Recommended Links and Resources for Language Professionals

Related Associations

(Professional) Associations

• The American Association of Language Specialists (TAALS)
• The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)
• The American Literary Translators Association (ALTA)
• The American Society for Training and Development (ASTD)
• The American Translators Association (ATA)
• The American Translation & Interpreting Studies Association (ATISA)
• The Associated Court Translators & Interpreters Of Nevada (ACTION)
• The Associated Linguists of Oregon (ALO) (Note: they maintain a listserv or email list)
• The Association for Machine Translation in the Americas (AMTA)
• The Association of Language Companies (ALC)
• The Association of Translators and Interpreters of Florida (ATIF)
• The Atlanta Association of Interpreters and Translators (AAIT)
• The Austin Area Translators & Interpreters Association (AATIA)
• The California Court Interpreters Association (CCIA)
• The California Healthcare Interpreters Association (CHIA)
• The Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council (CTTIC)
• The Carolina Association of Translators & Interpreters (CATI)
• The Chicago Area Translators and Interpreters Association (CHICATA)
• The Colorado Association of Professional Interpreters (CAPI)
• The Colorado Translators Association (CTA)
• The Delaware Valley Translators Association (DVTA)
• The El Paso Interpreters and Translators Association (EPITA)
• The European Language Industry Association (ELIA)
• The Globalization and Localization Association (GALA)
• The Hawai’i Interpreters and Translators Association (HITA)
• The Houston Interpreters and Translators Association (HITA)
• The International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC)
• The International Association of Professional Translators and Interpreters (IAPTI)
• The International Association for Translation and Intercultural Studies (IATIS)
• The International Federation of Translators (IFT/FIT)
• The International Medical Interpreters Association (IMIA)
• The Localization Industry Standards Association (LISA)
• The Metroplex Interpreter and Translator Association (MITA)
• The Michigan Translators/Interpreters Network (MiTiN)
• The Mid-America Chapter of the American Translators Association (MICATA)
• The Midwest Association of Translators and Interpreters (MATI)
• The Modern Language Association (MLA)
• The National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE)
• The National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT)
• The National Council on Interpreting in Health Care (NCIHC)
• The National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages (NCOLCTL)
• The National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID)
• The Nebraska Association of Translators and Interpreters (NATI)
• The Network of Translators in Education (NTE/RTE – in Canada)
• The Nevada Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (NVRID)
• The New England Translators Association (NETA)
• The New Mexico Translators & Interpreters Association (NMTIA)
• The New York Circle of Translators (NYCT)
• The Northern California Translators Association (NCTA)
• The Northwest Translators and Interpreters Society (NOTIS)
• The Society for Technical Communication (STC)
• The Society of Translators and Interpreters of British Columbia (STIBC)
• The Tennessee Association of Medical Interpreters and Translators (TAMIT)
• The Tennessee Association of Professional Interpreters and Translators (TAPIT)
• The Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters and Translators (TAHIT)
• The Texas Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (TAJIT)
• The Translation Automation User Society (TAUS)
• The Translation and Interpreting Summit Advisory Council (TISAC)
• The Translators and Interpreters Guild (TTIG)
• The Utah Translators and Interpreters Association (UTIA)
• The Washington State Court Interpreters and Translators Society (WITS)

For Judicial / Legal / Court Interpreters & Translators

Governmental and Institutional Resources

• The Nevada Supreme Court / Administrative Office of the Courts – Court Interpreter Program – NOTE: See this postfor some more information about certification and pertaining examinations required for accreditation as a Nevada Certified (or: Registered) Court Interpreter.
  • Nevada Courtroom Terminology
  • Oral & Written Exam Educational Resources

• The Consortium for Language Access in the Courts(hosted by the National Center for State Courts / NCSC)
  • Practice Examination Kit (All English)
  • Practice Examination Kit (Spanish)
  • (Other) Resources for Interpreters
  • Schedules of Examination and Testing (by State)
  • Surveys of Compensation and Salaries of Court Interpreters

• The California Court Interpreter Program (CIP) NOTE: Although Nevada and California both are members of the Consortium for Language Access in the Courts, there is not a mutually recognized reciprocity of certification among these two Consortium members. To see which states are Consortium members, together with their certification requirements, see this overview page: on that page, click the link shown under “What are the certification requirements among member states?” You’ll see there that some member states recognize formal certification status obtained in CA; however, many others don’t, such as the state of Nevada. Therefor, information such as the practice examples available through the following link could be of interest to aspiring court interpreters in Nevada as well, e.g. for purposes of a dry run practice, because the material offered deals with the same three performance modes (consecutive and simultaneous interpretation, as well as sight translation) as those are also tested in Nevada. However, please keep in mind that there are differences among oral examinations. Just in case: those are merely examples that you will not encounter as such in the real oral exam, of course… And finally, success in the oral examination by one state is not necessarily a guarantee for success in the other, so: caveat emptor.
  • Samples of the California Court Interpreter Oral Examination (hosted by Prometric, a subsidiary of ETS)

• The National Judiciary Interpreter and Translator Certification (NJITCE) NOTE: The NJITCE program was created at the request of the membership of NAJIT, the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (see below, under Professional Associations). The NJITCE accreditation is currently accepted in the following states: Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Wisconsin. Several other states are working toward accepting it in the future. The written portions of the exam incorporate elements of Antonyms, Synonyms, Analogies, Grammar & Syntax, Reading Comprehension, Idioms & Proverbs, and Ethics. The oral examination tests performance in all three interpreting modes: consecutive and simultaneous interpretation, as well as sight translation. Both the written and oral components of the examination required for this accreditation will be offered in conjunction with NAJIT’s Annual Meeting and Educational Conference. A schedule of additional testing dates and sites will be announced in NAJIT’s newsletter, PROTEUS, as well as in the NAJIT calendar of events.

• The Federal Court Interpreter Program (FCICE) NOTE: A federally certified court interpreter can request accreditation as a certified court interpreter in the state of Nevada (as is the case in most other Consortium member stateswho offer such a reciprocal accreditation). Once approved, the resulting accreditation will show that of a master-level certified court interpreter in the state of Nevada.
  • FCICE Examinee Handbook – this 100+ pages thick handbook not only is a rich source of orientation material for those aspiring to become federally certified court interpreters but also contains invaluable tips and pointers together with sample questions to help you prepare for the written and oral examination rounds.
  • Frequently Asked Questions – It is highly recommendable to read through this FAQ as it addresses many of the most commonly asked questions about the federal certification program and the pertinent exams.
  • FCICE Practice Oral Examination – Whether to get a taste of the ‘real thing’ or as actual preparation material for the federal oral exam, these oral practice examination samples are offered at a level comparable to the real exam and are a good yardstick to gauge your actual performance level.
  • Current Fees for Contract Interpreters – Note that in the Federal Courts interpreters are classified according to three categories, which determine the applicable fees.
  • Standards for Performance and Professional Responsibility for Contract Court Interpreters in the Federal Courts (PDF document) – The code of conduct and ethics to which Federally Certified Court Interpreters must adhere.

Professional Associations

• Nationwide: the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT) is a valuable non-profit professional association for court interpreters and legal translators, formally organized since 1978 to specifically promote quality services in the field of legal interpreting and translating. Working toward that goal, NAJIT develops many interesting and important activities. NAJIT holds periodic meetings; publishes a quarterly newsletter (the deservedly famed Proteus) as well as glossaries, manuals, position papers, statements and advocacy letters and other publications; offers workshops and seminars for continued education and training; provides educational opportunities to non-members in order to advance understanding of the profession, appoints advisory representatives to university programs and institutes for judiciary interpreters and translators, both to learn and to share their experiences; sponsors presentations at local, regional and national meetings of other interpreter and translator associations and related language professionals; assigns representatives to serve on local and national committees or advisory boards; provides input on testing, policy and administration in the field of interpreting and translating; advocates for adequate working conditions and compensation for judiciary interpreters; maintains an active website; maintains an electronic listserve for members, and conducts other activities designed to promote the general welfare of the association and its members. NAJIT is headquartered in Washington, DC.
• Nevada: the Associated Court Translators & Interpreters Of Nevada (ACTION) is a non-profit professional organization, founded in 2005 for certified and registered interpreters and legal translators in Nevada, to advance their profession and provide a forum by which their needs and concerns can be heard, addressed and resolved. To that end, ACTION develops a range of activities such as upholding ethical and professional standards; offering continued education and advocacy related to the general public and industry standards; providing continued training and workshops relating to their local needs, and attendance in national and regional conferences; promoting a united interest for the common good of the profession through open communication, social functions, and scholarship and bereavement funds; representing their members’ interests before the Nevada Supreme Court’s Administrative Office of the Courts; actively seeking to pass legislation in matters directly affecting our profession. ACTION is headquartered in Las Vegas.

Resources for Training and Continuing Education

• Agustin de la Mora
  • de la Mora Interpreter Training (several online courses available)

• Alicia Ernand
  • Court Interpreter Exam Resources

• Holly Mikkelson
  • Tips for Taking the Federal Oral Exam

• Interpreter Education Online (array of online courses available, also for languages other than Spanish)

• InTrans Book Service (specialized for professional translators and interpreters)

• The Brennan Center for Justice(NYU School of Law)
  • Language Access (inter alia authors of the study of 35 states: “Language Access in State Courts”)

General Resources

• The National Court Reporters Association – specifically: the NCRA on-line shop, click on the “Speed Building CDs” menu to see the listing of available training CDs. Perhaps this suggestion surprises as a resource for interpreters but court reporters often use specially recorded audio material to build and speed up their skills that may be of great benefit to interpreters, as well. Especially given that those court reporter recordings are typically rated in words per minute. Of course, the material offered is typically if not exclusively in English; as an interpreter skill-building tool it still may be a valuable addition.
• Court Interpreter Codes – Part of the independently maintained Court Ethics site, this page provides a list of codes of ethics and professional responsibilities applicable to court interpreters and court interpreting in many US states and abroad. Presently, the Nevada Code of Professional Responsibility is not (yet) listed, but you can access it on the following Court Interpreters Program page via the link shown there under “Code of Professional Responsibility.”

For Medical / Health Care Translators & Interpreters

Certifying Entities for Interpreters

• The Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters (CCHI) – one of two nationally operating initiatives organized to advocate for and pursue accreditation standards and methods for interpreters in health care settings.
• The National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters (NBCMI) – one of two nationally operating initiatives organized to advocate for and pursue accreditation standards and methods for interpreters in health care settings.

Professional Associations, Governmental Entities, and Related Organizations

• The California Healthcare Interpreting Association (CHIA) – CHIA is very active in promoting training and standards for interpreting in health care settings; see their overview of training programs.
• The Center for Cross-Cultural Health – their mission is to advance health equity by addressing the root causes of poor health and supporting equal opportunities for good health.
• DiversityRx – DiversityRx promotes language and cultural competence to improve the quality of health care for minority, immigrant, and ethnically diverse communities.
• The International Medical Interpreters Association (IMIA) – organized as a trade association, IMIA is committed to the advancement of professional medical interpreters as the best practice to equitable language access to health care for linguistically diverse patients.
• The National Council on Interpreting in Health Care (NCIHC) – the NCIHC is a multidisciplinary organization based in the United States, whose mission is to promote culturally competent professional health care interpreting as a means to support equal access to health care for individuals with limited English proficiency.
• National Health Law Program (NHeLP) – Language Access Resources
• The Oregon Health Care Interpreting Program – a division of the Office of Multicultural Health and Services, Department of Human Services of the State of Oregon, this program serves to support the health care interpreting profession and implements the certification of health care interpreters in the State of Oregon.

Other Resources for Health Care Interpreters

• AACP / Cultural Competency and Diversity Resources (American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, AACP)
• Consumer Health Information in Many Languages (National Network of Libraries of Medicine, NN/LM)
• Cultural Competency Resources (NN/LM)
• National Center for Cultural Competence (NCCC, hosted at Georgetown University)
• Spanish Health Information Resources for English Speakers (NN/LM)

Interpretation – Sign Language / Hearing or Sight Impaired

• The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)
• The Center for Legal American Sign Language Interpreters (LASLI)
• The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) information about American Sign Language
• The National Federation of the Blind (NFB)
• The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services / Office of Disability Services (NDHHS/ODS)
• The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID)

Language specific resources

Although many on-line linguistic resources exist to help resolve uncertainties concerning specific language issues, few are truly authoritative, complete and freely accessible. Here, on this page, we try and collect a list of such resources. At least initially, we prefer to not include here sites that require upfront payment or some “trial registration” for their access.

Languages spoken in the US

It is not a widely known fact that in the US presently 176 living indigenous languages exist, according to data regularly gathered and published by Ethnologue. That is the number of living languages that are native to this country, spoken by people at first-language level. If one adds the current number of 188 living immigrant languages that are spoken at first-language level, you arrive at the aggregate, surprisingly large number of 364 living languages spoken in the US today by native-level speakers. By that purely numerical measure alone, there’s quite a bit of linguistic diversity in this country in the narrower sense of variation.

Yet that diversity is also reflected to a fair degree in the Greenberg’s diversity index: that is a number between 0 and 1, indicating for every country the probability that any two of its people selected at random would have different mother tongues, whereby 1 would mean that nobody shares the same mother tongue, and 0 that everybody speaks the same mother tongue. The US “scores” an apparently modest 0.319 on the Greenberg index. However, that places the US in 135th place on a linguistic diversity ranking of 224 countries; only somewhat below the middle point, perhaps surprisingly above other countries as Algeria, Turkey, the Netherlands, and France. Either way, it illustrate clearly that the US does have a fairly broad ranging and well-established linguistic diversity.

More information about the living languages currently spoken in the US can be found here:

• Ethnologue: Languages of the United States

For more information about languages in general, as spoken throughout the world (see for dictionaries below), we can recommend the following overview of language resources, maintained by the wonderful Language List site and grouped in several, neatly categorized topics to quickly get you on your way:

• Linguist List overview of language links

Meta-sites for Dictionaries

Here are some pointers to sites that contain lists or compendiums of language-specific resources:

• The Alpha Dictionary Language Directory: well-organized and continually updated list linking to hundreds of on-line dictionaries;
• The Linguist List reference of dictionaries: also a great resource, contains hundreds of links to on-line dictionaries.