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Chapter 2. Tell us about that

Using audiovisual clips to allow students to practise interpreting authentic court questions
  • Jo Anna Burn and Ineke H.M. Crezee
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Interpreting in Legal and Healthcare Settings
This chapter is in the book Interpreting in Legal and Healthcare Settings

Abstract

This chapter contains a discussion of the findings of a small study in which the authors applied voice recording technology to enable student interpreters to practise authentic legal question-and-answer discourse from the examination-in-chief and cross-examination phases of two jury trials in New Zealand. The chapter discusses the purpose of lawyers’ questions in the common law adversarial courtroom, and identifies the question types used in the video clips shown to students. It then focuses on student renditions, identifying which types of questions were interpreted most accurately, and which types of questions were interpreted least accurately. The authors offer some suggestions as to why some question forms may pose difficulties for interpreters, and make some practical suggestions to improve student understanding of the pragmatic intent of questions in the different parts of the trial process.

Abstract

This chapter contains a discussion of the findings of a small study in which the authors applied voice recording technology to enable student interpreters to practise authentic legal question-and-answer discourse from the examination-in-chief and cross-examination phases of two jury trials in New Zealand. The chapter discusses the purpose of lawyers’ questions in the common law adversarial courtroom, and identifies the question types used in the video clips shown to students. It then focuses on student renditions, identifying which types of questions were interpreted most accurately, and which types of questions were interpreted least accurately. The authors offer some suggestions as to why some question forms may pose difficulties for interpreters, and make some practical suggestions to improve student understanding of the pragmatic intent of questions in the different parts of the trial process.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgments vii
  4. Introduction. Interpreting in legal and healthcare settings 1
  5. Part I. Interpreting in legal settings
  6. Chapter 1. Linguistic disadvantage before the law 21
  7. Chapter 2. Tell us about that 45
  8. Chapter 3. Interpreting for refugees 63
  9. Chapter 4. Australian court interpreters’ preparation practices 83
  10. Chapter 5. Turn-taking management in interpreted legal aid lawyer-client interviews 113
  11. Chapter 6. Legal translator and interpreter training in languages of lesser diffusion in Spain 133
  12. Chapter 7. Organising a profession 165
  13. Chapter 8. Teaching police to work effectively with interpreters 189
  14. Part II. Interpreting in healthcare settings
  15. Chapter 9. Exploring role expectations of healthcare interpreters in New Zealand 211
  16. Chapter 10. Communication issues during triage in a paediatric emergency department 243
  17. Chapter 11. Medical interpreting as an emerging profession in Hong Kong 263
  18. Chapter 12. Overcoming language barriers in the Spanish healthcare context 287
  19. Chapter 13. Relational, situational and discourse features of mental health interactions 313
  20. Contributors 343
  21. Subject index 345
https://doi.org/10.1075/btl.151.02bur

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgments vii
  4. Introduction. Interpreting in legal and healthcare settings 1
  5. Part I. Interpreting in legal settings
  6. Chapter 1. Linguistic disadvantage before the law 21
  7. Chapter 2. Tell us about that 45
  8. Chapter 3. Interpreting for refugees 63
  9. Chapter 4. Australian court interpreters’ preparation practices 83
  10. Chapter 5. Turn-taking management in interpreted legal aid lawyer-client interviews 113
  11. Chapter 6. Legal translator and interpreter training in languages of lesser diffusion in Spain 133
  12. Chapter 7. Organising a profession 165
  13. Chapter 8. Teaching police to work effectively with interpreters 189
  14. Part II. Interpreting in healthcare settings
  15. Chapter 9. Exploring role expectations of healthcare interpreters in New Zealand 211
  16. Chapter 10. Communication issues during triage in a paediatric emergency department 243
  17. Chapter 11. Medical interpreting as an emerging profession in Hong Kong 263
  18. Chapter 12. Overcoming language barriers in the Spanish healthcare context 287
  19. Chapter 13. Relational, situational and discourse features of mental health interactions 313
  20. Contributors 343
  21. Subject index 345
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