All interpreters are bilingual, but not all bilingual people can be interpreters.

• An interpreter is a bilingual trained professional with bicultural skills who is bound by a code of ethics. The community standard for working as an interpreter in Australia is to be certified by NAATI.
• A bilingual person can speak two languages but hasn’t received training as an interpreter and is not bound by a code of ethics.

What makes interpreters different?

Training & Certification

Interpreters need formal training to develop the skills needed to work professionally. NAATI checks their skills and experience before granting certification, so you can be confident their abilities have been assessed.

Language and transfer skills

NAATI assesses a range of skills to ensure interpreters are accurate and professional. This includes language ability, memory, confidence in asking for clarification, management of overlapping speech, ability to match the tone and style of speakers, etc. Interpreters are skilled at identifying cultural meanings in what is being said and communicate them well in the other language.

Professional conduct

Interpreters follow a code of ethics with nine guiding principles. For example, interpreters must be accurate, impartial and confidential. They won’t share information without consent (except when required by law). They’re also skilled at managing ethical dilemmas in their work.

Specialised knowledge

Many interpreters focus on specific fields like legal or healthcare. This increases their ability to interpret accurately as they build knowledge of terminology and situations. NAATI offers Certified Specialist Interpreter credentials in some languages for interpreters who are highly specialised in health or legal settings.

Bilingual people engaged as interpreters

Lacking skills

A bilingual person may be fluent in two languages but not skilled at transferring meaning between them. They may lack confidence in asking for clarification or experience with note-taking, a crucial skill when there is complex information. They may lack vocabulary for formal or complicated situations.

Risk of miscommunication

Asking untrained bilingual people to interpret in legal, medical or other sensitive situations can result in serious errors. These may lead to misdiagnoses, misunderstandings of legal rights, consent issues or breaches of confidentiality.

Not tested

Their language and interpreting skills haven’t been independently assessed.

Family members as interpreters

Using family members as interpreters creates additional problems:

• They may make dangerous errors due to lack of terminology or by adding or removing information for emotional, cultural or personal reasons
• They may tell their own version of events
• People involved may not share all relevant information for privacy reasons
• It can cause stress and trauma for the family member

No person under the age of 18 should be asked to interpret. Engaging a professional interpreter allows family to focus on providing emotional support and asking questions.

Where bilingual people excel

When communication is low risk and accuracy isn’t essential, bilingual people play a valuable role. Bilingual workers serve as receptionists, nurses, administration officers, marketing professionals, tour guides and more. Their ability to speak two languages improves community communication.

In healthcare, bilingual health workers who share a patient’s cultural background play an essential role in delivering culturally appropriate care. However, always engage an interpreter when:

• consent is involved
• diagnosis, treatment plans and other high-stakes or emotional situations are being discussed.

Questions to ask

When choosing between an interpreter and a bilingual person, consider:

• Are there ethical implications?
• Could misunderstandings have serious negative outcomes?
• Is the conversation or information legally binding?
• Do I need to give or receive consent?