The language of language access.

An untrained person — often a family member, friend or bystander — pressed into interpreting. Federal guidance discourages relying on ad hoc interpreters because of high error rates and confidentiality risks.

A complete, natural visual language with its own grammar, used by Deaf communities in the United States and parts of Canada. ASL is not signed English.

Translating a translated text back into the source language by an independent linguist to verify meaning — common for clinical trials and informed consent forms.

A HIPAA-required contract between a covered entity and a vendor that handles protected health information, defining how that information must be safeguarded.

Communication Access Realtime Translation: verbatim, real-time captioning of spoken words by a trained captioner, used by people who are Deaf or hard of hearing.

The Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters, a U.S. body that offers the CoreCHI and CHI healthcare interpreter credentials.

A Deaf interpreter certified to work alongside a hearing interpreter, bridging linguistic and cultural nuances for Deaf consumers in complex settings.

A complete translation accompanied by a signed statement attesting to its accuracy and the translator’s competence — required by USCIS, courts and many universities.

Whispered simultaneous interpreting, delivered quietly to one or two listeners without equipment.

Interpreting in turns: the speaker pauses, then the interpreter renders the message. Standard for medical appointments, depositions and one-on-one meetings.

An interpreter who has passed a state or federal court certification exam, qualifying them to interpret in legal proceedings.

Reformatting a translated document so it matches the original layout, fonts and graphics — essential for languages that expand or read right to left.

A 2000 U.S. executive order requiring federal agencies to improve access for people with limited English proficiency and to guide recipients of federal funds.

A federal framework for deciding which language services are reasonable: number of LEP persons, frequency of contact, importance of the program and available resources.

A curated list of approved terms and their translations, used to keep terminology consistent across projects and linguists.

An HTML attribute that tells search engines which language and region a page targets, so multilingual sites show the right version in search results.

Converting spoken or signed language in real time. Interpreting is oral or visual; translation is written.

A written policy describing how an organization identifies language needs, provides interpreters and translations, trains staff and monitors compliance.

Describes individuals who do not speak English as their primary language and have a limited ability to read, write, speak or understand English.

Adapting content, products or software for a specific market — including language, formats, imagery and cultural references.

Human editing of machine-translated output to reach a required quality level. Best for high-volume, lower-risk content.

The National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters, which awards the Certified Medical Interpreter (CMI) credential.

Live interpreting delivered by telephone, usually on demand. Typically the fastest and most widely available modality.

A DeafBlind-centered approach to tactile communication that conveys language and environmental information through touch.

An interpreter who has demonstrated proficiency in both languages and can interpret accurately and impartially using specialized vocabulary while following professional ethics.

Simultaneous interpreting delivered by interpreters working remotely, with audiences listening via Zoom, Teams or a dedicated app.

The nondiscrimination provision of the Affordable Care Act, which includes requirements for language assistance services in health programs receiving federal funds.

Reading a written document aloud in another language on the spot — for example, an interpreter reading a consent form to a patient.

Interpreting in real time while the speaker continues talking, typically from a booth or remote platform. Used in conferences and courtrooms.

The source language is the original; the target language is the one being translated or interpreted into.

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits national-origin discrimination by recipients of federal funds, which includes providing meaningful access to LEP individuals.

Recreating marketing or creative content for a new culture, preserving intent, emotion and brand voice rather than literal wording.

Converting written text from one language to another. Professional workflows include translation, editing and proofreading (TEP).

A database of previously translated sentences that is reused automatically, improving consistency and reducing cost on future projects.

Interpreting delivered over a video connection, enabling sign language and visual cues. Available on demand or scheduled.

A document containing information critical for accessing services or benefits, or that is legally required — such as consent forms, notices of rights and applications.