Looking for information on working with an Alaska language translator? You’re in the right place.
Maybe you have a patient who doesn’t speak English, and you want to make sure you’re providing the best care.
Perhaps you’re an attorney who needs to depose a person whose English isn’t fluent enough to understand the questions and be able to answer them in their entirety.
Or maybe you want to translate text into an Alaska Native language like Yup’ik.
Whether you’re looking for an interpreter to accompany a patient to a medical appointment, or you need a translator to ensure written legal forms are understood by a client, finding the right Alaska Language translator or interpreter can be exciting and overwhelming!
At the Language Interpreter Center (LIC) at the Alaska Institute for Justice, we’ve been providing translation and interpretation services for nearly 20 years.
That’s why we wrote this blog, so you can understand how translation and interpretation work and get you set up for success for your specific needs.
Are you ready? Let’s dive in.
Understanding Interpretation vs Translation
The first thing you need to understand is that translation and interpretation are not the same service, even though the terms are often used interchangeably.
In simple terms, translation deals with written words, while interpretation deals with spoken language.
A translator converts documents such as medical records, consent forms, and legal contracts from one language to another.
Because the work is written, translators research the terminology, consider cultural context, and ensure the final document is both accurate and easy to understand.
An interpreter, on the other hand, facilitates communication between people who are speaking in real time.
This might happen during a doctor’s appointment, a court hearing, or a deposition. The interpreter may speak one short sentence after the next, or convey longer paragraphs with longer breaks in between speakers.
Understanding the distinction between a translator and interpreter will help you figure out which service you need.
Translation = writing. Interpretation = speaking.
The Language Interpreter Center at AIJ specializes in both translation and interpretation services.
3 Ways to Work with an Alaska Interpreter
Since translation services are more straightforward, let’s cover the different ways you can work with an Alaska Interpreter.
You can choose from several types of services depending on the situation, the urgency, and whether seeing your interpreter face to face is important. Here are the three most common options.
1. On-Demand Telephone Interpretation
Sometimes you need an interpreter right away. This is where on-demand telephone interpretation comes in.
On-demand telephone interpretation usually means you connect with an interpreter during a 3-way or conference call.
Perhaps a patient has called with a question, someone has walked into your office unexpectedly, or you need to communicate test results or schedule a follow-up appointment.
In these situations, on-demand telephone interpretation is often the fastest solution. It usually works by calling a number or opening an app and getting connected with an interpreter who can immediately start aiding in the communication.
With our Language Interpreter Center, we give you an app that connects you to a vast network of interpreters so you get connected within minutes. And while there is a bit of a learning curve to get started, most of our clients are thrilled to have the service once they get familiar with it. Plus, we’ll hold your hand every step of the way while you get started.
And fun fact: Our app can connect you to a nationwide network of interpreters who speak more than 300 languages!
2. Scheduled Interpretation
When you need someone to be there in person, scheduled interpretation is usually the best option.
Important medical appointments, legal consultations, court proceedings, school meetings and social service appointments are some of the most common situations that require more than a quick phone call.
By scheduling an interpreter ahead of time, you can ensure that a qualified professional is available when you need them.
Depending on the situation, the interpreter may participate in person or remotely via phone or video.
3. Video Remote Interpretation
Video remote interpretation (VRI) is exactly what it sounds like. Your interpreter will connect with you via video, which can be done either on-demand or scheduled.
This format is especially valuable when facial expressions, gestures, or visual demonstrations are important to communication.
It’s also helpful if the client wants to screen share a form and have the interpreter sight translate. Note: Sight translation happens when a client has a form or document that needs to be read by the interpreter and then spoken verbatim in the other language.
Healthcare providers, behavioral health professionals, and social service organizations frequently choose VRI because it provides many of the benefits of an in-person conversation while remaining convenient and accessible.
The good news is that you don’t have to decide which option is best on your own. A professional language services provider can help you determine the most appropriate interpretation method based on your needs, timeline, and the type of conversation you need to have.
At the LIC, we work closely with our clients to help them find the best fit for their needs.
Can AI Replace a Professional Translator or Interpreter?
It’s natural to wonder whether AI translation tools can replace a professional translator or interpreter.
While AI has made remarkable advances and can be helpful for translating simple phrases or getting the general idea of a document, it still has important limitations—especially in healthcare, legal, and public service settings where accuracy matters.
In less widely spoken languages, AI has been shown to make up stories just to provide an answer.
Plus, language is about much more than replacing one word with another. Every conversation includes cultural context, regional dialects, tone, emotion, and subtle meanings that technology can struggle to interpret correctly. A single mistranslated medical instruction, legal term, or consent form can have serious consequences.
Professional interpreters and translators are trained not only in language, but also in ethics, confidentiality, accuracy, and cultural competency.
They recognize when a phrase doesn’t translate directly, ask clarifying questions when appropriate, and ensure that the intended meaning—not just the individual words—is communicated clearly. They also understand industry-specific terminology, whether that’s medical, legal, educational, or behavioral health language.
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool, and many language professionals use technology to support their work. However, AI should be viewed as an aid rather than a replacement for a qualified human professional.
What to Expect When Working with an Interpreter
A motto for interpreters is: Add nothing, omit nothing, change nothing.
Professional interpreters follow a code of ethics designed to ensure that communication is accurate, impartial, and complete. Understanding what to expect beforehand helps everyone have a smoother experience.
One of the first things you’ll notice is that interpreters speak in the first person. Rather than saying, “She says her stomach hurts,” the interpreter will simply say, “My stomach hurts.”
This allows the conversation to flow naturally between the two people who are actually communicating, while the interpreter serves as the voice for each speaker.
Professional interpreters also interpret everything that is said. This includes side conversations, jokes, comments made by others in the room, and any questions or instructions that are spoken aloud.
If someone in the room says it, the interpreter’s role is to interpret it. For that reason, it’s important not to have conversations in front of a client that you do not intend them to hear. If something should remain confidential from the individual with limited English proficiency, it should be discussed before or after the interpreted conversation—not during it.
Interpreters are also expected to preserve the speaker’s register and tone. If someone uses technical language, slang, humor, or even profanity, the interpreter communicates it as faithfully as possible in the other language.
Their job is not to soften difficult conversations, make someone sound more professional, or rephrase statements to be more polite. Instead, they strive to convey the speaker’s intended meaning as accurately and completely as possible.
Choosing the Right Alaska Language Translator or Interpreter
If your organization regularly serves people with limited English proficiency (LEP) or members of Alaska’s diverse language communities, having a trusted interpretation partner can save time, reduce stress, and improve the experience for everyone involved.
Whether you need an Alaska language translator to have a document translated into an Alaska Native language, an interpreter for a court proceeding, or immediate telephonic interpretation for an unexpected situation, understanding the options available helps ensure you receive the right service at the right time.
For nearly 2 decades, the Language Interpreter Center at the Alaska Institute for Justice has helped organizations just like yours connect with qualified interpreters and translators in dozens of languages (with access to hundreds of languages!)
If you’re ready to get started, or if you’d simply like to learn more about the services available, contact us! We answer your questions, discuss your project, and help you find the language solution that’s right for you.
Clear communication benefits everyone, and we’re proud to help make it possible across Alaska. For more information, contact the LIC at contactlic@akijp.org, or call 907-279-2760.