As a Child of Deaf Adults (CODA), I experienced my fair share of interpreting for my parents. Growing up, I was involved in conversations between my parents and lawyers, shady mechanics, doctors, waiters, other family members and just about everything in between. Most of these situations were benign, however many left me feeling very uncomfortable. Here are a few reasons why you should have a professional interpreter or translator instead of using a family member.
1. Avoiding Psychological Harm
Children are especially vulnerable to the effects of interpreting during stressful situations. Studies have shown long-term negative effects on children growing up interpreting for family members. Bad news is often unpredictable, so don’t let your child be blindsided along with you when it comes. Avoid involving them in serious medical or legal matters. Professional interpreters and translators are not emotionally involved in the outcome of the clients, so they are less affected by what transpires. Plus, they are adults who have experienced these issues in the past and are often aware of coping mechanisms that children are unaware of.
Even mundane situations can turn stressful for a child. Arguments can pop up anywhere. So even though you may think having your family interpret mundane situations is okay, they may be prematurely exposed to adult arguments. These days there are many resources and apps that do well enough translating for these everyday situations, so consider using those when appropriate before using a family member.
2. Omissions & Misinterpretations
Interpreting and translating are in some ways forms of art. There can be several ways to carry the meaning from one language over into another. It’s not just a simple word-for-word substitution, which is why it’s been difficult for machines to interpret as well as humans. Professional interpreters and translators are trained to carefully carry that meaning over, and stop to ask questions whenever anything is unclear. Family members often aren’t so diligent. They often leave details out, believing that the “gist” is good enough. This may be harmless if you’re ordering a meal, but probably not so much if you’re discussing your case with a doctor or a lawyer.
Family members may often think they know what is meant by what they hear, but are much less likely to stop the conversation and ask for clarification. It’s not easy to admit that you don’t know something, so they will often just go on interpreting guessing what was meant. Professionals are trained to realize that this is not a flaw, but a strength. No one interpreter is an expert in all fields, so they’re bound to ask for clarification and should be used to doing so. Their main goal is to make sure the full message has been faithfully conveyed, and this cannot be done if there is doubt as to the meaning of the source message.
Furthermore, misinterpretations may be intentional. A family member may say something inappropriate, or even self-incriminating, and a non-professional interpreter may take it upon themselves to modify that message. This may sound like a benefit of having a family member there, however that’s not always the case. If it’s a legal matter, the “lie” may eventually be exposed subjecting the interpreter or the family member to further trouble. Additionally, the family member may be fully aware of the consequences of their intended message and want it to be faithfully conveyed, even though the “interpreter” thinks it’s inappropriate.
3. Negatively Affecting the Relationship
Both of the reasons listed above can stress the relationship. A family member inadvertently exposed to personal problems, or feeling stuck between conveying a potentially uncomfortable or self-incriminating message or editing that message. These negative situations can carry over into the personal relationship causing tension or avoidance. Familial relationships already have enough challenges without adding interpreting or translating to the mix.
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