The interpreter as advocate
-
Zubaidah Ibrahim
Abstract
The principle of impartiality is one of the foundations of interpreter ethics. To privilege or penalize either side in an exchange is commonly judged to be professional malpractice and, although this is recognized, in reality it is not an easy goal to achieve. This paper provides evidence that, in many Malaysian courts, the principle is regularly flouted by interpreters who are permitted to act as advocates. The study raises a question of professional ethics which deserves the careful thought of interpreters at international level. Is there a universal and internationally applicable set of ethical principles or are such principles variable across time and space and mediated by cultural relativity? And how should the profession respond to such a situation?
Abstract
The principle of impartiality is one of the foundations of interpreter ethics. To privilege or penalize either side in an exchange is commonly judged to be professional malpractice and, although this is recognized, in reality it is not an easy goal to achieve. This paper provides evidence that, in many Malaysian courts, the principle is regularly flouted by interpreters who are permitted to act as advocates. The study raises a question of professional ethics which deserves the careful thought of interpreters at international level. Is there a universal and internationally applicable set of ethical principles or are such principles variable across time and space and mediated by cultural relativity? And how should the profession respond to such a situation?
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
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
