From the beginning, the United States of America has been a nation of immigrants. Known the world over as a cultural melting pot, the US opens its gates to countless immigrants each year, and that number is continuing to grow exponentially.
With the constant influx of people from all over the world, the demand for language translation services is only continuing to grow. The demand for such services has been surging over the last few years, not only due to the constant growth of immigration to the US, but also because of a recent boom in international business transactions.
The LA Times reported that, according to the US Census Bureau, more than 2600 translation and interpreting companies make up what is estimated to be a $3 billion industry.
This comes as no surprise, seeing as how the the number of US residents who do not speak English as their primary language has doubled — and then some — in the last 30 years. This is a rate that is four times faster than the nation’s population growth, which means that the number of non-English-speaking residents of the United States is growing at a very steep rate.
Furthermore, the Census Bureau reports that the number of foreign investments made in the United States all but tripled during the last decade. And, according to the Commerce Department, 5 percent of workers in the US are employed by companies that are primarily owned by foreign entities.
Naturally, then, the necessity for language translation and interpreting services has increased right along with the changes in culture and business in the United States. And immigration has a significant impact on many aspects of life in the US, from the workforce to the classroom and everything in between.
The citizenship of the US ranges from natural born citizens to migrants, immigrants, legal permanent residents, refugees, asylum seekers, international students, and unauthorized immigrants.
According to MigrationPolicy.org:
In 2013, approximately 41.3 million immigrants lived in the United States, an all-time high for a nation historically built on immigration.
The United States remains a popular destination attracting about 20 percent of the world’s international migrants, even as it represents less than 5 percent of the global population.
Immigrants accounted for 13 percent of the total 316 million U.S. residents; adding the US-born children (of all ages) of immigrants means that approximately 80 million people, or one-quarter of the overall US population, is either of the first or second generation.
As of 2013, Mexican-born immigrants were the largest immigrant group to come into the United States, accounting for nearly 30 percent of the 41 million immigrants. Second was India, then China, which both accounted for approximately 5 percent.
With the constant influx of immigrants, and the continuing globalization of the world’s economies, the need for language translation services will only continue to grow. In fact, translators and interpreters are in high demand. As of 2014, it had made it to spot number 12 on the list of the 20 most in-demand, high-paying skilled jobs.
“Technology has played a role in making the world smaller and increasing the need for multilingual communication,” said David Smith, president of E-ging, in an interview with Inc.com. “Also, the diversity of the US adds to the need for translated materials.”
And while technology has certainly played a role in the translation itself, it is unlikely to ever completely replace a live translator or interpreter, who can understand the nuance and intention behind idioms and colloquialisms in both of the languages he or she is working in.
We live in an increasingly global community, and as immigration numbers continue to surge, the need for translation and interpretation isn’t going anywhere.
From businesses to classrooms and hospitals to boardrooms, translators and interpreters are in increasingly high demand. And there’s something thrilling about overcoming language barriers to do business with colleagues across the globe, or to help non-native English speakers in American hospitals, or to make sure that a newly naturalized citizen is aware of his new rights and privileges as an American. Translation and interpretation are bringing us closer together.
