6. Ad hoc -interpreting in multilingual work meetings
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Véronique Traverso
Abstract
In multilingual work meetings, where the participants do not share the same languages, local translation appears as a means used to achieve participants’ task. English is supposed to be the lingua franca and consequently no one attends the meetings as a translator. Translation is nevertheless resorted to, and emerges as an activity related either to one participant having difficulties in understanding English or to one speaker finding difficulties in talking in English. This chapter focuses on the latter case. There, the speaker alternates languages, sometimes briefly, as for a word search, sometimes for a long spate of talk, which can trigger out a translation. The aim of the chapter is to analyse these local translational events in relation to the organization of sequentiality and participation.
Abstract
In multilingual work meetings, where the participants do not share the same languages, local translation appears as a means used to achieve participants’ task. English is supposed to be the lingua franca and consequently no one attends the meetings as a translator. Translation is nevertheless resorted to, and emerges as an activity related either to one participant having difficulties in understanding English or to one speaker finding difficulties in talking in English. This chapter focuses on the latter case. There, the speaker alternates languages, sometimes briefly, as for a word search, sometimes for a long spate of talk, which can trigger out a translation. The aim of the chapter is to analyse these local translational events in relation to the organization of sequentiality and participation.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgments ix
- Foreword xi
- Introduction: Understanding coordination in interpreter-mediated interaction 1
- 1. Interpreting or interfering? 23
- 2. Interpreting participation 45
- 3. “You are not too funny” 71
- 4. Ad hoc interpreting for partially language-proficient patients 99
- 5. Code-switching and coordination in interpreter-mediated interaction 115
- 6. Ad hoc -interpreting in multilingual work meetings 149
- 7. Gaze, positioning and identity in interpreter-mediated dialogues 177
- 8. Minimal responses in interpreter-mediated medical talk 201
- 9. Mediating assessments in healthcare settings 229
- 10. Challenges in interpreters’ coordination of the construction of pain 251
- 11. Cultural brokerage and overcoming communication barriers 269
- 12. Interpreting as dialogic mediation 297
- Authors’ bio sketches 327
- Index 331
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgments ix
- Foreword xi
- Introduction: Understanding coordination in interpreter-mediated interaction 1
- 1. Interpreting or interfering? 23
- 2. Interpreting participation 45
- 3. “You are not too funny” 71
- 4. Ad hoc interpreting for partially language-proficient patients 99
- 5. Code-switching and coordination in interpreter-mediated interaction 115
- 6. Ad hoc -interpreting in multilingual work meetings 149
- 7. Gaze, positioning and identity in interpreter-mediated dialogues 177
- 8. Minimal responses in interpreter-mediated medical talk 201
- 9. Mediating assessments in healthcare settings 229
- 10. Challenges in interpreters’ coordination of the construction of pain 251
- 11. Cultural brokerage and overcoming communication barriers 269
- 12. Interpreting as dialogic mediation 297
- Authors’ bio sketches 327
- Index 331
