The triality of roles for the trilingual researcher: Processes from a community-engaged qualitative cross-language health study

Abstract

There are numerous ethical and procedural challenges when conducting cross-language research, and there is a need to discuss the role of multilingual researchers, as much of the existing literature focuses on working with third-party interpreters or translators. In this article, we expand the recommendations for cross-language research for multilingual researchers and health studies, through an examination of literature and processes from a Community-Engaged Qualitative Photovoice project. We present adapted cross-language research methods for future cross-language research studies. These adapted methods include seven considerations: (i) What and why? Considerations for Study Design, (ii) When do we translate, and how many times? Question development, pilot testing, transcription, and translation, (iii) Who? The role of the translator/interpreter during the research process, (iv) Who again? Translator/interpreter credentials, (v) What are you really saying? Dynamic equivalence, (vi) Do your ears deceive you? Reflexive reflective reflexivity, and (vii) Triality, not just Duality, of the role of the Researcher.