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Language Line Services' - Cross-Cultural Update for August 2009

Useful Cultural News, Tips and Timely Information


Language, Culture and the 2010 Census:

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke recently noted that the 2010 Census will be the biggest peacetime government mobilization in our nation’s history and that over the next year, the Census Bureau will be one of the largest employers in the United States.

A key target that Census Bureau officials are concerned with reaching is the nearly 23 million people in the U.S. that are considered to have limited English proficiency and need language assistance when communicating in English.  As a result the Census Bureau is staffing up with multilingual census takers. However, in addition to the obstacle of language, cultural and societal barriers will also make it challenging to convince limited-English speakers to participate in the Census.

Leading interpretation and translation company Language Line Services knows first-hand how subtle cultural nuances can impact a translation and has created one of the best interpreter training programs in the industry to help its interpreters preserve the meaning of any in-language conversation. 

If you’ll be covering stories related to the U.S. Census and our country’s growing limited-English speaking population, a Language Line Services representative is available for interviews about language, cultural and the delicate art of accurate interpreting. Contact Jeanine Karp at 305.448.3754 or j for more information or to arrange interviews.


The RIGHT Way for Businesses to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month:

From September 15th to October 15th, the United States will celebrate the achievements of Hispanic Americans to our country by observing Hispanic Heritage Month.  Across the nation, businesses are clamoring to stand in solidarity and identify with the nearly 50 million members of this much-coveted demographic. 

For all the money spent on elaborate parties and promotions, research has shown that one of the best ways to build a loyal customer base with Hispanic Americans is by communicating in their native language. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, over 35 million U.S. residents speak Spanish at home, and it is important for businesses to do so too. 

Language Line Services works with businesses across the nation to design cross-cultural outreach campaigns, specifically attuned to the cultural nuances between the various Hispanic and Latino ethnicities.  From translation services to marketing insights, and even a demographics tracking service Language Line® LanguageTrak.

To speak with a Language Line representative about the importance of cross-cultural outreach, or basic steps businesses can take to improve their current outreach campaigns, contact John Prieur at 305.717.8128 or . 


Language Barriers to Emergency Preparedness:

This September is the sixth annual National Preparedness Month, a public awareness campaign designed to make sure individuals and communities are prepared for emergencies, both natural and man-made.

Because limited English speakers are at greater risk during an emergency due to language barriers and limited access to information, they are an important campaign target for preparedness month. 

Representatives of Language Line Services, a leading provider of interpretation services to 911, ambulance, police and other local and regional government first responders throughout the United States, are available to discuss why it is important for communities to incorporate access to interpretation services into their emergency preparedness plans and outreach efforts. For more information, please contact Shawn Yanan at 305.962.1768 or .

Back to School in All Languages:

As students prepare to head back to school, more schools are facing the need to provide interpretation assistance for limited-English speaking parents than ever before. 

Consider California, where the First District Court of Appeals in San Francisco recently ruled that public schools can administer achievement tests and high school exit exams in English to all students, even the nearly 1.6 million with limited English-speaking proficiency. 

With this new development, it is more important than ever that schools are able to relay information to limited-English speaking parents to ensure their children are receiving the support and preparation needed to do well on these exams. 

Language Line Services, the leading provider of language services, works with school across the country to provide interpretation services for teachers to communicate with limited-English speaking parents. 

A Language Line representative is available to discuss how schools can address this new measure and make themselves accessible to limited-English speakers.  For more information, contact Julie Jimenez at 305.461.5794 or.

ABOUT LANGUAGE LINE SERVICES

Language Line Services, the world’s leading provider of language-based services, is a trusted partner to thousands of organizations whose focus is to effectively serve the rapidly expanding market of limited English speakers.

The company delivers a dynamic suite of solutions spanning translation, transcription, phone and video interpretation, interpreter certification, localization and localized software and devices, enabling clients to communicate with customers in their preferred language.

Through its leading-edge technology infrastructure, Language Line Services provides support for more than 170 languages to its industry-leading portfolio of clients across markets including health care, financial services, government, telecom, manufacturing, insurance, entertainment, travel, and more.

For information on how Language Line Services is helping clients achieve their strategic multicultural marketing and regulatory compliance objectives, please call 1-800-752-6096.