Abstracts
Abstract
While professional interpreters are trained to interpret in direct speech style, using the “direct interpreting approach” (Hale 2007), studies show that some interpreters deviate from this style, with implications for their role performance. Few of these studies, however, have examined the interpreters’ style choice in relation to their professional qualifications and ethics. Drawing on data from an ethnographic investigation of interpreted lawyer-client interviews in Australia, this study explores interpreters’ choice of interpreting style in line with their professional qualifications, the reasons behind their choice and the implications for their role performance. It found that trained interpreters used direct speech consistently and understood the rationale behind this ethical requirement. Untrained interpreters either ignored this norm or had difficulty adhering to direct speech style and its associated interpreting approach in a consistent manner. They shifted to reported speech on various occasions to achieve different communication purposes, some of which indicate their assumption of roles not stipulated in their professional ethics. The untrained interpreters’ lack of compliance with the normative practice relates to their inadequate understanding of some aspects of the interpreter’s ethical role.
Keywords:
- direct interpreting approach,
- reported speech,
- interpreter’s role,
- ethics,
- lawyer-client interviews
Résumé
Bien que les interprètes professionnels soient formés pour interpréter dans le style du discours direct en utilisant l’« approche de l’interprétation directe » (Hale 2007), des études montrent que certains interprètes s’écartent de ce style, ce qui n’est pas sans répercussion sur leur performance. Cependant, peu de chercheurs se sont penchés sur les liens entre le style d’interprétation choisi et les qualifications des interprètes, ainsi que leur positionnement éthique. S’appuyant sur les données d’une enquête ethnographique sur les entretiens interprétés entre avocats et clients en Australie, la présente étude examine les styles d’interprétation choisis par les interprètes en fonction de leurs qualifications professionnelles, en soulignant les raisons de leur choix et les implications pour leur performance. L’étude révèle que les interprètes formés utilisent systématiquement le discours direct et comprennent la raison de cette exigence éthique. Les interprètes non formés, soit ignorent cette norme, soit démontrent des difficultés à s’en tenir au style du discours direct et à l’approche d’interprétation qui y est associée. Ils passent au discours rapporté à diverses occasions pour atteindre différents objectifs de communication, parfois en prenant des rôles qui dépassent leur code d’éthique professionnelle. Le non-respect de la pratique normative chez les interprètes non formés semble lié à une compréhension inadéquate de certains aspects du rôle éthique de l’interprète.
Mots-clés :
- approche d’interprétation directe,
- discours rapporté,
- rôle de l’interprète,
- éthique,
- entretiens avocat-client
Resumen
Aunque a los intérpretes profesionales se les forma para que interpreten con un estilo de discurso directo según el “enfoque de interpretación directa” (Hale 2007), los estudios muestran que algunos intérpretes se desvían de este estilo, con implicaciones para su desempeño. Sin embargo, pocos de estos estudios han examinado los vínculos entre el estilo de interpretación elegido y las cualificaciones profesionales y la postura ética de los intérpretes. A partir de los datos recogidos gracias a una investigación etnográfica sobre entrevistas interpretadas entre abogados y clientes en Australia, este estudio explora los estilos de interpretación elegidos en relación con la cualificación profesional de los intérpretes, y destaca las razones que motivan su elección y las implicaciones para el desempeño de su función. El estudio revela que los intérpretes con formación utilizan sistemáticamente el discurso directo y comprenden la razón de ser de este requisito ético. Los intérpretes sin formación desconocen esta norma o tienen dificultades para adherirse al estilo de discurso directo y al enfoque de interpretación asociado. Pasan a utilizar el discurso indirecto en varias ocasiones para alcanzar diferentes objetivos de comunicación, asumiendo a veces funciones no estipuladas en su código ético profesional. El hecho de que los intérpretes sin formación no se adhieran a la práctica normativa parece estar relacionado con una comprensión inadecuada de algunos aspectos de la función ética del intérprete.
Palabras clave:
- enfoque de interpretación directa,
- discurso indirecto,
- función del intérprete,
- ética,
- entrevistas entre abogado y cliente
Appendices
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