Frequently Asked Questions

Can I ask one of your interpreters for his/her contact information after a proceeding?

Interpreters hired through Domínguez Interpreting are able to share their contact information per your request, allowing you to contact him/her directly or through Domínguez Interpreting for your next appointment.

The agency I use gives me very favorable rates, can you match their fees?

Some agencies are able to do this because they are grossly overcharging another client to level their costs. Another reason is that you are getting unprepared personnel which can put your well prepared case in jeopardy. When you schedule a Linguist through Domínguez Interpreting, I will personally review the qualifications of the Interpreter you will meet so you can rest assured that your proceeding will go as planned. I will NOT send you the next Interpreter in the list just to fill the gap. This is a small company that cares about quality and perfection toward our clients, NOT a big company that only cares about volume.

I had a bad experience hiring an unqualified interpreter from an agency, how can you ensure this will not happen?

Interpreting agencies do not even know most of their Interpreters on a personal basis. They receive resumes and send you whomever they can contact first. This puts your important proceeding at a high risk of failure because the person they sent was bilingual but not an Interpreter (I will address this issue in a follow up question). I will ONLY recommend professional colleagues whom I have worked with during my years of practice.

Is every bilingual person an Interpreter?

No. The difference relies in three main aspects: Vocabulary, professional decorum and technique.

• Vocabulary - The ability to transmit the meaning of a phrase or word from one language to another, keeping it's full meaning in relation to the context in which this phrase or word is being used. For example, there are similar sounding words in English and Spanish that mean different things.
• Professional Decorum - The Interpreter’s ability to abide to a code of ethics set by a particular State. If the Interpreter you hired through an agency has never been trained by the Office of Court Interpreters (OCIS) how is he/she going to know what is ethically proper?
• Technique - Refers to the tools used by an interpreter that will allow him/her to render the best translation possible. This includes the use of dictionaries, notes, and headphones.