Interpreters = Cultural Mediators?

Wang, C. 2017. Interpreters = Cultural Mediators? TranslatoLogica. 1, pp. 93-115.

TitleInterpreters = Cultural Mediators?
AuthorsWang, C.
Abstract

It is widely acknowledged that interpreters need to have knowledge of the cultures represented by the languages they work with. However, it is not clear what interpreters are expected to do with this knowledge. Some scholars recommend interpreters be cultural mediators while others propose the role of interpreters to be separated from the role of cultural mediators. This study explores the role of interpreters in the face of cultures from an industry perspective by looking into existing professional guidelines on interpreters’ roles. Specifically, the study compares and contrasts the codes of conduct for interpreters from a number of associations and institutions in the UK, the US and China. The study seeks to investigate: (1) which role, the conduit/communication facilitator or the cultural mediator, is expected of interpreters and to what extent interpreters’ role as cultural mediators is referred to or defined in these codes of conduct; (2) what are interpreters expected to do with their knowledge of cultures in the face of cultures/cultural issues. Data analysis suggests that: (1) interpreters are seldom expected to perform the role of cultural mediators, and in the rare cases where they are, they are advised to agree with their clients beforehand or to perform the role using their professional judgement, which arguably they are not trained for in their interpreting course; (2) interpreters are required to have cultural knowledge, and are expected to use this knowledge for linguistic mediation, but existing guidelines are not adequately helpful. The study then discusses the implications of these findings.

Keywordscodes of conduct, interpreters, cultural mediators, interpreter training
JournalTranslatoLogica
Journal citation1, pp. 93-115
Year2017
PublisherDepartment of Translation at the Institute of English, University of Wrocław and the Translatio Doctoral Students' Association
Accepted author manuscript
Publisher's version
Web address (URL)http://www.ifa.uni.wroc.pl/translatologica/issues.html
Publication dates
Published01 Sep 2017
LicenseCC BY 3.0

Related outputs

Translating Rare Dementias. Making a Difference through Simulated Agency Experience.
Cockburn, O., Wang, C. and Aboelezz, M. 2022. Translating Rare Dementias. Making a Difference through Simulated Agency Experience. APTIS 2022 4th Annual Conference: Translation and Interpreting pedagogy in a post-pandemic world: New opportunities and challenges. University of Leeds, UK 18 - 19 Nov 2022

Translating Cognitive and Linguistic Metaphors in Popular Science: A Case Study of Scientific Discoveries
He, Sui, Shuttleworth, Mark and Wang, Caiwen 2022. Translating Cognitive and Linguistic Metaphors in Popular Science: A Case Study of Scientific Discoveries . transLogos Translation Studies Journal. 5 (2), pp. 1-26 1. https://doi.org/10.29228/transLogos.45

A theoretical model to elucidate the elusive concept ‘voice' for interpreters
Wang, C. 2022. A theoretical model to elucidate the elusive concept ‘voice' for interpreters. Perspectives. 30 (4), pp. 569-584. https://doi.org/10.1080/0907676X.2021.1922472

In Other Words: What’s Happened to Metaphors in the Translation of Political Texts
Liu, Y. and Wang, C. 2021. In Other Words: What’s Happened to Metaphors in the Translation of Political Texts. International Journal of Translation, Interpretation and Applied Linguistics. 3 (2), pp. 16-30. https://doi.org/10.4018/IJTIAL.20210701.oa2

In Other Words: What’s Happened to Metaphors in the Translation of Political Texts.
Liu, Y. and Wang, C. 2021. In Other Words: What’s Happened to Metaphors in the Translation of Political Texts. International Journal of Translation, Interpretation and Applied Linguistics. 3 (2), pp. 16-30 2. https://doi.org/10.4018/IJTIAL.20210701.oa2

Explicitations in Political Texts and the Translator’s Rationale
Wang, C. 2021. Explicitations in Political Texts and the Translator’s Rationale. in: Wang, C. and Zheng, B. (ed.) Empirical Studies of Translation and Interpreting: the Post-structuralist Approach Routledge. pp. 137-155

Can Computer-assisted Interpreting Tools Assist Interpreting?
Wang, X. and Wang, C. 2019. Can Computer-assisted Interpreting Tools Assist Interpreting? Transletters: International Journal of Translation and Interpreting. 2 (1), pp. 109-139.

Elucidate the elusive concept of ‘pleasant voice’ for interpreters: a case study
Wang, C. and Huckvale, M. 2018. Elucidate the elusive concept of ‘pleasant voice’ for interpreters: a case study. 2nd Conference of World Interpreting and Translation Teaching Association (WITTA). University of Westminster, London 13 - 14 Oct 2018

Decoding and Encoding the Discourse Meaning of Punctuation: a Perspective from English-to-Chinese Translation
Wang, C. 2018. Decoding and Encoding the Discourse Meaning of Punctuation: a Perspective from English-to-Chinese Translation. Babel | Revue internationale de la traduction / International Journal of Translation . 64 (2), pp. 225-249. https://doi.org/10.1075/babel.00032.wan

Bringing the cross-cultural dimension into interpreting assessment: Analysing the validity of students’ inferences of the pleasant voice construct
Iglesias Fernández, E., Wang, C. and Ouellet, M. 2017. Bringing the cross-cultural dimension into interpreting assessment: Analysing the validity of students’ inferences of the pleasant voice construct. Third International Conference on Interpreting Quality. University of Granada, Spain 05 - 07 Oct 2017

Translation Strategies for Cultural Contents of Scientific and Technical Texts
Wang, C. 2017. Translation Strategies for Cultural Contents of Scientific and Technical Texts. Proceedings of the European Academic Colloquium on Technical Communication . 5, pp. 47-67.

Translation Strategies for Cultural Contents of Scientific and Technical Texts
Wang, C. 2017. Translation Strategies for Cultural Contents of Scientific and Technical Texts. The European Academic Colloquium on Technical Communication Studies 2017. KU Leuven - Faculty of Arts, Campus Sint-Andries Antwerpen, Sint-Andriesstraat 2, 2000 Antwerp 28 Apr 2017 European Scientific Journal.

Culture in Transfer: Translation and Transcultural Communication International Conference
Wang, C. 2016. Culture in Transfer: Translation and Transcultural Communication International Conference. Interpreters = Cultural Mediators? . Institute of English Studies of the University of Wrockaw, Wroclaw, Poland 10 - 11 Jun 2016

Quantifying Assessment Criteria in Translator Training Courses: A Step Forward for Translator Trainers and Translator Users to Meet
Wang, C. 2015. Quantifying Assessment Criteria in Translator Training Courses: A Step Forward for Translator Trainers and Translator Users to Meet. New perspectives in assessment in translation training: Bridging the gap between academic and professional assessment. University of Westminster, London 04 Sep 2015

Ideology, ST Choices and Translation Strategies: a study of Nicky Harman translating Chinese fiction
Wang, C. 2013. Ideology, ST Choices and Translation Strategies: a study of Nicky Harman translating Chinese fiction. Reading the Target: translation as translation. University of East Anglia, UK

Translation students' use and evaluation of online resources for Chinese-English translation at the word level
Xu, M. and Wang, C. 2011. Translation students' use and evaluation of online resources for Chinese-English translation at the word level. Translation and Interpreting Studies. 6 (1), pp. 62-86. https://doi.org/10.1075/tis.6.1.04xu

Some issues in interpreting: politeness and professionalism
Wang, C. 2010. Some issues in interpreting: politeness and professionalism. Guest speech. St. Marylebone School London 15 Jan 2010

The pragmatics of corrections in first language acquisition: a relevance theoretic approach
Wang, C. 2009. The pragmatics of corrections in first language acquisition: a relevance theoretic approach. VDM Publishing House.

The pragmatics of corrections in the process of first language acquisition: a relevance-theoretic approach
Wang, C. 2008. The pragmatics of corrections in the process of first language acquisition: a relevance-theoretic approach. RASK: International Journal of Language and Communication. 27, pp. 3-85.

Permalink - https://westminsterresearch.westminster.ac.uk/item/q0xwq/interpreters-cultural-mediators


Share this

Usage statistics

240 total views
362 total downloads
These values cover views and downloads from WestminsterResearch and are for the period from September 2nd 2018, when this repository was created.