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A group of 27 bilingual high school graduates will spend the month of July learning translation and interpretation skills as part of the intensive Professional Language Development Project.

By La Monica Everett-Haynes, University Communications
June 29, 2009

Josue Saldivar, who speaks both English and Spanish, said that while he is bilingual he recognizes the benefit of having advanced translation and interpretation skills.

That's why he was drawn to an intensive translation and interpretation program at The University of Arizona, which is being held in July for college-bound students.

"There are a lot of services that would benefit from having translators and interpreters," Saldivar, a recent Desert View High School graduate who noted the exponential growth of  Spanish-speakers in Arizona and across the United States.

Saldivar is part of a group of 27 students chosen to participate in the UA's Professional Language Development Program, or PLDP, which is now in its 10th year.

The program is run out of the National Center for Interpretation, Testing, Research and Policy at the UA and is concurrent with the Agnese Haury Institute for Interpretation, a comparable program for professionals.

Armando Valles, assistant director for the interpretation center at the UA, said PLDP not only recognizes the benefits of being multilingual, but also encourages students to "cherish" the language skills they have.

But "more than a basic level of bilingualism is required," Valles said, noting that the summer institute focuses on both theory and practice.

"Translation and interpretation is the next level to language learning," he said. "There are critically important skills in terms of having efficient communication and the transfer of meaning."

This requires learning how to use interpretation and memory building techniques and also separating large units of language into smaller, more manageable chunks.

"Language is certainly the foundation and interpretation training," Valles added. "It is the process that will allow for proficient and accurate communication."  

Valles also said having qualified translators and interpreters, particularly in the medical and business fields, is important to issues related to equity and access to services.

The U.S. Census reports that Hispanics make up one-quarter of Arizona's population. Of the state's population, nearly 30 percent speak a language other than English at home, according to the bureau's data.

A survey released in 2001 by the federal agency indicated that 33 percent of Spanish speakers responded that they were not proficient in English.

Because of these figures, and other reasons, translators and interpreters are in high demand.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that between 2006 and 2016, translators and interpreters would see a 25 percent increase in the number of professionals in the field. 

To address the need for translators and interpreters, the UA has a number of programs in addition to PLDP and the Agnese Haury Institute.

The UA offers a translation and interpretation major. Also, students can minor in translation and interpretation through a concentration being offered.

Training on the technicalities of a language is what is important to Saldivar and others in the program. "It's the 'formal way' of using the language that makes the difference, he said.

PLDP, which runs July 14 through July 30, is a collaborative project with Pima Community College's Translation Studies Program to provide students with advanced translation and interpretation skills through lectures, workshops and laboratory work.

Juan Rojas, a Pima Community College translation and interpretation faculty member, said "the vocabulary is very, very important."

The program, which will pay students a stipend of $75 to $125 each week during the institute, has served nearly 200 southern Arizona students in the last seven years.

During the three weeks, students will learn about anatomy, forensics and physiology from UA faculty and professional translators and interpreters, some who have earned federal certification. Students will also learn consecutive and simultaneous interpreting and have introductions to academic writing, the court interpreting profession and medical interpreting, among other things.

Students will take oral and written exams prior and after the program to gauge their language development.

Saldivar, who plans to attend Pima Community College before transferring to the UA, is hopeful about his prospects.

"I want to better my skills," he said. "And when I am looking for work, this will help."