Idioms and Cultural References for Medical Interpreters

Course Description: Healthcare interpreters invest a significant amount of time in learning medical terminology and the ins and outs of the US healthcare system – and rightly so. However, interpreting encounters in healthcare settings are not all dense medical jargon – they involve real people speaking real language, which may include small talk, stories, jokes, idioms, and cultural references. It might seem that interpreting idioms is less important than getting the medical facts right, but idioms may contain key messages such as descriptions of a patient’s progress or lack of it and speakers’ attitude to the situation. In this course, you will learn about different types of idiomatic expressions – with real-life examples from medical setting – and learn strategies for dealing with idioms and cultural references when interpreting. You will have an opportunity to develop your newly acquired skills through consecutive interpreting practice activities. There are several handouts that will help you reflect and practice what you learned available for download. 

When you register for this course, you will get access to:

Course length: 2 hours

Continuing education units (CEUs): 

Access: 30 days

Questions? Please email contact@medicalinterpreterblog.com

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