The Swedish system of authorizing interpreters
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Leena Idh
Abstract
Everyone who lives in Sweden but is unable to speak Swedish is entitled to the help of an interpreter in their contacts with the authorities in Sweden. Good interpretation provides one important safeguard for individual legal rights. For more than thirty years, therefore, the Swedish state has had a well-established system of authorizing interpreters. Sweden’s interpreter authorization is unique in the world today. Authorization is awarded by the Swedish Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency to those who pass its test in interpreting. This test consists of two sections: 1. Written test with questions on Swedish society and terminology into and from Swedish. 2. Oral test in the form of a role-play that may involve, for instance, a visit to a physician or lawyer. Once authorized, interpreters may then take another test for a specialist qualification as a court interpreter and/or health services interpreter.
Abstract
Everyone who lives in Sweden but is unable to speak Swedish is entitled to the help of an interpreter in their contacts with the authorities in Sweden. Good interpretation provides one important safeguard for individual legal rights. For more than thirty years, therefore, the Swedish state has had a well-established system of authorizing interpreters. Sweden’s interpreter authorization is unique in the world today. Authorization is awarded by the Swedish Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency to those who pass its test in interpreting. This test consists of two sections: 1. Written test with questions on Swedish society and terminology into and from Swedish. 2. Oral test in the form of a role-play that may involve, for instance, a visit to a physician or lawyer. Once authorized, interpreters may then take another test for a specialist qualification as a court interpreter and/or health services interpreter.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements ix
- Foreword: Interpreting professions, professionalisation and professionalism 1
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Critical linking up
- Critical linking up 11
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Interpreters on duty in Interaction: Studies of micro dynamics
- The interpreter in multi-party medical encounters 27
- Interpreting in asylum hearings 39
- Conversational dynamics as an instructional resource in interpreter-mediated technical settings 53
- A data driven analysis of telephone interpreting 65
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Interpreters in the community: Studies of macro dynamics
- Interpreter-mediated police interviews 79
- Community interpreting in Poland 95
- Alternative futures for a National Institute of Translation 107
- The interpreter’s ‘third client’ 121
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Developing local standards
- The Swedish system of authorizing interpreters 135
- Establishment, maintenance and development of a national register 139
- From Aequitas to Aequalitas 151
- The California standards for healthcare interpreters 167
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Professional ideology: Food for thought
- Professionalisation of interpreting with the community 181
- Why bother? Institutionalisation, interpreter decisions and power relations 193
- The interpreter as advocate 205
- Professionalisation on interpreters 215
- Professional stocks of interactional knowledge in the interpreter’s profession 227
- Aristotelian ethics and modern professional interpreting 241
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Improving and assessing professional skills: Training initiatives and programmes
- Formative assessment 253
- Interpreter internship program 263
- On-line and between the lines 273
- A bachelor programme in interpreting 283
- From helpers to professionals 297
- Index 311
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements ix
- Foreword: Interpreting professions, professionalisation and professionalism 1
-
Critical linking up
- Critical linking up 11
-
Interpreters on duty in Interaction: Studies of micro dynamics
- The interpreter in multi-party medical encounters 27
- Interpreting in asylum hearings 39
- Conversational dynamics as an instructional resource in interpreter-mediated technical settings 53
- A data driven analysis of telephone interpreting 65
-
Interpreters in the community: Studies of macro dynamics
- Interpreter-mediated police interviews 79
- Community interpreting in Poland 95
- Alternative futures for a National Institute of Translation 107
- The interpreter’s ‘third client’ 121
-
Developing local standards
- The Swedish system of authorizing interpreters 135
- Establishment, maintenance and development of a national register 139
- From Aequitas to Aequalitas 151
- The California standards for healthcare interpreters 167
-
Professional ideology: Food for thought
- Professionalisation of interpreting with the community 181
- Why bother? Institutionalisation, interpreter decisions and power relations 193
- The interpreter as advocate 205
- Professionalisation on interpreters 215
- Professional stocks of interactional knowledge in the interpreter’s profession 227
- Aristotelian ethics and modern professional interpreting 241
-
Improving and assessing professional skills: Training initiatives and programmes
- Formative assessment 253
- Interpreter internship program 263
- On-line and between the lines 273
- A bachelor programme in interpreting 283
- From helpers to professionals 297
- Index 311
