11. Cultural brokerage and overcoming communication barriers
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Claire Penn
Abstract
Aphasia results in numerous communicative barriers for patients and conversational partners, which are heightened in a cross-cultural context. In an interaction in which multiple communication barriers exist, participants must successfully negotiate mutual understanding and manage layers of breakdown. This chapter explores the notion of cultural brokerage in an interpreter-mediated clinical interaction in the context of aphasia. We present a methodology which appears to be a successful way of examining the complex interactional dynamics of a cross-cultural and cross-linguistic medical interaction. We also present some suggestions for training health professionals who work with interpreters as well as ways in which we can maximize an understanding of the patient’s lifeworld.
Abstract
Aphasia results in numerous communicative barriers for patients and conversational partners, which are heightened in a cross-cultural context. In an interaction in which multiple communication barriers exist, participants must successfully negotiate mutual understanding and manage layers of breakdown. This chapter explores the notion of cultural brokerage in an interpreter-mediated clinical interaction in the context of aphasia. We present a methodology which appears to be a successful way of examining the complex interactional dynamics of a cross-cultural and cross-linguistic medical interaction. We also present some suggestions for training health professionals who work with interpreters as well as ways in which we can maximize an understanding of the patient’s lifeworld.
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
