The 'Interpreter Effect': Rendering Interpreters Visible in Cross-Cultural Research and Methodology

Abstract

Social science literature dealing with cross-cul tural research tends to discuss 'language' as a methodological problem. One focus is hereby on testing the equivalence of concepts in dif ferent languages, usually in relation to one survey carried out in various countries. However, what hardly seems to feature are ex periences and thoughts on the social process of conducting interviews with a party of a differ ent linguistic background from that of the in terviewer, and the possible role of interpreters. It is in clinical interviewing in the mental health services where such issues have received considerable attention. This article is based mainly on two sources of knowledge and experience: first, on litera ture about the methodological issues gener ated by mainly clinical interviews conducted with interpreters; second, on experiences re lated to my thesis fieldwork in Budapest, which comprised 26 interviews with labour and management representatives, carried out with the assistance of interpreters. On this basis, the following issues are addressed: the possible interview bias arising due to the inter preter's background characteristics; the poten tial difficulties which are likely to occur, in particular when lay interpreters are involved; the possible lack of control over the interview process. Finally, the role of the interpreter as providing the non-native interviewer with a cultural context is explored.