IMIA CLASSIFICATION OF MINORITY LANGUAGES

For medical interpretation purposes, the NON-minority languages listed below, classified as those with relatively greater opportunities of certification, association membership, staff positions, or training, are roughly the following in the US:

NON-minority languages are
1. English
2. Spanish
3. ASL
4. Mandarin & Cantonese
5. Vietnamese
6. Russian
7. Arabic
8. Portuguese
9. French
10. German

All languages and dialects which are NOT listed above will constitute minority languages. Interpreters who do not work in the languages listed above, other than English, will be able to take advantage of the offer of a free new membership with the IMIA. (this offer is for new memberships, not renewals)

(see list at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_languages_by_number_of_native_speakers)


The IMIA is committed to all languages and dialects which require interpreting services worldwide. Minority languages, also called languages of lesser diffusion (in the US), are those languages for which there are not many speakers in the local country but for which there are real language access needs and for whom those speakers have an equal right for language access. There is also the limited availability of interpreters for those languages, and for training, hiring opportunities and testing opportunities for those minority language interpreters.

If you speak a language or dialect that is not listed here, then you are a minority language interpreter. Some of our members are majority and minority language interpreters as they might speak several languages and dialects. If you speak ONE minority language not on the lists below, depending on where you practice (within or outside the US) please consider yourself a minority language interpreter and please help us promote the professional development, training, and hiring practices to meet the minority language needs of medical interpreters and the patients they serve.

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Inside the United States

In the United States, these would be languages that are not considered in the top 20 category within the US. If you speak a language or dialect that is not listed here, then you are a minority language interpreter. Some of our members are majority and minority language interpreters as they might speak several languages and dialects. If you speak ONE minority language not on the list below, please consider yourself a minority language interpreter and please help us promote the professional development, training, and hiring practices to meet minority language needs.

Here are the top 20 languages spoken in the U.S:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_the_United_States (some adjustment is required based on the 2010 Census)

English - 215 million
Spanish - 28 million
Chinese languages - 2.0 million + (mostly Cantonese speakers, with a growing group of Mandarin speakers)
French - 1.6 million
German - 1.4 million (High German) + German dialects like Hutterite German, Texas German, Pennsylvania German, Plautdietsch
Italian - 1.3 million
Tagalog - 1.2 million + (Most Filipinos may also know other Philippine languages, e.g. Ilokano, Pangasinan, Bikol languages, and Visayan languages)
Vietnamese - 1.01 million
Korean - 890,000
Russian - 710,000
Polish - 670,000
Arabic - 610,000
Portuguese - 560,000
Japanese - 480,000
French Creole - 450,000 (mostly Louisiana Creole French - 334,500)
Greek - 370,000
Hindi - 320,000
Persian - 310,000 (Farsi)
Urdu - 260,000
Gujarati - 240,000
Armenian - 200,000

The IMIA is seeking volunteers who want to help the organization do outreach to medical interpreters in minority languages not on the lists above. Please email info@imiaweb.org if you are interested in helping us do just that.

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Books on Minority Languages
http://www.imiaweb.org/divisions/minoritylanguagebooks.asp


BBC Radio has a current series on endangered languages
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01p3hnv


Indigenous Languages of the US and Canada:
http://www.martindalecenter.com/Language_1_Indigenous.html


Indigenous Languages of Mexico, Central and South America:
http://www.martindalecenter.com/Language_1_IndigenousMCS.html


Indigenous Languages of Australia:
http://www.martindalecenter.com/Language_1_IndigenousAust.html

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IMIA Minority Languages Division Chairperson
Contact: minoritylanguages@imiaweb.org

Marlene Vicky Obermeyer, MA, RN
A registered nurse with over thirty years of hands-on bedside nursing, Marlene originally came from the Philippines, completed her nursing education in the U.S., and has obtained additional certificates in cross-cultural training and transcultural nursing. Marlene is an experienced cross-cultural trainer and continuing education provider for nurses with emphasis on Cultural Competency. She has designed and authored over 100 contact hours of continuing education courses for nurses. She is a cross-cultural trainer who prepares expatriates and their families for international assignments and has worked with Cargill and Sprint international executives. Marlene is a certified eCollege instructor and has taught anatomy and medical terminology online at Virginia College. In 2009, she started Culture Advantage, an online continuing education provider offering three programs in Professional Medical Interpreter Training (English-Spanish, Language-Neutral, and Fast Track for Healthcare Professionals). The programs are based on the IMIA Standards in addition to 70 percent medical terminology content. She has trained interpreters for the Rockford Health Systems, Ohio Health Partners, and for indigenous speakers of five Maya languages as part of a U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops project. Member: Kansas Association of Nursing Continuing Education Providers. Member: Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters and Translators. Member and former KS-State Representative: International Medical Interpreters Association. 

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IMIA is currently looking for a Minority Languages Division  Vice Chairperson
For more information please email info@imiaweb.org.

Serving in a chapter, committee or division leadership role provides enormous opportunities, both professionally and personally. IMIA Chairs frequently find themselves becoming more successful in their own careers as they develop additional skills, make useful business connections, and share ideas with other division members. The IMIA Administration provides support and mentoring for their success. Preference shall be given to candidates with previous involvement in the activities of the organization.

Vice Chairperson
VACANT 

To Apply for an IMIA Chairperson Position, See the Requirements (same as for IMIA Representation):
http://www.imiaweb.org/uploads/docs/Requirements_for_IMIA_Representation.pdf
 
Vice Chairperson Responsibilities:
- To assist and work closely with  the Chairperson in all their responsibilities as requested
- To assume the duties of the Chairperson when the chairperson is not present or available
- To apply for the chairperson position when the chairperson ends their term
 
To Apply for an IMIA Chairperson Position, See the Requirements of the Chairperson. All is the same except that only one letter of recommendation is needed, not two.
 
If you have any questions about applying please email info@imiaweb.org
 
Further information about the work of the committee or division, please email the appropriate chairperson.