Cafe Lingo

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed a major crisis in the U.S. healthcare system: a lack of language support for limited English proficiency (LEP) speakers. Yet the success of the vaccine depends on reaching millions of residents—including those with limited English skills. That means healthcare providers must ramp up their efforts to hire medical interpreters who can bridge the language gap. While the demand for Spanish interpreters is a given, let’s look at the seven fastest growing languages that your patients may speak.

1. Telugu – Up 86%

Telugu is a Dravidian language spoken by the Telugu people in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It’s also a scheduled language of India.

Around 415,400 Telugu speakers live in the U.S. The majority reside in NYC, Long Island, Central New Jersey, Northern Virginia, and Central and Southern California.

2. Arabic – Up 42%

The official language of 23 countries throughout the Middle East and Africa, Arabic is spoken by 580 million people around the world.

Roughly 1.1 million Arabic speakers live in the United States. States with the largest Arabic speaking populations include: California, Michigan, New York, Texas, Illinois, New Jersey, Virginia, Florida, and Ohio.

3. & 4. Hindi – Up 32%; Urdu – Up 30%

Registers of the Hindustani language, Hindi and Urdu belong to the Indo-Aryan language family. Both are official languages of India.

Hindi is the largest spoken Indian language in the U.S, with 863,077 speakers, while Urdu is spoken by 507,329 speakers. The majority live in California, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, and Texas.

5. Chinese – Up 23%

The most widely spoken language in the world, Chinese is an official language of Mainland China, Singapore, Taiwan, Myanmar, Hong Kong, and Macau.

It’s also the third most widely spoken language in the U.S., with roughly 3.5 million speakers.

The metropolitan areas of New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, Baltimore-Washington, Seattle, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Delaware Valley all have large Chinese-speaking communities.

6. Gujarati – Up 22%

Gujarati is a Western Indo-Aryan language spoken primarily in the Indian state of Gujarat. It’s also an official language of India.

Roughly 434,264 speakers live in the U.S. Most live in New Jersey and the metropolitan areas of New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Chicago, Dallas, and Philadelphia.

7. Haitian Creole – Up 19%

A French-based creole, Haitian Creole is the official language of Haiti and is recognized as a minority language in the Bahamas, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic.

In the U.S., approximately 856,000 people speak the language, most of whom live in

Florida, New York, Delaware, Illinois, Virginia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

Language Support and Boostlingo   

Finding an interpreter can be a difficult task, especially for a less common language. Fortunately, the BoostCare Telehealth platform makes it easy to connect with one remotely, either over-the-phone (OPI) or via video remote (VRI). All you need is an internet connection, computer or mobile device, and a webcam for video calls. Plus, our Boostlingo Professional Interpreters Network (BPIN) gives you access to interpreters who speak over 200 languages.

Want to learn more? Contact us today to start your free trial!

One of the greatest things about being an interpreter is that you are always learning something new. Interpreters learn deliberately by attending continuing education classes and conferences, by looking up relevant terminology, but also unintentionally, just by virtue of doing their jobs. Any interpreter worth their salt will spend hours if not days preparing for new assignments, whether it is a medical appointment for an unfamiliar specialty or a complex court case. However, sometimes it is worth taking a step back and learning about the profession itself! To help with that, we prepared a selection of our favorite books about interpreting and interpreters. 

Is That a Fish in Your Ear?: Translation and the Meaning of Everything by David Bellos

This book will be of interest to new and experienced interpreters alike, as well as anyone interested in languages and communication. David Bellos writes about the history of interpreting and translation, language, culture and human connection. 

Healthcare Interpreting in Small Bites by Cindy Roat 

Written by Cindy Roat, a national language access consultant and a veteran interpreter trainer, this book is a treasure trove of useful insights and practical tips for medical interpreters. Even the most seasoned interpreter can learn from reading this book – and it is definitely a must-read for those starting out in the field. 

Interpretation: Techniques and Exercises by James Nolan 

This book has everything you need to know about conference interpreting, and more. Despite being aimed primarily at conference interpreters, it will be of interest and use to interpreters in any field. Starting out with an overview of interpreting modes and the difference between interpreting and translation, it moves on to guidance and practical exercises in interpreting everything from political speeches to idioms. 

Lost in Translation: An Illustrated Compendium of Untranslatable Words by Ella Frances Sanders 

This book is an absolute delight and will be of interest to anyone interested in all things language and translation. Containing beautiful and quirky illustrations of over 50 words from the world’s languages, this book is a perfect escape into the peculiar world of untranslatable words. 

Daniel Stein, Interpreter: A Novel by Ludmila Ulitskaya 

This book, translated from Russian, tells the story of Daniel Stein, a Polish Jew who narrowly survives the Holocaust by working for the Gestapo as an interpreter.  While this particular book is a work of fiction, it does have a basis in real life – Daniel Stein is based on a real person, Oswald Rufeisen, a Carmelite priest. Daniel’s story is told through letters and other documents, letting the reader figure out the rest for themselves. 

Happy reading! 

Interpreting is a tough job. Beyond being bilingual, professional interpreters need strong listening, communication, and interpersonal skills—not to mention a great memory. On top of that, interpreters who work in fields such as legal and medical typically need to complete a specialized certification program to meet state or federal requirements.

Yet one type of interpreting stands above the rest when it comes to difficulty: simultaneous interpreting. Here’s a look at one of the most famous—though least understood—types of interpretation along with the science behind how it works.

What Is Simultaneous Interpreting?

Like the name states, simultaneous interpreting involves translating a speaker’s words as they are talking. This is in contrast to consecutive interpreting, which allows the speaker to finish before the interpreter translates the message into the target language.

Simultaneous interpreting is typically used during conferences and other meetings that include speakers of multiple languages. (Think the iconic image of interpreters in glass booths at the United Nations.) And while many simultaneous interpreters still perform their role onsite, remote simultaneous interpreting options also exist.

Which Skills Do Simultaneous Interpreters Need? 

Unlike consecutive interpreters, simultaneous interpreters have no room for error. They have no time to ask a speaker to clarify what they said or even take notes. That means they must rely heavily on their short-term memory to reproduce the speaker’s message in the target language. (Consecutive interpreters use both their short-term and long-term memories.)

Simultaneous interpreters must also predict what a speaker will say next. They use the context of the meeting to help determine the message and translate it in real-time. This requires a deep understanding of the subject matter, as the interpreter has little time to recall less familiar terminology or phrases.

Simultaneous Interpreting and the Brain

So, how does a simultaneous interpreter’s brain tackle this daunting task? Although neuroscientists have studied language for decades, some mysteries around simultaneous interpreting remain. However, researchers believe that it partially involves a region of the brain called Broca’s area. This region is known for its role in both language production and working memory.

Using an fMRI, researchers at the University of Geneva observed the brains of multilinguals. They tracked when someone: listened to a sentence, listened to and repeated a sentence, and listened to a sentence in one language and interpreted it into another. The researchers found that Broca’s region was equally activated during all three tasks. However, the caudate nucleus, which is the part of the brain that is responsible for learning and decision-making skills, became more engaged during the interpretation task.

Ultimately, neuroscientists believe that no single part of the brain controls interpreting. Networks across multiple regions of the brain likely contribute to this amazing ability.

Given the brain processing power required, simultaneous interpreters typically work in 30-minute shifts to give each other a break. And given just how hard the job is, they definitely earn it!

American Sign Language (ASL) is the most widely used sign language in the world. While its roots can be traced back to 18^th century France, sign languages existed in the Americas well before the arrival of Europeans. Native American tribes relied on Indigenous Sign Language (ISL) to facilitate inter-tribal communication—in addition to communicating with deaf members. Today, most deaf Native Americans and their families use ASL, but a small number still understand ISL, and they’re working to keep these dialects alive.

Here’s a look at three ISL dialects from the past and present.

Plateau Sign Language

Plateau Sign Language was used across the Columbian Plateau in the present-day U.S. states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and the Canadian province of British Columbia. Primarily used by the Salish people, the language went extinct in the 18^th century.

Inuit Sign Language

Inuit Sign Language is used within Inuit communities in the Canadian Arctic. As of 2000, 47 of the 155 deaf tribe members used the language in the Canadian territory of Nunavut. While the language doesn’t have legal protection under federal law, it has been used alongside ASL in the Nunavut legislature since 2008.

Plains Sign Language

Plains Sign Language (PSL) has the largest number of users on our list. Once the lingua franca of present-day Central Canada, central and western parts of the United States, and Northern Mexico, it had over 110,000 users in 1885. It was used across at least 37 tribes, and remains strong among the Crow, Cheyenne, and Arapaho. Dialects of PSL include: Navajo, Blackfoot, Cree, and Ojibwa.

Also known as Plains Sign Talk, PSL is the most sophisticated indigenous sign language known. It’s recognized in the official courts, education, and legislative assembly of Ontario, Canada.

Preserving Indigenous Sign Languages

Indigenous sign languages, along with many indigenous spoken languages, are endangered. However, activists such as Nikki Sellars of the Xat’sull First Nation have been working to preserve ISL and improve protections under Canadian law. According to activists, integrating ISL into the curriculum at Native American schools for the deaf will be vital for keeping these languages alive.

Language Support and Boostlingo 

Although our Boostlingo Professional Interpreters Network (BPIN) doesn’t include ISL interpreters, we provide support for ASL and spoken languages such as Navajo, Mixteco, and Quechua. Our platform includes video remote interpreting options for ASL users and over-the-phone interpreting for languages of lesser diffusion, such as the ones listed above.

Want to learn more about how Boostlingo can provide the language support you need? Contact us today to start your free trial!

Anthropologist and linguist Edward Sapir wrote in 1929 that, “In the state of California alone, there are greater and more numerous linguistics extremes than can be illustrated in all the length and breadth of Europe.” You could even narrow that down to Northern California—or just San Francisco, where 112 languages are spoken. And while each of these languages has a unique history and culture, let’s take a look at the five most widely spoken ones in NorCal.

1. Spanish

It should come as no surprise that Spanish takes the number one spot. With over 10.6 million speakers state-wide[i], 28.5% of the Golden State’s population communicates in Spanish. In Northern California, the agricultural countries of the San Joaquin Valley and the San Fernando Valley are home to the majority[ii].

2. Chinese (Including Cantonese and Mandarin)

Chinese speakers make up 2.8% of the state’s population, with over 1.2 million speakers state-wide.1 Most Chinese speaking NorCal residents live in the Bay area—primarily in San Francisco, Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties.2

3. Tagalog

An estimated 2.2% of California residents speak Tagalog, a language native to the Philippines. The majority of the roughly 796,000 speakers live in Southern California, but the San Francisco Bay area also boasts a thriving community.2

4. Vietnamese

Did you know San Jose is home to the largest percentage of Vietnamese speakers outside of Vietnam? With around 559,000 residents, Vietnamese speakers make up 1.43% of California’s population, most of whom live in Northern California.2

5. Korean

Korean rounds out the top 5 languages with around 368,000 speakers state-wide. Korean speakers make up about 1.08% of California’s population. The largest communities are in Orange and Los Angeles counties, but about 1.3% of San Jose residents and 1.1% of San Francisco residents identify as Korean.[iii]

Honorable Mention

Persian, Japanese, Russian, and Armenian round out the top 10 most commonly spoken languages (along with English) in NorCal. The first three are primarily spoken in the Bay area, while Fresno is home to a large Armenian community.

A Note on Native American Languages

Although the state’s pre-colonial indigenous communities spoke over 80 different languages, the vast majority are now either extinct or severely endangered. Languages such as Karuk, Hupa, and Yurok, which were once common in Northern California, now only have about a dozen speakers.[iv] Chukchansi and Luiseño are also native to the region, and languages from larger groupings such as Athabascan, Algic, and Uto-Aztecan are spoken in small numbers. The San Francisco area has a small number of Navajo speakers as well.

Yet despite the shrinking number of speakers, organizations such as Advocates for Indigenous California Language Survival are working to keep these languages alive through education and community building.

Language Support from Boostlingo

As you can see, Northern California’s linguistic diversity spans across urban, suburban, and rural areas of the region. While each of these communities add to the state’s unique culture, language differences can also pose barriers to communication.

Fortunately, Boostlingo makes it easy to access interpreters for over 200 languages. Our interpretation platform let’s you schedule an onsite interpreter or connect with an over-the-phone or video remote interpreter in minutes.

Want to learn more about how Boostlingo works? Start your free trial today!

[i] https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-most-spoken-languages-in-california.html

[ii] https://www.languagesoftheworld.info/geolinguistics/bilingualism-or-multilingualism/linguistic-diversity-northern-california.html

[iii] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._cities_with_significant_Korean-American_populations

[iv] https://www.languagesoftheworld.info/geolinguistics/geographical-complexity-linguistic-peculiarities-indigenous-languages-northern-california.html