- Can this problem be solved without the interpreter intervening?
- Will misunderstanding or even harm occur as a result of the problem?
- Is this intervention being done for the right reasons?
- What is the least-invasive way to intervene, and the clearest, shortest way to word this intervention?
This is often used in situations where specialist language is likely to be used which may not necessarily be understood by both parties unless they have a particularly strong understanding of the field in question both in Polish and English.