Finnish speakers in the U.S.

[briantheinterpreter]

Hello Everyone,

Are there any Finnish speakers living in the U.S. in this forum?

The Finnish speaking communities in the U.S. currently have an extremely high need for interpreters in the medical industry. Pacific Interpreters is hiring over-the-phone interpreters, preferably with a year of medical interpreting experience.

The typical call is a non-English-speaking patient and an English-speaking doctor needing an interpreter. They call us and we connect them with an interpreter that is scheduled at the time. All of our interpreters are independent contractors; therefore you would have full control over your schedule and we would only call you during the times that you choose.

Interpreting is a great way to supplement your income and help your community at the same time! If you or any one you know may be interested in this opportunity, please apply online at http://www.pacificinterpreters.com/care ... ities.aspx.

Thanks,
Brian the Interpreter

[briantheinterpreter]

Good question.
It's mostly got to do with phone quality. We do have some interpreters in Canada and the U.K., however.
On a personal note, I've tried studying Finnish here in the U.S., and it's difficult to find materials to hear the language spoken. I found a textbook that I really like by Agi Risko, called Beginner's Finnish, but it didn't come with a cd. I found a website that did have audio examples of simple phrases, but I didn't bookmark it, and I haven't been able to find it again.
I also like the Pimsleur guides to languages, but they, and Rosetta Stone, don't have Finnish, as far as I know.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Brian

*edit* I just read Papu's post, and he had the link I mentioned:
http://donnerwetter.kielikeskus.helsink ... -index.htm

[Pursuivant]

Finnish being the easiest language in the world to learn, it takes years in the university for someone to claim they would be a translator, so unless you find a fluently bilingual native you'll be in trouble... Oh, and of course contact Brigham Young Uni - the mormon missionaries should be able to tackle easy tasks, and they have language resources, even they confuse a "round cut" (leikkaa ympäri )with "circumcizion" (ympärileikkaus) when going to visit a barber. Oh and theres a "Finlandia University" in Hancock Michigan, but they're mostly 3rd and 4th generation and speak a bit weird Fingliska.

[mrjimsfc]

the mormon missionaries should be able to tacke easy tasks, and they have language resources, even they confuse a "round cut" (leikkaa ympäri )with "circumcizion" (ympärileikkaus) when going to visit a barber.

They figure it out pretty quickly though because most (American) Mormons have already been circumcised. The best (Finnish-English) interpretor I ever knew was a Woman from Joensuu. She has a website called Kutri's Korner but I have no idea where she lives now. IMNSHO you can't find a better interpretor.

[kalmisto]

>> I also like the Pimsleur guides to languages, but they, and Rosetta Stone, don't have Finnish, as far as I know.
Any ideas? <<

Click on "Kuuntele!" ( listen ) on this page ! :
http://papunet.net/selko/selkouutiset/u ... aalit.html

Click on "Juttuarkisto" ( Story Archive ), then choose a subject under "Aiheet" !

Papunet English pages : http://papunet.net/english/

Papunet main page : http://papunet.net/
Check out "Kuvasivut" ( illustrated stories which you can listen to also ) !

[kalmisto]

briantheinterpreter

Here is one more possibility : http://www.uusikielemme.fi/
They offer on-line lessons also !

The grammar and vocabulary pages are viewable for free !

grammar pages : http://www.uusikielemme.fi/grammar.html

vocabulary pages : http://www.uusikielemme.fi/vocabulary.html

See this also ! : http://www.learnfinnish.org/

[Jukka Aho]

Good question.
It's mostly got to do with phone quality.

Hmm? I thought the telephone network is all-digital these days, at least in the first world countries... except perhaps the last mile to the subscriber. So purring and clicking and humming and static should mostly be a thing of the past. (And any company doing these things internationally would route their international calls over Internet, anyway... bypassing the conventional telephone network.)

On a personal note, I've tried studying Finnish here in the U.S., and it's difficult to find materials to hear the language spoken. I found a textbook that I really like by Agi Risko, called Beginner's Finnish, but it didn't come with a cd. I found a website that did have audio examples of simple phrases, but I didn't bookmark it, and I haven't been able to find it again.

See Supisuomea and the related video clips on YouTube (or you could order it on a DVD.)

A number of other resources have been mentioned in previous discussion threads: click, click, click.