A Case Study of an Untrained Interpreter’s Court Interpreting

Abstract

Drawing on the discourse of an untrained interpreter-mediated courtroom examination, this paper examines issues related to the accuracy in court interpreting and the role of the court interpreter, and the need for the legal professionals' awareness about the role of the court interpreter. Through illustrative examples, this paper demonstrates that untrained and incompetent interpreter's interpreting may influence the witness examination proper. The results clearly indicate that court interpreting service should be provided by trained professional interpreters and that legal professionals need to be aware of issues that may derive from inadequate court interpreting. This paper argues that legal professionals also need to understand how to work with interpreters in courtroom examinations. Finally, this paper calls for the judiciary's action on enhancing the quality of court interpreting that impinges on the exercise of justice.