Language Line Services Provides Mid-Year Report on North American Emerging Languages

Leading Language Company Continues Recruitment Effort for Interpreters to Serve New Populations

Monterey, CA – June 15, 2009 – Language Line Services, the leading provider of over-the-phone and video interpretation services reports significant increases in the need for interpretation assistance in emerging languages including Burmese, Greek, Haitian, Karen, Lithuanian, and Nepali.  

The company’s mid-year demographic research shows demand for language assistance for these languages was highest amongst hospitals, health service providers and government municipalities. Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Phoenix and South Florida had the sharpest influx of new residents who speak these languages. (See side bar for breakdown by language.)

Because of the recorded increased need for Burmese, Greek, Haitian, Karen, Lithuanian, and Nepali, Language Line Services has launched a recruitment effort to increase its workforce of available interpreters for these languages by more than 20%. The company hopes to have these interpreters hired by the end of the summer.

Language Line Services President and COO Louis F. Provenzano noted that, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, the interpretation field is expected to grow by close to 24 percent in the next decade.

“While overall the job market for professional interpreters has never been better, this summer’s interpreter recruitment push is par for the course for Language Line Services,” added Provenzano.  “We are almost always in a hiring mode to keep up with the growing demand from clients who rely on us for on-demand access to interpreters to meet the needs of their limited-English speaking constituents.”

Language Line Services provides immediate interpretation to nearly 90 percent of the nation’s 911 call centers, thousands of health care providers and government agencies – as well as more than 75 percent of Fortune 500 companies.  The firm is in a constant cycle of predicting and responding to demographic changes which result in increased need to serve speakers of emerging languages.  

With over 25 years of historical language trend data and analysis, Language Line Services tracks surges in the demand for particular languages within virtually every geographic area. As a result, the company is often the first to identify emerging communities of limited-English speaking individuals. 

To accomplish this, Language Line Services uses a proprietary system – Language Line® LanguageTrak – to follow real-time demographic information on emerging growth trends for more than 175 languages nationwide, as well as new languages as they come to light.

Language Line® LanguageTrak is also available for subscribers such as banks, utilities, government agencies, hospitals, telecommunications, insurance, and other service providers who must know the latest changes in the language needs of their communities to best serve them.

“The ever-changing variety of languages spoken in the U.S. is a reality which all organizations face on a daily basis,” added Provenzano. “Our expertise in accurate and timely information on language needs as they emerge allows our clients the opportunity to focus on their core strengths while better serving new and evolving communities.”

For example, Provenzano noted that in May 2009, the demand for Haitian support increased by nearly 127 percent for Language Line Services customers based in the Orlando metro area.  “By being prepared with the proper language resources, institutions that serve Central Florida can confidently and seamlessly address the needs of new and existing customers,” added Provenzano.















Editor’s note: A complete list of detailed language statistics by geography is available upon request.  The information above reflects the languages most requested by emergency services, government agencies, health care facilities and businesses.

About Language Line Services

Language Line Services, the global leader in telephone interpreting and language solutions, serves clients in government, health care, telecom, financial services, insurance and many other industries by quickly connecting them to their customers, patients and sales prospects in more than 175 spoken languages as well as American and Mexican sign language. Growth of the language interpreting industry has soared with increased immigration and government regulatory policies mandating that organizations provide services to limited English speakers in their own languages. Language Line Services is recognized as a trusted partner to thousands of clients throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, providing access to the industry's fastest language interpreting service at highly competitive rates. For more information about Language Line Services' suite of telephone and video interpreting, document translation, interactive software-based translation, interpreter training and certification programs, please call +1 (800) 752-6096.