Government interpreters in Maryland are crucial in ensuring limited-English proficient (LEP) individuals have equal access to government services and can fully participate in legal proceedings and other important activities.
Since Maryland has a large immigrant population, the state needs government interpreters to provide language access services to individuals who don’t speak English fluently.
Primary Duties of Government Interpreters
Legal Interpretation
One of the primary duties of government interpreters in Maryland is providing interpretation services during legal proceedings such as court hearings and depositions.
Thanks to interpreters, LEP individuals understand the information presented and can communicate their answers accurately to English-speaking parties. Interpreters must be proficient in both English and the language the LEP individual speaks, and they should also have a thorough understanding of legal terminology and procedures.
Translation Services for Written Documents
Maryland government interpreters provide translation services for written documents such as forms, contracts, and notices. These professionals must ensure the translation is accurate, complete, and culturally appropriate, and consider cultural nuances or differences between languages.
Sometimes, interpreters may also need to adapt the language to make it understandable to the intended audience.
Cultural Mediation
Cultural mediation is another important duty of government interpreters in Maryland, as they help LEP individuals navigate the legal system and understand the cultural norms and expectations of the United States.
Interpreters provide information about laws and regulations, explain legal procedures, and assist with completing forms and other documents. They may also give LEP individuals advice on cultural norms and expectations, such as appropriate dress, behavior, and communication styles.
Coordinate Language Access
In addition to interpreting and translation, government interpreters in Maryland may be responsible for coordinating language access services for their agency. This may involve developing language access plans, training agency staff on working with LEP individuals, and ensuring compliance with federal and state language access laws.
Government interpreters may also participate in professional development activities to improve their interpreting and translation skills and stay current with new technologies and best practices.
Other Duties of Interpreters
Government interpreters can also help LEP individuals in the following ways:
- Providing language coaching: Government interpreters can provide language coaching to LEP individuals to help them improve their language skills in order to better integrate into the community.
- Conducting outreach: Government interpreters can help reach out to LEP communities to inform them about government programs and services and provide them with resources to access these services.
- Providing referrals: Government interpreters can provide referrals to other service providers or organizations that can assist LEP individuals with specific needs, such as legal assistance, health care, or social services.
The duties of government interpreters in Maryland are diverse and challenging, requiring a high degree of language proficiency, cultural sensitivity, and legal knowledge. Interpreters must work effectively under pressure and remain impartial while ensuring LEP individuals have equal access to government services and can participate fully in the legal system.
Are you Looking for a Reliable Government Interpreter in Maryland?
At TCS Interpreting and Captions, our team can help you manage, translate, and interpret source and target languages. Give us a call to learn more!