What's New

Miracle on the Hudson 5th Anniversary

2014-01-15T21:54:52Z

Today on the 5th anniversary of the well publicized emergency landing of Flight 1549 "Miracle on the Hudson", we had the pleasure to meet and enroll a new student. Vallie Collins, a public speaker by profession, who happened to be on that flight and has been seen on many TV programs since. She is now taking Spanish at the Foreign Language Academy.

Averting Deadly Medical Mistakes

2012-07-17T15:26:22Z

There is an increment of documented cases of preventable, communication-driven medical errors involving Limited English Proficiency (LEP) patients in the United States. The potentially fatal consequences can be easily avoided.

Over 20 million Americans speak a language other than English at home and possess weak English fluency, both in written and verbal communication.

Complying with the Law  Hospitals and clinics need to be aware of Title VI of the Office of Health and Human Services Civil Right Division, and of the new Joint Commissions Standards that started being enforced in January 2012. These norms say that delayed or denied services to LEP patients is considered discrimination for health care providers who receive Medicaid or Medicare funding from the federal government. Also as such, part of providing quality care to LEP patients includes access to vetted and trained medical interpreters and translation services from a reputable source. Systematically using family, friends, and untrained bilingual staff to interpret will no longer be acceptable. . Even if a friend or family member with stronger English skills accompanies an LEP patient into a medical setting, it is a slippery slope for health care providers to rely on a perceived understanding of complicated medical terms, care guidelines, diagnoses, and medication dosage instructions.

Small Mistakes with Tragic Consequences

In one of the most noted cases on the subject, an 18-year-old Hispanic teenager from Florida ended up a quadriplegic due to the misinterpretation of one Spanish word, intoxicado.” Paramedics assumed he was drunk, when in fact he had suffered a brain aneurysm that resulted in his paralysis. If a qualified medical interpreter had been offered or available, the outcome might have been much different. The result was a staggering $71M payout for this easily preventable tragedy.

Using a Trusted Source will Reduce Liability for Medical Mistakes  Hospitals and clinics need to protect their LEP patients and themselves by having a trusted resource for medical interpreters. Relying on the expertise of an experienced firm will act as a buffer against potentially harmful or even fatal mistakes that literally hinge on a single word. The very real need for highly qualified, competent interpreters cannot be measured.

Over 20 million Americans speak a language other than English at home and possess weak English fluency, both in written and verbal communication.

Complying with the Law

Hospitals and clinics need to be aware of Title VI of the Office of Health and Human Services Civil Right Division, and of the new Joint Commissions Standards that started being enforced in January 2012. These norms say that delayed or denied services to LEP patients is considered discrimination for health care providers who receive Medicaid or Medicare funding from the federal government. Also as such, part of providing quality care to LEP patients includes access to vetted and trained medical interpreters and translation services from a reputable source. Systematically using family, friends, and untrained bilingual staff to interpret will no longer be acceptable. . Even if a friend or family member with stronger English skills accompanies an LEP patient into a medical setting, it is a slippery slope for health care providers to rely on a perceived understanding of complicated medical terms, care guidelines, diagnoses, and medication dosage instructions.

Small Mistakes with Tragic Consequences

Using a Trusted Source will Reduce Liability for Medical Mistakes

Hospitals and clinics need to protect their LEP patients and themselves by having a trusted resource for medical interpreters. Relying on the expertise of an experienced firm will act as a buffer against potentially harmful or even fatal mistakes that literally hinge on a single word. The very real need for highly qualified, competent interpreters cannot be measured.

450th Anniversary of the Arrival of Frenchman Jean Ribault on the East Coast

2012-05-04T20:52:13Z

450 years ago, in 1562, the Frenchman Jean Ribault arrived by sea in South Carolina, at Parris Island. This Huguenot captain was chosen by Admiral Gaspard II of Coligny, head of the French Protestants that wanted to establish a colony in the new world.. They came with two vessels and 150 fellow men. The arrival of Jean Ribault in South Carolina marks the beginning of the French presence in the region. For this occasion, the association of Beaufort County Historical Society, along with other associations and with the support of the American marines of Parris Island, has organized an official ceremony for this coming May 25, during which Pascal Le Deunff, along with several renowned local personalities, will speak about the consequences that the passage of this historic French figure brought to this area.

Emergency Room Interpreter Bill

2012-02-06T17:47:19Z

The new law "Emergency Room Interpreter Bill" requires that all medical facilities, public or private, which provide medical care must use competent interpreter services when treating non- English speakers. The only way for these facilities to avoid situations that could end up being legal nightmares is to use reputable companies that provide trained interpreter service.

● A provider gives a non-English- speaking patient a prescription, explain- ing that it is for some suppositories. The interpreter is too embarrassed to admit that he does not know the equivalent word for "suppository" in the patient's language, so he uses the word for "pill" instead. The patient takes the medication orally and ends up in the emergency room.

● After her appointment, a patient's husband asks the interpreter what the doctor said to his wife. Trying to be helpful, the interpreter discloses the happy news that the patient is pregnant. This is not happy news to the husband, as his wife has just arrived from their home country after be- ing apart from him for 6 months. The couple leaves the clinic with the husband angrily muttering thinly-veiled threats of violence.

The doctor asks the patient a question. The interpreter and the patient get into a long discussion while the doctor sits and waits, completely left out. Finally the interpreter turns to the doctor and says "She said no." When the doctor asks exactly what the patient said, the interpreter smiles and says, "Oh, it wasn't important. She just means no."

Do these scenarios worry you? If you are a provider working for a patient who depends on interpreters or an administrator responsible for interpreters, they should. These kinds of errors and more are very common among interpreters who have never received any training.

While it is common practice in medical centers to grab anyone who professes to speak another language to serve as an interpreter, the risks in doing so are very high. Untrained bilinguals are unaware of the role of the interpreter, the ethics of interpreting, the techniques involved in facilitating a patient-provider communication while staying in the background, the vocabulary involved in a medical interview. Inevitably they make mis- takes, and mistakes in a health care set- ting can be serious, even fatal.

While it is common practice in medical centers to grab anyone who professes to speak another language to serve as an interpreter, the risks in doing so are very high. Untrained bilinguals are unaware of the role of the interpreter, the ethics of interpreting, the techniques involved in facilitating a patient-provider communication while staying in the background, the vocabulary involved in a medical interview. Inevitably they make mistakes, and mistakes in a health care setting can be serious, even fatal.

SPECIALLY-PRICED LIMITED-TIME OFFER

2012-01-31T21:21:00Z

10-week Beginner Classes

Italian or Japanese

We have announced 2 new specially-priced classes:
$175 for 10 weekly lessons of 1.5 hours in either of these 2 languages.

The class could be here or at your office!

Already more than half a dozen people have expressed interest or registered for Italian,
so the first class can be scheduled soon, possibly on Mondays at 6:30 PM.

There is still time to enroll, but don't wait too long.

Two people are interested in Japanese, so we need to wait a little longer to start the class.

You can register online or give us a call at 694-8880 to discuss your particular needs.

Please remember that these classes are at a special limited-time price.

Of course, we have our usual on-going classes at regular prices, and you can enroll at any time.

WHY SHOULD YOU LEARN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE?

2012-01-16T20:33:01Z

WHY SHOULD YOU LEARN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE?

We've talked about foreign language advantages in the past and discovered the new foods, people and experiences a second language can bring to your life. This month's article is to give young students more reasons to consider visiting the Foreign Language Academy in Knoxville, TN.

Competitive Edge for Students:

Studying a second language improves your Math and English grades and can improve SATs, ACTs, GREs, MCATs, and LSAT exam scores! Research states that verbal and math scores rise with each additional year of studying a foreign language. Interpretive and analytic skills also improve when studying a foreign language. If that's not enough, if you want to catch the attention of college entrance examiners, then add on that 3rd year of language study to your record.

If you’ve already learned a 2^nd language at home, expanding your grammar, vocabulary, literature and culture will also improve your success in career and school. Remember, European students, with whom you will be competing in future job markets, will already be tri-lingual upon entering college!

Job Advantages of Learning a Foreign Language:

Because more companies are doing business in other countries, they need employees who can speak different languages and understand other cultures. No matter what career you choose, if you’ve learned a second language, you’ll have a real advantage. A technician, the head of a company, or a salesperson who has mastered a second language can work successfully with many more people and in many more places than someone who knows only one language.

Because the USA is a melting pot, there are lots of people here who speak languages other than English. Many professions may need to speak more than one language to do their jobs well. You might also look much better at promotion time than people who know only English.

Lastly, those who know other languages are often chosen to travel for business in other countries throughout their careers. Knowing more than one language will enhance your opportunities. Your boss will see you as a liaison to new clients or customers if you know a second language, and you're sure to win the trust and friendship of people whose languages you know, even if you know them just a little.

Learning Other Cultures by Learning a Foreign Language:

As we've stated before, a whole new world of culture opens to those who know a foreign language. You will have the opportunity to view another culture and to gain a new perspective of your own. Reading other people's stories, studying their language, and connecting with people in their own language will be a source of new-found pleasure.

Your new view of other cultures will help you expand your personal horizons and become a responsible citizen. Your ability to talk to others and gain knowledge beyond the world of English can contribute to your community and your country.

Words of advice to conversing in a foreign country

2011-11-29T14:44:09Z

It can be really hard speaking or even understanding others without some foreign language translation aid when traveling to a foreign country. Simple things can be frustrating when you have no concept how to ask. Books and flashcards work, but there are language techniques that will help you learn so the locals understand what you are trying to say. It's going to be hard work, but worth it in the end.

You can write adjectives that you usually find in the standard language guides and use this as a cheat sheet, especially in antonyms such as in and out, up and down, wait and go, etc..

There are always people who can speak English, so ask for help. Sometimes you do not understand a sentence or only understand a few words in the sentence. If this happens, you can seek assistance from local residents who you are talking to. Ask “how do I say" in the local language. Then you can ask people to write the answer down on paper so you get a new vocabulary of the local language.

You should avoid eating at restaurants that use two languages in their menu. Eat at local restaurants, especially if you're traveling on a budget. Eat at cafes or restaurants that used to be where the locals eat, and avoid road-side eating places crowded with tourists. Find someone to help you define and describe the food menu so you can enjoy good food at affordable prices.

You won’t learn a language if you have an ego. Learning a language means being embarrassed every day you speak it. Yes, you may sound funny, but who cares? It’s all part of the fun. Embrace it!

Immerse yourself and jump all the way in. No wading. Watch TV, listen to the radio, eavesdrop while on public transportation, strike up random conversations. It’ll all help you.

In most cultures it’s rude to correct someone’s speech, so you might need to ask for corrections. You’ll unwittingly keep making the same mistakes unless you straight out ask for people’s help. After they correct you, repeat it back (as many times as possible without scaring people away) to train your ear.

If you're staying for an extended period, make lots of friends. Introduce yourself to neighbors, go out to pubs, ask to join games as you pass by in the park. Having friends who don’t speak any English is the best and much more practice for you.

Learning a language takes time. Taking courses over time will most definitely give you an advantage. Teach your children early to give them that advantage, too. It takes decades to master, years to converse, months to say approximately what you mean, and many days to get by – if you use LOTS of body language.

Smile. This is a universally understood language. When you ask for help or thank in the local language with a smile, then you have made a simple peace between cultures and between countries.

What sort of job could I get when I learn a foreign language?

2011-10-28T16:30:57Z

So you've learned a little bit of a foreign language and you need inspiration and guidance on how to put it to use. Beyond the obvious "it will be more fun when you travel to a foreign country," learning a second language can be useful in a wide range of careers. There are opportunities that may require a combination of languages and other qualifications such as IT, law, finance or sales. But mastering the language alone will go a long way towards helping you find jobs in translating, interpreting and language teaching or linguistics.

Language Occupations

Now you may be wondering what the difference is between a translator and an interpreter and between language teacher and a linguist. Also, what can you do if you love languages but are not quite fluent (yet). For the first three you'll need an in-depth knowledge of one or more foreign languages. Linguists, on the other hand, don't necessarily need to speak foreign languages, but such knowledge can be useful for them.

We'll start with Linguistics

Linguists work for a range of organizations, including universities and colleges, high tech companies, research institutions, consulting firms, government, and the military. It's the scientific study of language. Linguists study the nature and characteristics of human language.

Theoretical linguistics

Phonetics, the study of the physical sounds of languages, particularly the production and perception of those sounds.
Phonology, the study of how sounds are organized and used in languages to encode meaning.
Morphology, the study of the internal structure of words.
Syntax, the study of the rules that govern the way the words in a sentence come together.
Semantics, the study of meaning.
Pragmatics, the study of the way language can communicate more than is explicitly stated.

Applied linguistics

Language acquisition, the study how we acquire our native language (first language acquistion), and how we learn other languages (second language acquisition).
Psycholinguistics, the study of the connection between thinking and the use of language.
Neurolinguistics, the study of the neural mechanisms involved in the comprehension, production and abstract knowledge of language.
Sociolinguistics, the study of the relationship between language and society.
Historical linguistics, the study of the origin of words (also known as diachronic linguisitcs or philology).
Anthropological linguistics, the study of the relationship between language and culture.
Discourse analysis, the study of language in the context of conversation.

The art of Translation

Translators translate written material from one language to another. The kind of material involved may include product manuals, business reports, business correspondence, legal documents, websites, subtitles for films, song lyrics, and literature. To fill this role, you need the ability to write and express yourself very well in the target languages.

Translation is best if you are working with your native language and you have a near-native knowledge of the source language. Fluency in speaking the source language is not essential, but you definitely need an excellent understanding of the written version of the source language. Another key is to have a deep understanding of culture of the people who speak the source language.

Many translators are self-employed and find clients themselves, and/or work for translation agencies, who find clients and arrange payment. There are also positions for in-house translators in some large organizations.

Interpreting

Interpreters work with the spoken word at conferences, meetings, trials, hospitals and anywhere else that interpretation is needed. Interpreters have to be able to interpret both to and from their native language without using dictionaries or other references materials. They also have to be very good at listening and remembering what has been said in one language while simultaneously or consecutively providing a translation in another language. A good knowledge of the subjects under discussion is also essential.

Many interpreters are self-employed and find clients themselves, and/or work for agencies, who find the clients and handle payments. There are also positions for interpreters in some large organizations, such as the United Nations, governments and the military.

Language teaching and training

Language teaching may involve teaching a foreign language to students who share the same native language as you, or teaching your own language to speakers of other languages. Language teachers work in a variety of educational establishments from primary/elementary schools to universities and colleges.

There are many paths into language teaching: some people get a degree in a language that interests them, then acquire a postgraduate qualification in teaching; some study education at undergraduate level; some start working as a teaching assistant, then later acquire professional teaching qualifications; some do some teaching while undertaking research.

Those teaching a foreign language need a near-native ability in that language, while a knowledge of other languages can be useful when teaching your native language to foreign students, especially to beginners.

Language Tip: Learning Chinese characters

2011-10-21T17:55:06Z

Have you ever wondered how someone would go about learning Chinese character and if it's even possible to learn to read and write the Chinese script? It's challenging to learn, but it's possible.

China is one of the world’s oldest and richest continuous cultures, over 5000 years old. It's also is the most populous nation in the world, with 1.28 billion people. One fifth of the planet speaks Chinese and Mandarin. Chinese is the mother tongue of over 873 million people, making it the most widely spoken first language in the world.

Spoken in the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan, Mandarin Chinese is also spoken in the important and influential Chinese communities of Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, the Philippines, and Mongolia. China is the second largest economy in the world and is one of largest trading partners of the United States. Many US companies do business in China and have long-term investments there.

The study of the Chinese language opens the way to different important fields such as Chinese politics, economy, history or archaeology. But to study Chinese finally means to study a culture, a people. At the heart of Chinese civilization is its rich heritage of novels, short stories, poetry, drama, and, more recently, film. They reflect the values, the struggles, the sensibility, the joys and the sorrows of this great people and often offer insights even into the most intimate feelings of people in the past or into high-level Beijing politics at he present that cannot be found anywhere else. These works help you understand what is behind the language, what makes it powerful, and how it actually functions in Chinese society.

To be at ease and effective in a Chinese environment, learning the language is half the battle, but knowing about the culture behind the language is the other.

If you've read this far, go ahead check out our - Language Tip of the Week: How to learn Chinese characters http://bit.ly/rqJ24e

If you're still fired up and ready to give Chinese a try give Foreign Language Academy a call.

Languages

2011-10-10T20:19:27Z

Do you prefer to learn a phonetic language, one in which every letter is pronounced exactly as it is written? The most common one that comes to mind is Spanish, the most popular language to learn in the USA. Or would you like to learn a language which has many unpronounced letters and many combinations which form a new sound unlike either of its composite letters? This could be French, which is not as difficult as it sounds, but which definitely requires learning a certain number of rules of phonetics. Then there are the languages like Russian, which use a completely different alphabet which must be learned before attempting to speak the language. And let’s not forget the languages like Japanese and Chinese, which use symbols and seem totally daunting at first glance, and Arabic, which is a beautiful, lacy-looking script written right to left, but equally esoteric to the average American.

The languages I’ve just described are among the most popular at the Foreign Language Academy! There are students of all ages studying each of these languages, and they all love their language of choice. Our Teachers will even come to you.

Watch for our Fall specials and select YOUR language of choice!