We are supposed to use Language Line now instead of interpreters but I do find talking into a phone rather unfriendly.  How about typing on to a computer?  Have a look at http://translate.google.com/.  For languages like Arabic and Urdu with different scripts you can type phonetically and the appropriate script appears – sometimes…  And if you’ve got speakers/head phones the service has some of the languages in spoken form too.  I am going to give it a go in clinic next week – can’t imagine it will make me faster but should make the patients laugh anyway…