MODULE 5

Topic 4
Interpreting and its use in
cultural mediation
 CONTENT

II. Interpreting
I. Introduction specialisation
areas

III. Types of IV. The

interpreting interpreter

V. Strategies
for a faithful
interpreting

MODULE 5. Communication and interpreting in contexts of cultural mediation. Topic 4:Interpreting and its use in cultural mediation 2
 Introduction
The use of INTERPRETING has its beginning at the start of civilisation.
In an era where societies are formed by a huge cultural diversity, we notice
communication problems derived from different ways of interaction.

Some of the causes of the difficulties or failure in communication are:

Linguistic differences between speakers
The communicative models they use
Cultural patterns
The factors of mutual ignorance and the adoption of ethnocentric
perspectives.

MODULE 5. Communication and interpreting in contexts of cultural mediation. Topic 4:Interpreting and its use in cultural mediation 3
 Introduction
Interpreter The interpreter is a mean of universal
communication, an essential element in
a world of exchanges. Nowadays, it is
also considered that “interpreting is a
tool that allows intercultural
Triangular communication and transmission of
Dialogue information at a global scale” (Vázquez
User Professional & Del Árbol, 2005).

The interpreter’s task is to transform the original message that a speaker has
produced into the language of the receiver.
This act of translation does not only imply a mere
transference of an oral message but has to entail the
influence of conscious and unconscious cultural
meanings.

MODULE 5. Communication and interpreting in contexts of cultural mediation. Topic 4:Interpreting and its use in cultural mediation 4
 Concentration

Paying
Remembering
attention to
the message
the message

The interpreting process

Reproducing or
Understanding
reformulating the
the meaning of
message in
the message
another language

Analysing the
intention and
meaning of the
message

MODULE 5. Communication and interpreting in contexts of cultural mediation. Topic 4:Interpreting and its use in cultural mediation 5
 Introduction
In order to face the communication difficulties previously described, destination
countries with major migration flows have adopted different CULTURAL DIVERSITY
MANAGEMENT MODELS.

Regarding THE WAY OF CONCEIVING AND UNDERSTANDING INTERPRETING, there are

also differences among nations that recognise the interpreter figure: public service
interpreting, community interpreting or social interpreting, social interpreters, etc.

Despite the different variations and nuances, these profiles are related to the
interpreting activity which is developed in public services, such as, social services,
healthcare services, courts, etc., areas in which both elements in contact have an
asymetric relation.

MODULE 5. Communication and interpreting in contexts of cultural mediation. Topic 4:Interpreting and its use in cultural mediation 6
 Interpreting specialisation areas
It has the aim of facilitating
negotiations, exchange or
It facilitates gathering of information
communication between To
In conferences between professionals of
politicians and professionals the scientifical, military,
specialists commercial areas, etc.

It tries to make the

audience understand In broadcast It tries to facilitate the
different situations, real or interaction between
fiction, that are media (films, Social nationals and foreigners in
broadcasted in the media. TV, etc.) order to foster their
integration.

It tries to transfer oral It offers communicative

messages to people with tools to people that are
hearing deficiencies. Sign language In court involved in an oral
hearing or trial.

MODULE 5. Communication and interpreting in contexts of cultural mediation. Topic 4:Interpreting and its use in cultural mediation 7
 Types of interpreting
•Modality in which only
Simultaneous Consecutive Liaison the speaker and the
receiver intervene, and
•It is the most well- •The speech is they can interchange their
known type of interpreted once the roles.
interpreting. speaker has finished •Uses: personal
• Real time interpreting (complete modality) or interpreting services
of the original message during its pauses (personal meetings,
to the receiver’s (fragmented modality) business visits, etc.)
language. •Uses: •It does not require a
•Use: -Short speeches technical specialist.
-Big events: conferences, (<30min): press releases,
meetings, etc. hearings, etc. •It has an official status
-Long lasting speeches •The interpreter must be Certified (the interpreter must be
(more than an hour) next to the speaker in enabled by the Ministry
•It needs technical order to take notes. of Foreign Affairs)
materials and more than Depending on the •Uses: trials, courts and
one professional speakers and the room other formal processes.
because of the high conditions he/she may
concentration that need receptors.
requires.

MODULE 5. Communication and interpreting in contexts of cultural mediation. Topic 4:Interpreting and its use in cultural mediation 8
 Consecutive Interpreting:
key aspects to be considered
1. PERCEPTION-COMPREHENSION STAGE IN THE INTERPRETING PROCESS
 Listening
 Understanding the message

2. ANALYSING THE SPEECH

Previous knowledge
Linguistic functions of the interpreting process
Types of speech: argumentative, narrative, descriptive, polemic, rhetoric,
obstructionist

3. PROCESSING THE INFORMATION

Secondary elements
External elements of the speech content
Relations between statements
Strategies

MODULE 5. Communication and interpreting in contexts of cultural mediation. Topic 4:Interpreting and its use in cultural mediation 9
 Consecutive Interpreting:
key aspects to be considered
4. COGNITIVE ASPECTS OF INTERPRETING
 Memory
 Effort models
 Bilingualism

5. TAKING NOTES
 Principles.
 Techniques: using brackets, margins, speaker’s point of view, verbal modes
and times, symbols
 Process
 Assessment

6. REFORMULATION STAGE
 Strategies to comply with the fidelity principle
 Requirements for a satisfactory communication: voice, fluidity and elocution
 Other parameters

MODULE 5. Communication and interpreting in contexts of cultural mediation. Topic 4:Interpreting and its use in cultural mediation 10
 The interpreter: general abilities
According to Herbert (1952) According to Romero (1999)

• The ability to be passively receptive

• Control of the active language
without showing any personal
reactions.
• A good knowledge of the passive
• Mental acuity that generate an languages
immediate and effective response. • Good memory
• Good memorising ability: • A wide knowledge of general
-Storing a wide range of vocabulary in culture
different languages; • Knowledge of the current
-Retaining the high content of nationals and international news
technical terms used by specialists in a • Ability to summarise
conference ; • Intellectual curiosity
-Retaining in a short time the most • Mental agility
detail, complete and exact image of
• Ability to keep concentration
what the speaker has expressed

MODULE 5. Communication and interpreting in contexts of cultural mediation. Topic 4:Interpreting and its use in cultural mediation 11
 The interpreter’s profile (TIME Project)

Knowledge
• Types of interpreting.
• Interpreting methodology.
• Techniques and tools to sustain interpreting (memory exercises, taking notes, etc.)
• Interpreting deontology.
• The importance and limits of interpreting in cultural mediation and the adjustments
needed in different contexts.
• Specific requirements of interpreting in hearings see TIME
• Available resources to increase knowledge, recycling and continuous training of
interpreting.
• Knowledge of specific interpreting areas, such as, healthcare, legal, etc.
• Cultural aspects that affect communication.
• Handling cultural nuances, regional variations, idiomatic expressions and
collocations of the second working language.

MODULE 5. Communication and interpreting in contexts of cultural mediation. Topic 4:Interpreting and its use in cultural mediation 12
 The interpreter’s profile (TIME proyect)
Skills Competences
• Making quick linguistic decisions • The ability to adapt the type and level of
regarding the choice of words and interpreting according to the content and
terminology. context of the meeting, maintaining
• Providing accurate interpreting services, accuracy.
preserving intention, tone, style and • Assumption of taking as a personal
statements of every message. responsibility the later development of
• Using tools and techniques that support linguistic and interpreting skills, according
interpreting. to the observed needs in your daily practice.
• Efficient preparation for interpreting • Assumption of taking as a responsibility
sessions. the adhesion to an interpreting code of
• Providing visual interpreting services for ethics depending on the requirements of
administrative documents frequently used the country and cultural mediation.
in migration meetings (questionnaires, •Interpreting interventions that pay
applications, instruction sheets, etc.). attention to the cultural specifications of
the different parts involved in the meeting.

MODULE 5. Communication and interpreting in contexts of cultural mediation. Topic 4:Interpreting and its use in cultural mediation 13
 Natural or ad hoc interpreting
It is the one carried out by non professional interpreters; they are usually family members, friends
or acquaintances or strangers that share the same language of the user.

ADVANTAGES: It is usually the most used resource in public services due to its accessibility (it is
free, there is a relationship of trust with the person that interprets, etc.).

DISADVANTAGES: Having as a result a non efficient communication.

DEFICIENCIES NOTICED in these informal interpreters:

• Linguistic aspect: deficiencies in the general language as well as in the specific terminology of the area they
are working on.
• Lack of knowledge about the interpreting techniques, as well as the ethic roles of the profession.

• Lack of information about the public services that they need, action protocols and professional figures
that work with them.
• Lack of abilities to face the inherent difficulties of the job, specially, the psychological ones.

MODULE 5. Communication and interpreting in contexts of cultural mediation. Topic 4:Interpreting and its use in cultural mediation 14
 Interpreting, translation and Cultural Mediation

Interpreting Cultural Mediation

The interpreter works as a specialist The mediator works on resolving

of the area in which the cultural conflicts as well as on
communication is taking place. He/ communication strategies, providing
she has to translate the message but social and cultural keys, interpreting
also has to take into account the norms, values, worldviews, etc.,
cultural meaning of what the building up a common language
professional has expressed as well as between both parts.
what the immigrant is saying.

Castiglioni (1997) states that the linguistic-cultural mediator is not only an interpreter
because interpreting/translation is just one of the many aspects of mediation which is a
modality of social intervention.

MODULO 5. Comunicación e interpretación en contextos de mediación intercultural.Tema 4: Interpretación y su uso en la mediación cultural
15
 Strategies for a faithful interpreting
• MEMORY SKILLS
Techniques to improve immediate memory:
 Familiarising with the terminology of the area of work (trials, health services, etc)
 Do not distract themselves with unknown words, contradictory ideas, emotional
reactions, etc.
 Using key words expressed by the speaker, that are used as anchors to remember the
message.

*Imperative: the interpreter must be honest and recognise the cases in which he/she has
more limitations and, therefore, the interpreter has to be careful and not omit or distort
the message due to their lack of knowledge in that specific area.
• WRITING SKILLS
Techniques:
 Familiarising with the terminology.
 Exercising memory by the use of recorders.

MODULE 5. Communication and interpreting in contexts of cultural mediation. Topic 4:Interpreting and its use in cultural mediation 16
 Resources
Readings
The community interpreter. An international workbook:
http://www.thecommunityinterpreter.com/assets/interior-contents-tcii-workbook-bw.pdf
An interactional perspective on interpreting as mediation.
http://www.ledonline.it/index.php/LCM-Journal/article/view/724
The meaning of accuracy and culture, and the rise of the machine in interpreting and translation.
http://cultusjournal.com/files/Archives/cultus__8_2015.pdf
Are close renditions the golden standard? Some thoughts on translating accurately in healthcare interpreter-
mediated interaction: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/1750399X.2014.972029
Interactional Pragmatics, Face and the Dialogue Interpreter: https://
www.academia.edu/3778068/Interactional_Pragmatics_Face_and_the_Dialogue_Interpreter
Interpreting as interaction :https://books.google.gr/books?
hl=el&lr=&id=vADKAwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=triadic+encoun
ters+in+community+interpreting&ots=eW-
jMuBC0I&sig=DSePOBmHGtRz0mp6oqtwnniCLA&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=triadic%20encounters%20in
%20com munity%20interpreting&f=false

Websites
www.thecommunityinterpreter.com

MODULE 5. Communication and interpreting in contexts of cultural mediation. Topic 4:Interpreting and its use in cultural mediation 17
 Bibliography and references
References
Castiglioni, M. (1997). La mediazione linguistico‐culturale. Principi, strategie, esperienze. Milan, Italy: Franco
Angeli.

Herbert, J. (1952). Manuel de l’interprète: comment on devient interprète de conférences. Geneva, Switzerland:
Librairie de l’Université.

Rudvin, M., & Tomassini, E. (2011). Interpreting in the Community and Workplace. A Practical Teaching Guide.
Basingstoke, England: Palgrave Macmillan.

Shuttleworth , M., & Cowie , M. (1997). Dictionary of Translation Studies. Manchester, England: St. Jerome
Publishing

Train Intercultural Mediators for a Multicultural Europe. (2015). TIME Project. Retrieved from: http://
www.mediation-time.eu/index.php?lang=en

Vázquez, E., & Del Árbol, E. (2005). Herramientas metodológicas para la formación de intérpretes: el modo
simultáneo. In Romana García, M.L. (Ed.), II AIETI. Actas del II Congreso Internacional de la Asociación Ibérica de
Estudios de Traducción e Interpretación (pp.464-474). Madrid, Spain: AIETI.

Wadensjö, C. (1998). Interpreting as Interaction. New York, United States: Longman.

MODULE 5. Communication and interpreting in contexts of cultural mediation. Topic 4:Interpreting and its use in cultural mediation 18
 Bibliography and references
Bibliography
Angelelli, C. V. (2003). The Interpersonal Role of the Interpreter in Cross-Cultural Comunication. In Brunette, L., Bastin,
G., Hemlin, I, & Clarke, H. (Eds.), The Critical Link 3 (pp.15-23). Amsterdam, The Netherlands: John Benjamins.

Angelelli, C.V. (2006). Designing curriculum for healthcare interpreter education: A principles approach. En Roy C.B. (Ed.),
New approaches to interpreter education (pp. 23-46). Washington DC, United States: Gallaudet University Press.

Busch, D., Mayer, C.H., & Bonnes, C.M. (Eds.) (2010). International and Regional Perspectives on Cross-Cultural
Mediation. Studien zur interkulturellen Mediatio. Frankfurt, Germany: Peter Lang

Lu, W. (2013). Developing note-taking skills in consecutive interpreting. Linguistics, Culture & Education 2(1), 72-81.

Santana, R. (2013). El mediador cultural en los servicios públicos: una nueva profesión. Estudios de Traducción, 3(2013),
33-43.

Tipton, R., & Furmanek, O. (2016). Dialogue Interpreting: A guide to interpreting in public services and the community.
London, England: Routledge.

Valdivia Campos, C. (1995). La interpretación. En Anales de filología francesa, (7), 175-181.

Valero-Garcés, C., & Martin, A. (Eds.) (2008). Crossing Borders in Community Interpreting: Definitions and dilemmas.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands: John Benjamins.
 
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