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Chapter 13. Relational, situational and discourse features of mental health interactions

Perspectives from interpreters
  • Jim Hlavac , Biserka Surla and Emiliano Zucchi
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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 addresses the paucity of interpreter-focused studies in mental health interpreting and presents the voices of spoken-language interpreters reporting on relational, situational and discourse features of the speech of interlocutors with whom they work. Responses from 10 interpreters are presented on pre-interactional contact and briefing, physical configuration of setting, discourse of mental health clinicians, and discourse of mental health patients. Despite guidelines to both clinicians and interpreters, occurrence of a pre-interaction briefing is variable. An equidistant position to other interlocutors is the most common configuration. Descriptions of discourse relate to pace of speech, brevity, clinicians’ alignment with patients, with the physiological, emotional and psychological state of patients listed as challenging features. Code-switching as an unmarked speech variety but also as a conspicuous feature relevant to diagnosis is also reported.

Abstract

This chapter addresses the paucity of interpreter-focused studies in mental health interpreting and presents the voices of spoken-language interpreters reporting on relational, situational and discourse features of the speech of interlocutors with whom they work. Responses from 10 interpreters are presented on pre-interactional contact and briefing, physical configuration of setting, discourse of mental health clinicians, and discourse of mental health patients. Despite guidelines to both clinicians and interpreters, occurrence of a pre-interaction briefing is variable. An equidistant position to other interlocutors is the most common configuration. Descriptions of discourse relate to pace of speech, brevity, clinicians’ alignment with patients, with the physiological, emotional and psychological state of patients listed as challenging features. Code-switching as an unmarked speech variety but also as a conspicuous feature relevant to diagnosis is also reported.

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.151.13hal

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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