Translation Troubles
Children May No Longer Be Allowed to Intrepret for Their Parents
Story by Thuy Ngo
California law-makers are currently considering a law to prevent child interpreters at hospitals, doctor's offices and clinics. This made me think of those times with my mom when I was in fourth grade. I disagree with them on making this a law because a lot of the time the only accessible interpreter is their kids. The proposal says that the hospitals may have to provide their own translators, but due to the 15 million price tag, many health experts say the state may fall short in trying to provide the service. 
In the case of my mother's doctor's appointment, if I was not there, my mom would not have anyone to translate for her. Not only that, the cost of a professional interpreter is very high. A lot of the times, my mother was expected to be able to provide her own translator when it came to translating documents or going to speak with someone about legal or medical business.
I come from a family of Vietnamese immigrants. I am the first generation from my mother's side to be born here. Growing up, my mother assumed at the time that I knew all the English there is to know as a fourth grader. My mother figures that language is a language; you just need to know basics. She was wrong.
By the time I was in fourth grade, I was doing translation for my mother, and I still do. Whenever she had a legal document or an appointment with a doctor, I used to come along to help her with translating. When it came to just naming body parts and symptoms, I was usually good at that, but there were a lot of terms that I did not understand in either language. I learned a lot of things during those visits. I learned as a fourth grader translating, that women have eggs inside of them and many diagnoses have the same symptoms, so that regardless of the illness, a patient, like my mother, would often repeat like the words ÒhurtÓ Ònausea,Ó and Òdizziness.Ó That was when the doctor would have to explain his side of the conversation. He would tell me what the issue was in English, and I tried my best to regurgitate the explanation in Vietnamese.
There was often trouble when I had to translate the documents that my mom brought home from her doctor or lawyer. Those were times even a Viet-English Dictionary did not help me because of the lack of technical terms within those books. At that point, I did not have the luxury of a professional to explain to me what the terms were so that I could explain the words to my mom. I felt bad after not being able to decipher the words, so I just went ahead helplessly to extrapolate what I could, not knowing what else to do.
I would feel bad because I knew she came to me only because she needed me and to avoid the costly fees of interpreters or lawyer fees. We come from a low-income family and money is hard to come by. Therefore, it was put upon me that by me going to an American school, even if it was an elementary school, I would always have the job of being the go-between for my mom and the outside world.
I hope that the state could get to a point where every non-English speaking person can get the translations they need for their health care. If so, the children won't have to learn a third language Ð medical talk Ð that they may or may not fully understand. But until California feels it can definitely give us the translators we need, sons and daughters will be our only option.
Comments On This Story:
Post by: Annonymus, SentÊ:Ê Friday,ÊOn 12/7/05 7:50 PM
It's not fair to say that just because one lives in a country that it should be mandotory to learn a language because it is given that one will use it at one point so it's kind of common sense. But to defend the mother, western tongue and eastern tongue is very different. It's hard to learn. Some say it's hard for an old dog to learn new tricks. I remember from highschool, I had that hard of a time learning French, and that's a controled setting. I can only imagine how hard it would be for her coming into this country to HAVE to learn this new language.
Message From: GJM, December 3, 2005, 4:43 PM
The mother in this case has obviously lived in the U.S. for quite some time. She came to America to avail herself and her family of the great quality of life for which America is known. She takes advantage of all that this country has to offer, so is it asking that much for her to learn the language? I do not want to subsidize interpreters for societal parasites who come here and take what they need at the expense of the American taxpayer.
Message From: Jse, November 23, 2005, 6:30 PM
In respect to this proposed "law", I too remember having to translate for my grandmother at the social security office and if I wasnt there Im not completey sure she would have been helped as well as she was.
I absolutely feel that clinics having their own personal interpreters on staff would be counterproductive because I assume that some of the existing staff must speak more than one language, therefore hiring more peole is obviously a waste.
Maybe children dont fully understand whats going on and therfore cant explain everything to their parent completley or to whom they are speaking but it has worked to upto this point so nothing should change.
To aknowledge these "unknowns" and all around ignorant heathens, whatever money is given to immigrants for aid is completely irrelevant to you and you should not speak of it, instead you should mind your business and better yourself so you wont have to be jealous of whatever little money immigrants have... get your money,kid.
Post by Josecito (Email: sweft84@gmail.com), On 11/22/05 11:42 AM
This is really a comment to the person who didn't want to name themself. "First of all I would think it will be a good idea that they will pass the law.ÊÊ Cuz all the foreigns just want to come to america for great services than being in their country." My Responce! Shut the fuck up. You sound so egotistic right now. Some people from the other countrys don't have it a fifth as good as we have it here and you cannot think outside the box. I so want to slap you right now. "California should pass the law and worry about the american citizens first like myself." I mean, I really do.
Post by WL, On 11/21/05 4:34 PM This law is only a good idea if the state can guarantee professional translators in any language & dialect for every patient, either in person or using a telephone service. Obviously I don't think this law can be enforced during an emergency situation where it would take too long to locate someone. Also the medical context raises an additional concern of privacy & trust - the translators need to have a high level of training & professionalism; maybe they should even be subject to the same medical confidentiality rules that bind doctors.
Post by Unknown, On 11/18/05 12:22 AM
The law will be counterproductive and raise medical costs.Ê Having children interpret for their parents saves money needed for a staff of professional interpreters.Ê This is not ideal but it works better than having no one at all.Ê This is another example of the government's unnecessary actions when more important issues such as education, crime, etc. demand more attention.
Message From: Unknown
First of all I would think it will be a good idea that they will pass the law. Cuz all the foreigns just want to come to america for great services than being in their country. Like for an example my friend told me that this middle eastern couple just came to america and they were buying groceries and on their food stamps debit card they had a remaining balance of nearly $800.00. I mean for my needs as being a american citizen I could use that money for myself. I don't have that great source of income. California should pass the law and worry about the american citizens first like myself.
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