The 10 Commandments of Interpreting (Part 1)

Continuing a series of posts focused on some further lessons/realizations from going solo in 2023.

There’s a sort of 10 “commandments” of interpreting that new and prospective interpreters learn as part of their training and first couple of years on the job. Some parts of it are written explicitly into various codes of ethics, and others are more or less loosely agreed upon among interpreters.¹ Not every interpreter would agree on every part of this list – some might strongly disagree – but every interpreter has, at the very least, had to consider the basis for each commandment.

Some brief background on how most interpreters get work.² Those interpreters who do not have full time positions are hired as independent contractors by courts, hospitals, and other direct clients, but perhaps equally or more frequently by agencies. These are commonly referred to as language service providers (LSPs), and they often do the actual procuring of interpreters who are needed for legal, medical or other kinds of interpreting.

So with that framework in mind, on to the list. This will cover the first 5 “commandments”, with no.’s 6 – 10 to come in a later post.³

The first 5 “commandments”:
1. Thou Shalt Not Flake
2. Thou Shalt Not Play Attorney
3. Thou Shalt Not Make Stuff Up / Thou Shalt Not Leave Stuff Out
4. Thou Shalt Not Double Book Thy Clients
5. Thou Shalt Not Dress In Thy Leisurewear

The First Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Flake

It’s been said by everyone from Woody Allen to your parents that showing up is ninety percent of the job. The same is true for interpreters; in some cases, showing up for the job is 100 percent of the job, as last-minute cancelations are a common occurrence, and you the interpreter receive compensation simply for appearing. So the opposite – not showing up for an assignment – is a pretty big hit to one’s reputation. I think in my last hundred gigs I’ve only had to cancel once, and in that case I gave early notice so as to give the court time to find another interpreter.

“No-show” is possibly the number one complaint LSPs say they have about contracting interpreters. It’s also probably the only commandment every interpreter would agree on.

The Second Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Play Attorney

I’ve been watching The Good Wife, a network series from 2009-2016 about a Chicago-based attorney who goes back to work after her District Attorney husband resigns amidst a scandal of prostitutes and corruption. I love watching it because it has fairly realistic depictions of judges, lawyers, and courtroom proceedings, at least compared to other films and series not named My Cousin Vinny (which remains the gold standard).

It also reminds me how many years it takes people to become experts in their fields, and how broad the law field is. Interpreters who work in court and legal settings do tend to pick up some legal understanding, and may have a better-than-average ability to explain certain legal terms and situations. But in most settings, they rarely rise above the layperson in their ability to recommend legal actions or practice law, even if it were allowed.

Some interpreters would push back on this commandment. To some, the stakes of legal outcomes are too high not to assist the person facing legal consequences.* Ultimately though, there is a danger to giving legal advice as a non-attorney. In some cases, to avoid even the possibility, interpreters will be told to never be alone with the person needing an interpreter, and the interpreter themselves may insist on this. Interpreters are not required to carry any kind of insurance, and although it’s rarely interpreters who are sued or formally charged any kind of malpractice, it’s best to avoid even the appearance of influencing legal outcomes. I would be happy to get feedback on this point, especially from interpreters who have worked outside the U.S., to learn what this looks like from another perspective.

*Note the difference here between legal and medical interpreting. In legal, the onus is on the interpreter to be making an exact, objective, and impartial interpretation of the speaker. In medical, there exists an “advocate” sub-role that the interpreter is (or should be) always aware of: the interpreter may resort to clarifying in addition to interpreting when the person needing an interpreter (usually the patient, or parents/guardian of the patient) does not understand the information being said. Here as well, however, the commandment remains similar: Thou Shalt Not Play Doctor.

The Third Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Make Stuff Up

Closely related is Commandment 3(B), Thou Shalt Not Leave Stuff Out. Basically, an interpreter’s role is to interpret as accurately and completely as possible everything spoken in one language into the other language.

Here are some examples of inaccurate interpreting. The initial court interpreters orientation instructors played us some even worse examples. They assured us these were not exaggerated to look worse than reality.

This is one of the biggest hurdles in becoming an interpreter for bilingual people, at least initially, because it is the newest idea that they have to absorb. When informally interpreting in a casual setting, summaries and highlights of the key points are accepted and usually welcome to foster good conversation and camaraderie. When formally interpreting in court, exactness in meaning is required.

The Fourth Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Double Book Thy Clients

If you have agreed to take on a job at 9:00 AM and the client/court/agency has agreed to pay you a minimum of two hours, it is reasonable to assume that they would prefer you not agree to a second job starting at 10:30 AM that same day.

There can be exceptions: a jurisdiction hires you for that 9:00 AM job, it gets canceled when you arrive, and then the same jurisdiction says, “Hey, can you cover a 10:30 AM job that’s right around the corner in another courtroom”, then you can reasonably book that job and sort out the billing minimums later with the court administration.

Some interpreters would disagree. They might double-book gigs and justify it by saying that one of the gigs is sure to cancel, and they’d be correct a large fraction of the time, maybe even the majority of the time depending on the language and type of proceeding. In general, though, it’s better to be safe and not risk burning a client who might offer you dozens of future jobs and thousands in future payments.

The Fifth Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Dress In Thy Leisurewear

As with many other service jobs, a great deal of interpreting involves being paid attention to and being looked at, by people who may never have met you. With remote interpretation playing a larger role in court proceedings, it is possible to get away with wearing less formal attire than in-person. Fashion is never finished, so while dress codes will keep existing in perpetuity, which outfits count as professional and which don’t will change.

That said, the present-day dress code in court is professional, at least by those who view the courtroom as their workplace, and interpreters should. In the next post, I’ll talk about how some interpreters are trying to change how the interpreting role is perceived in the US – from an unstandardized and fragmented position to a position with standards in training, professional goals, and ultimately, as one perceived to have white-collar status.

Finally, there are some jobs where due to postponements, rescheduling, and cancelations where you will appear at the job only to be told your services won’t actually be needed. In those cases, it’s especially valuable to be dressed well simply because that is the only impression you will get to make that day, and a good impression is a good way to get called again for future work at that court, hospital, firm, etc., both for you and the agency that hired you. It may even help make the client feel like they are not wasting their time hiring interpreters (which is not usually an easy process for some less-spoken languages), because showing up dressed properly is one sign of a reliable and self-aware professional.

Part 2 will follow in a later post.

Notes

1. The Interpreter Code of Ethics is a usually a document that interpreters adhere to covering the professional and ethical standards of their role. Some examples that show how these documents, while similar, can also differ: from California, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Florida.
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2. I haven’t included conference interpreters or liaison interpreters, who are often hired directly through the firm or organization that is running the event or meeting where interpretation will be needed. Examples include conferences, international business meetings, and foreign visitor delegations. In general, my experience with interpreting outside of court and medical settings is limited. [Update June 2025: I’ve gotten a good amount of educational interpreting experience since I first wrote this.] ↩︎
3. Yes, it is a little silly to think of the 10 Commandments as being delivered in installments. But hey, this is the age of the subscription model. ↩︎