Re-interpreting interpreting

Abstract

ABSTRACT In the face of newly emerging practices and shifting conceptual boundaries in translation and interpreting studies, the article engages with two recent theoretical proposals aiming at a reconceptualization of translation from the perspectives of semiotics and accessibility studies. The biosemiotic theory by Kobus Marais based on Peircean semiotics and Gian Maria Greco’s universalist conception of accessibility grounded in human rights are explored with reference to interpreting, and their theoretical, terminological, professional and academic implications are discussed. In addition, a conceptual mapping of various forms of media access services, including speech-to-text interpreting, serves as a basis for discussing ongoing redefinition efforts in the context of international standardization, highlighting the complex interplay of different stakeholders, including scholars, service providers, service users, and regulators.