Changing perspectives
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Raffaela Merlini
Abstract
The paper explores politeness dynamics through a qualitative analysis of three interpreted encounters in the fields of health care, primary education, and the social services. The overall framework involves a three-fold shift in perspective: contextually, cooperative conversations replace adversarial ones; theoretically, face-flattering is considered as a fundamental aspect of face-work alongside the more traditional face-threatening and face-saving ones; interactionally, different viewpoints are accounted for concerning the impact of politeness moves on the faces of interacting (and even absent) parties. The analysis shows how the interpreters’ face-work correlates with their understanding of the institutional goals being pursued during the interactions, their identification of power relations among participants, and their personal and professional status. Such a complex interplay of factors reveals all the richness of newly discovered interpreting landscapes.
Abstract
The paper explores politeness dynamics through a qualitative analysis of three interpreted encounters in the fields of health care, primary education, and the social services. The overall framework involves a three-fold shift in perspective: contextually, cooperative conversations replace adversarial ones; theoretically, face-flattering is considered as a fundamental aspect of face-work alongside the more traditional face-threatening and face-saving ones; interactionally, different viewpoints are accounted for concerning the impact of politeness moves on the faces of interacting (and even absent) parties. The analysis shows how the interpreters’ face-work correlates with their understanding of the institutional goals being pursued during the interactions, their identification of power relations among participants, and their personal and professional status. Such a complex interplay of factors reveals all the richness of newly discovered interpreting landscapes.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements ix
- Interpreting in a changing landscape 1
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Part I. Political and economic changes
- Court interpreter ethics and the role of professional organizations 15
- Role playing “Pumpkin” 31
- A description of interpreting in prisons 45
- From chaos to cultural competence 61
- The UNCRPD and “professional” sign language interpreter provision 83
- From invisible machines to visible experts 101
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Part II. Interpreting vs. mediating/culture brokering
- Role issues in the Low Countries 117
- One job too many? 133
- Exploring institutional perceptions of child language brokering 149
- Natural interpreters’ performance in the medical setting 165
- The interpreter – a cultural broker? 187
- The role of the interpreter in educational settings 203
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Part III. Interpreting strategies in different interactional contexts
- Business as usual? 225
- Who is speaking? 249
- Changing perspectives 267
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Part IV. A changing landscape
- Training interpreters in rare and emerging languages 287
- From role-playing to role-taking 305
- Public service interpreter education 321
- Index 339
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements ix
- Interpreting in a changing landscape 1
-
Part I. Political and economic changes
- Court interpreter ethics and the role of professional organizations 15
- Role playing “Pumpkin” 31
- A description of interpreting in prisons 45
- From chaos to cultural competence 61
- The UNCRPD and “professional” sign language interpreter provision 83
- From invisible machines to visible experts 101
-
Part II. Interpreting vs. mediating/culture brokering
- Role issues in the Low Countries 117
- One job too many? 133
- Exploring institutional perceptions of child language brokering 149
- Natural interpreters’ performance in the medical setting 165
- The interpreter – a cultural broker? 187
- The role of the interpreter in educational settings 203
-
Part III. Interpreting strategies in different interactional contexts
- Business as usual? 225
- Who is speaking? 249
- Changing perspectives 267
-
Part IV. A changing landscape
- Training interpreters in rare and emerging languages 287
- From role-playing to role-taking 305
- Public service interpreter education 321
- Index 339
