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Chapter 16. Through the children’s voice

An analysis of language brokering experiences
  • Rachele Antonini
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Non-professional Interpreting and Translation
This chapter is in the book Non-professional Interpreting and Translation

Abstract

Because of the lack of provision of language services and for cultural reasons, immigrants very often choose to entrust their children with the task of translating for them. In this paper, we will discuss results from a wide-scale study carried out by the In MedIO PUER(I) research group1 of the University of Bologna aimed at assessing the main attitudes towards and opinions on child language brokering (CLB) held by the primary actors involved in this form of linguistic and cultural mediation: children of immigrant families attending primary and middle schools in the Forlì-Cesena province of the Emilia Romagna region. The analysis of the narratives they produced and submitted will provide a detailed description of the language brokering activities, in which children are involved, and will illustrate their feelings towards CLB, thus providing an insight into the impact that CLB has on their lives.

Abstract

Because of the lack of provision of language services and for cultural reasons, immigrants very often choose to entrust their children with the task of translating for them. In this paper, we will discuss results from a wide-scale study carried out by the In MedIO PUER(I) research group1 of the University of Bologna aimed at assessing the main attitudes towards and opinions on child language brokering (CLB) held by the primary actors involved in this form of linguistic and cultural mediation: children of immigrant families attending primary and middle schools in the Forlì-Cesena province of the Emilia Romagna region. The analysis of the narratives they produced and submitted will provide a detailed description of the language brokering activities, in which children are involved, and will illustrate their feelings towards CLB, thus providing an insight into the impact that CLB has on their lives.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Chapter 1. Introducing NPIT studies 1
  4. Part 1. State of the art of research on NPIT and general issues
  5. Chapter 2. Unprofessional translation 29
  6. Chapter 3. We are all translators 45
  7. Chapter 4. Dialoguing across differences 65
  8. Part 2. NPIT in healthcare, community and public services
  9. Chapter 5. Intercultural mediation and “(non)professional” interpreting in Italian healthcare institutions 83
  10. Chapter 6. More than mere translators 107
  11. Chapter 7. Issues of terminology in public service interpreting 131
  12. Chapter 8. From confinement to community service 157
  13. Chapter 9. The role and self-regulation of non-professional interpreters in religious settings 177
  14. Chapter 10. Simultaneous interpreting and religious experience 195
  15. Chapter 11. Beyond the professional scope? 213
  16. Chapter 12. Language-related disaster relief in Haiti 231
  17. Part 3. NPIT performed by children
  18. Chapter 13. Bilingual youngsters’ perceptions of their role as family interpreters 259
  19. Chapter 14. Child language brokers’ representations of parent–child relationships 281
  20. Chapter 15. Child language brokering in private and public settings 295
  21. Chapter 16. Through the children’s voice 315
  22. Chapter 17. Seeing brokering in bright colours 337
  23. Chapter 18. Language brokering 359
  24. Chapter 19. Not just child’s play 381
  25. Index 411
https://doi.org/10.1075/btl.129.16ant

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Chapter 1. Introducing NPIT studies 1
  4. Part 1. State of the art of research on NPIT and general issues
  5. Chapter 2. Unprofessional translation 29
  6. Chapter 3. We are all translators 45
  7. Chapter 4. Dialoguing across differences 65
  8. Part 2. NPIT in healthcare, community and public services
  9. Chapter 5. Intercultural mediation and “(non)professional” interpreting in Italian healthcare institutions 83
  10. Chapter 6. More than mere translators 107
  11. Chapter 7. Issues of terminology in public service interpreting 131
  12. Chapter 8. From confinement to community service 157
  13. Chapter 9. The role and self-regulation of non-professional interpreters in religious settings 177
  14. Chapter 10. Simultaneous interpreting and religious experience 195
  15. Chapter 11. Beyond the professional scope? 213
  16. Chapter 12. Language-related disaster relief in Haiti 231
  17. Part 3. NPIT performed by children
  18. Chapter 13. Bilingual youngsters’ perceptions of their role as family interpreters 259
  19. Chapter 14. Child language brokers’ representations of parent–child relationships 281
  20. Chapter 15. Child language brokering in private and public settings 295
  21. Chapter 16. Through the children’s voice 315
  22. Chapter 17. Seeing brokering in bright colours 337
  23. Chapter 18. Language brokering 359
  24. Chapter 19. Not just child’s play 381
  25. Index 411
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