About PTI
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How We Got Started
The University of Minnesota has been offering courses in interpreting since 1991. The original course sequence was funded by the Federal Office of Refugee Resettlement and was designed to take into account the unique characteristics of the local health care scene (identified through a needs assessment) and the available resources for training. Subsequent development of the Community Interpreter Training Program, which served as the foundation for the present program, was supported by the Bush Foundation of St. Paul.
At the outset it was found that the languages for which interpreting was most often required, reflecting various refugee and immigrant populations in the state, were Cambodian, Hmong, Lao, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese. The Hmong refugee population accounted for half the demand for interpreters in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Over time other languages such as Somali have grown in importance. While in other communities, training has often been provided for Spanish/English interpreting only, it was clear that interpreter training in Minnesota would need to be multilingual.
The Multilingual Model
Instead of setting up separate programs of instruction for each language pair, one program can accommodate several languages by spending some class time on theoretical and practical topics that are germane to all interpreting students and then breaking into groups based on language pairs for language-specific issues and interpreting lab work. This multilingual format has previously been used successfully, for example, in the Community Interpreter Program in Great Britain (Institute of Linguists, 1990; Downing and Helms Tillery, 1992). This multilingual model was chosen as an effective way to cope with the disparate language requirements of the students. The organization of the model is show below.
Core interpreting theory and issues in a mixed-language class
The first course in the sequence, Introduction to Interpreting (TrIn 3101), covers interpreting issues that are germane to all language groups, including interpreting as a profession, the role of the interpreter, ethics and ethical decision making, processing and information management skills, preparation, introductions, and professional development. The course is taught in a lecture/discussion style in English. Lab time is used for students to practice some of the skills needed to become proficient in interpreting, including memory, comprehension, prediction, and chunking. These exercises are done in English, although students are encouraged to practice these same techniques in their other language. Class size is limited to 24 students who speak English and one other language fluently.
Bilingual interpreting work by language groups
The second course in the sequence, Consecutive Interpreting (TrIn 3102), has a lecture component as above as well as extensive practice in language groups. For this course, one third of the time is spent in lecture/discussion and two thirds of the time is spent in lab sessions. There may be three to four language groups represented in the class, for instance Spanish, Russian and Somali. During the lecture section, all students meet in the same classroom, but during lab sections, they meet separately with a bilingual instructor for intensive interpreting work.
Other courses in translation and interpreting also use this multilingual format.
Program Philosophy
Development of the interpreting courses at the University of Minnesota was based on the following underlying principles which are generally accepted in the field of interpreting. Interpreting is recognized as a complex cognitive task that requires bilingual and bicultural competence. It also requires a broad base of general knowledge, for what is not understood cannot be interpreted. The mere transfer of the form instead of the meaning of the original message does not constitute an accurate interpretation.
Interpreting requires a respect for consumers. Interpreters need to function in an ethical and professional manner, serving as communication and cultural mediators. This cultural aspect cannot be over-emphasized; frequently it is unrecognized cultural differences that create unforeseen communication breakdowns.
The ultimate goal of interpretation is to convey a message originally expressed in a different language so that the interpreted message has the potential for evoking the same cognitive and, optimally, the same emotional response as does the original message (Cokely, 1988).
Regardless of the languages involved, in order to interpret adequately in a variety of situations, one needs to begin with linguistic and cultural competence and then complete an interpreter education program. The knowledge and skills necessary for interpreting cannot be learned in a weekend or short-term workshop or a one-semester course. The basic course sequence at the University of Minnesota offers students 135 hours of classroom instruction prior to specialization, including Introduction to Translation. This number of hours should be considered a minimum for basic interpreter/translator education. An additional 135 hours in elective work and either legal or health care interpreting is required to earn the certificate in interpreting.
Introductory Training in Written Translation
Interpreters are often called upon to prepare translations of written materials or to translate short texts aloud on sight. Practice in written translation also helps interpreters develop skills related to comprehension and re-expressing meaning accurately. For these reasons, interpreter training ideally begins with work in translation. Courses in translation can also be taught on the multilingual model.
What Former Students Say About the Program
"I've been working as an interpreter since I completed the course and recommend it to all those who aspire to be good/trained interpreters. You guys did a great job in preparing us to be professionals in our field. We also get to educate all those around us who need to be educated on how to use us and the purpose of an interpreter."
- N. Meyer
"The course has been very helpful to me. Now I can serve my community far better and with greater accuracy than in the past."
- J. Mohamod
(If you are a former or current student, feel free to send us an e-mail with your comments about one or more courses.)
