A Voice: The Role of Child Interpreters in their Parents’ Immigration and Settlement Experience in Canada

Liliana Araujo

doi:10.32920/ryerson.14664552.v1

Abstract

Child interpreters are children of immigrant parents who have limited proficiency in the host country’s official language(s) and serve as their parents’ interpreters. Child interpreters, therefore, become their parent’s voice throughout their settlement in the host country. This paper explores the experience of Portuguese-Canadian immigrant parents who use their children as interpreters. More specifically, it investigates the extent to which child interpreters shape and/or influence their parents’ immigration and settlement experience in Canada. As I will demonstrate, my research found that child interpreters, as their parents’ voice, play a significant role in their parents’ experience in Canada. From interpreting at the doctor’s office to interpreting during the purchase of a home, the parents in this study agree that their immigration experience would not have been the same without their children as interpreters.

Highlights

Among the most trying tasks for individuals and families upon migration is the acquisition and development of proficiency in the host country’s official language(s), which can be quite difficult and may result in setbacks during their settlement
There are many issues which this topic sheds light on, including: language acquisition by immigrant families; linguistic accommodation and access to services for immigrants with language barriers; provision of interpretation services in various service sectors; the appropriateness of the use of one’s child to serve as an interpreter; and the implications this practice may have on all the parties involved including the parents and family, the child interpreter and the third parties
The quantitative method utilized was in the form of a questionnaire with demographic questions as well as questions relating to the need for and the frequency of use of interpreters as well as a question regarding their immigration and settlement experience in Canada

Summary

Introduction

Among the most trying tasks for individuals and families upon migration is the acquisition and development of proficiency in the host country’s official language(s), which can be quite difficult and may result in setbacks during their settlement. Identified as language brokers (Tse, 1996; Buriel et al, 1998; Weisskirch and Alva, 2002; Valdés, 2003; Morales et al , 2005; Jones and Trickett, 2005; Weisskirch, 2005, 2006, 2007; Love and Buriel, 2007); cultural brokers (Jones and Trickett, 2005; Trickett and Jones, 2007); and para-phrasers (Orellana et al, 2003a, 2003b), child interpreters are children of immigrant parents who serve as interpreters in various settings in order to facilitate the communication between their parents and parties from the host society. The concentration of British research is conducted on Punjabi-speaking immigrants in England (Kaur and Mills, 1993)

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion