How can an interpreter best ensure understanding between people who do not speak the same language?
2. What is your first answer?
By possessing a high level of fluency in both the source and target languages, an interpreter can best ensure understanding.
3. What is your second answer?
By possessing a thorough knowledge of the culture behind both the source and target language, an interpreter can best ensure understanding.
4. List three reasons that your second answer is true, with a real-world application for each.
- Words or phrases that may not be offensive to one culture may be to another. Interpreting something literally because it was not thought to be insulting by the interpreter can result in unnecessary confusion and conflict.
- Every culture has different ways of addressing certain people. For example, Japanese is a very formal and respectful language while English is more casual toward people, even elders. An interpreter must be aware of these for both languages being spoken.
- As an interpreter, knowing about the culture of a language involves informing oneself on different aspects of the country that the language is from (e.g. socioeconomic, political, religious) so that there is a context for what is being said by the speaker, which helps in conveying meaning.
McCarthy, Jane, Irene Cassidy, Margaret M Graham, and Dympna Tuohy. "Conversations Through Barriers of Language and Interpretation." British Journal of Nursing (Mark Allen Publishing), 22.6 (2013): 335-339.
6. What other source supports your second answer?
Collectively, the three interviews I have conducted with professional interpreters.
7. Give a concluding thought.
Understanding the culture of a language is essential to understanding the language and what is meant by the speaker. An interpreter must be aware of cultural contexts and nuances in order for his or her listeners to fully grasp the intent of the speaker in a way they will understand. That's why I picked culture as one of my EQ answers.
No comments:
Post a Comment