Professional Interpreters Research Articles

Brokering understanding: Canadian deaf interpreters’ role and practice

ABSTRACT This article reports findings from semi-structured interviews with twelve Canadian deaf interpreter (DI) participants as part of a three-year study of language ideologies related to DIs. DIs are professional or amateur sign language interpreters and translators who are deaf and who may often but not always work as part of a team with hearing interpreters. When working with a hearing interpreter who uses the same national sign language, the DI’s role is often seen as meeting the needs of deaf clients who are viewed as lacking proficiency in a named language and/or who are viewed as monolingual in a named national sign language. This reflects normative language ideologies and conceptions of interpreting and translation. DI participants described their role in terms of their enhanced powers of understanding that elicited greater information from other deaf individuals than was apparent to a hearing interpreter. In addition, DI participants characterized their work as primarily translation, in a manner that accords with translation as the creation of meaning and as translanguaging that extends beyond named languages and deploys the individual’s full semiotic repertoire.

Re-conceptualising communicative expertise in professional practice through the lens of sign language intercultural mediation

The Candlin Lecture When we consider language, communication and the professions, we know that talk (speech or signs) is critical to professional practice and to relationships between professionals and service users. In a multilingual and multicultural world where people do not share the same languages or language repertoires, they must either adapt the way they talk to others (intercultural communication) or, if they cannot communicate directly, allow others to mediate communication on their behalf – a process labelled intercultural mediation. The latter occurs through professional or non-professional interpreting or language brokering. Current theories in interpreting studies consider (professional) interpreters as co-constructors of meaning and co-participants in any interaction. Communicative expertise is usually conceptualized in direct, monolingual communication. Using an explorative illustrative case study, this paper extends this theoretical framework to examine how communicative expertise manifests in interpreter-mediated communication, and particularly in relational aspects of intercultural mediation between a signed language and a spoken language and how professional interpreters and non-professional interpreters (brokers) draw on and apply their expert or lay knowledge about communication in a mediated interaction.

Intercultural family-school cooperation and the dilemma of involving child language brokers versus professional interpreters

ABSTRACT This study explores the complexities of intercultural family-school cooperation, particularly focusing on the dilemma of involving child language brokers versus professional interpreters in the context of compulsory schooling in Denmark, Iceland, and Norway. Utilising critical pedagogy as the theoretical framework, the study examines the experiences and perspectives of student teachers regarding cooperation with families who require language assistance. The data were collected via individual interviews with 36 student teachers. At the time of the study, they were enrolled in full-time teacher education programmes in their respective home countries and were in the final year of their educational journey. Drawing on their field experiences, the student teachers presented diverse scenarios in which they articulated a reasoned preference for involving either professional interpreters or child language brokers. As implications derived from the findings, it is evident that the involvement of professional interpreters and child language brokers in intercultural family-school cooperation necessitates a comprehensive evaluation by school personnel of the power dynamics, the emotional well-being of all parties involved, and the issues of confidentiality and professionalism. The study highlights the need for teacher education to address intercultural family-school cooperation holistically. It advocates for an enhanced focus on sustainable language support strategies, extending beyond reliance on interpreters or child language brokers.

Empowering Community Interpreters’ Competence Through Appropriate Work Attitudes: A Case Study on Interpreting in a Religious Setting

An interpreter should have special knowledge, skills, and appropriate work attitudes and behavior, reflected in their performance while doing their interpreting tasks. This study aimed to investigate the work attitude possessed by the Community Service Interpreters in Religious Settings in Indonesia and its relations to develop their competencies. This study used a descriptive method. The source of data was videos of two interpreters doing their tasks in two different religious activities. Three professional interpreters were taken as the respondents of this study, who were asked to assess the work attitudes implemented by each of the interpreters in the videos. The data were analyzed using a 5-Point Likert Scale. The results indicate that the two interpreters have good and appropriate work attitudes, and their attitudes positively contribute to their interpreting competence.

Saudi Interpreters’ Adaptive Cognitive Strategic Behaviors in Consecutive Interpretation

This study investigates the adaptive cognitive strategies used by Saudi interpreters in consecutive interpretation (CI) guided by Gile’s (2009) Effort Models. Using a structured questionnaire, insights were gathered from 102 Saudi interpreters, divided into undergraduate students and professional interpreters with varying levels of experience. The research focuses on how interpreters manage the selection of interpretation strategies across four phases of CI: listening, note-taking, note-decoding, and reformulating. Notable findings include the contrast between experienced professionals, who seldom rely on common sense, omitting, or paraphrasing, and trainees, who employ these strategies more frequently in response to unfamiliar topics. Professionals, regardless of experience, effectively use paraphrasing when faced with numerical complexities. When dealing with fast-speaking speakers, experienced professionals avoid omitting content, while trainees rely on this strategy. In conclusion, to manage concentration during long speeches, trainees prioritize attention to the source speech and use selective omission, while experienced professionals gravitate toward generalizing and summarizing approaches. This research highlights the influence of experience on strategy choice, aligning with Jääskeläinen’s (1996) claim that experienced translators allocate more cognitive resources to production strategies than novices. A key recommendation of this study is the need for specialized training for novice interpreters, particularly in strategy development, to handle various CI process challenges. Training focused on enhancing note-taking skills is vital, especially for trainees, as clear and understandable notes are crucial for success in the note-decoding and reformulating stages of CI.

Challenges for unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors in Swedish compulsory institutional care

This qualitative thematic study aimed to examine the placement of unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors in compulsory institutional care in Sweden, to expand knowledge regarding their care and treatment. The dataset comprised official documents and anonymized journal documents from personnel detailing the experiences of twenty-five unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors in compulsory institutional care organized by the Swedish National Board of Institutional Care in 2015. The study identified three main themes: traumatic life events and mental health, alignment between needs, goals, and treatment, and language difficulties. The findings revealed a high prevalence of severe traumatic experiences among the asylum-seeking minors, with half having endured significant psychological and physical trauma. Mental health issues were inconsistently addressed, and prior traumas were often overlooked in care planning. The majority exhibited various mental health problems, underscoring the need for tailored interventions. The study highlights challenges in aligning unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors' individual needs, treatment goals, and provided care. Language barriers emerged as a critical concern, impeding effective communication and treatment. Approximately 80% of the asylum-seeking minors experienced difficulties in understanding and expressing themselves in Swedish. The limited use of professional interpreters further exacerbated this issue. The study underscores the need for targeted interventions to better support unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors within compulsory institutional settings.

Challenges in Assessment and Management of Postoperative Agitation and Delirium in a Stroke Patient with Limited English Proficiency: Case Report.

While Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 mandates use of interpreters for patients with limited English proficiency, significant disparities persist in intensive postsurgical care. We present the case of a 60-year-old Vietnamese-speaking man with a Type A aortic dissection requiring postoperative mechanical ventilation and stroke care. Despite use of a remote video interpreter, our language-discordant nursing and physician providers faced challenges in managing agitation and delirium and assessing neurological function. This case highlights the need for adequate interpretation equipment, linguistic diversity among providers, and interventions to promote and enable consistent certified and professional medical interpreter use.

The effect of primary language on access to specialized orthopedic care

BackgroundLanguage barriers can negatively impact the quality of care for non-English speaking patients. Lack of access to health-care providers who speak multiple languages or interpreters in medical offices can result in delayed appointment times, delayed treatment, and increased complications. Access to shoulder surgeons with subspecialty training is limited and this has been established which may further exacerbate the problem with access for these patients. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of primary language spoken on access to specialty shoulder care in South Florida. MethodsThree populous, diverse counties in South Florida were selected for data collection. Sixty-nine orthopedic offices were identified by Google search and selected via random number generator. Investigators used the Secret Shopper methodology to contact each office to schedule an appointment for a shoulder arthroplasty for a family member who spoke exclusively English or Spanish using a blocked phone number. The ability to schedule a new patient appointment with a fellowship-trained shoulder specialist, the waiting period for the scheduled appointment, and interpretation services for Spanish-speaking patients were collected. ResultsOf the 69 offices called, 35 met inclusion criteria. There were no significant differences in wait times for shoulder arthroplasty based on primary language spoken. There was no difference in wait time to see a shoulder specialist between Spanish (13.7 days) and English-speaking patients (12.9 days) (P = .835)). Wait times with a nonfellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon between Spanish and English-speaking patients was also not different (9.5 days and 11.96 days, respectively (P = .522). Similarly, no difference existed in phone call duration (P = .56), median income and wait times for a general orthopedic surgeon, with r = −0.26 (P = .105), or a shoulder specialist, with r = −0.19 (P = .22). Of the clinics accepting patients, 74.3% (n = 26/35) offered Spanish interpretation with 42.3% (n = 11/26) providing a multilingual physician, 26.9% (n = 7/26) a translating service, 23.1% (n = 6/26) had a staff member capable of translation, and 7.7% (n = 2/26) had an available professional interpreter. ConclusionWhile access to orthopedic specialty care may be similar for Spanish-speaking and English-speaking patients in South Florida, over 25% of clinics lack multilingual physicians or qualified interpreter access. This can negatively impact surgical decision-making, postoperative care and outcomes after shoulder surgery. It is essential the orthopedic community advocates for the proper resources to optimally assist surgeons and provide quality care for Spanish-speaking orthopedic patients.

Improving Interpreter Access in the Pediatric Emergency Department: A Quality Improvement Initiative.

An increasing proportion of the population in the United States have limited English proficiency (LEP). Hospitals that receive federal funding must offer interpreter services. However, access is often lacking for patients. Patients with LEP are at higher risk for adverse events, and the Emergency Department is a particularly high-risk environment for these events. This quality improvement initiative took place from April 2021 to August 2022 in an urban, tertiary care Pediatric Emergency Department. A driver diagram informed four Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles, and data were collected through medical record review, patient surveys, and staff surveys. We tracked outcomes using run and control chart data. During the study period, the proportion of patients with LEP reporting "always" having an interpreter was unchanged (no centerline shift-control chart rules). Documentation of interpreter use for encounters with patients with LEP improved. Preferred language documentation and documentation of the need for an interpreter in the electronic medical record showed no change. Process measure data for staff-reported use of professional interpreters significantly increased, and the use of ad hoc interpreters decreased significantly. Length of stay did not change for English or LEP patients. This quality improvement initiative improved appropriate documentation of LEP and decreased use of nonqualified interpreters, although no change occurred in the proportion of patients who reported always having an interpreter. Patient satisfaction was unaffected.

Effects of Language Status and Interpreter Use on Inpatient Rehabilitation Outcomes

Introduction: Non-English-speaking patients are at a disadvantage during inpatient rehabilitation due to language barriers and medical conditions including strokes and brain injuries. A qualified interpreter is not always used for various reasons depending on the setting. Studies have shown a lower functional independence and greater disability of minorities when discharged from rehabilitation. Further research is needed to investigate the communication barrier gaps in care. Question and Significance: Our goal was to determine if the use of interpreter services for non-English-speaking patients influences outcome measures from inpatient rehabilitation including CARE Tool scores, length of stay, and discharge disposition. Methods: Our study was a retrospective chart review of patients admitted to the rehabilitation service at Corewell Taylor between 10/1/19-12/31/21, which included 2018 English-speaking patients and 105 non-English-speaking patients over 18 years old. We gathered information via UDSMR data set and chart review including demographic data, disposition factors, CARE Tool scores, language status, and if an interpreter was used. Data was examined via Fisher’s exact tests. Analyses were performed using R Statistical Software. Results: Our data showed the proportion of non-English-speaking patients who used a professional interpreter was 0.73 (95% CI [0.64 – 0.82]). The proportion of non-English-speaking patients using any interpreter (professional or family) was 0.85 (95% CI [0.76 – 0.91]). There was a statistically significant association between language spoken (English vs non-English) and both gender (p=0.002) and race/ethnicity (p<0.001). No significant associations between interpreter use and any demographic characteristics/outcomes of interest were found. Conclusions: Our data showed no statistically significant association between interpreter use and CARE Tool scores, length of stay, or discharge disposition. We found that most of those needing interpretation used professional interpreter services. Therefore, interpreters are likely beneficial to improve communication with patients in inpatient rehabilitation, but further research is warranted regarding its effect on outcome.

Interpreter's Contribution in Conference Interpreting and Indonesia Education

The aim of this study is to report the interpreter’s contribution in conference interpreting and explore their contributions to the Indonesia's education. The grand theory used in this research is theory of interpreter's contribution proposed by Souza (2017). Qualitative research was utilized to collect and analyze data, employing open-ended interviews with professional interpreter as participant. The study found that interpreters play an important contribution in bridging communication gaps and ensuring effective communication in diverse educational settings such as importance of experience, technique, and overall skills in determining an interpreter's contribution. Additionally, the overall skills of an interpreter, including their cultural competence, adaptability, and ability to handle stress, are crucial to ensuring successful communication in educational contexts. By leveraging it, interpreters significantly contribute to the educational environment, promoting inclusivity and mutual understanding.

Uncovering multi-level mental healthcare barriers for migrants: a qualitative analysis across China, Germany, Netherlands, Romania, and South Africa

BackgroundForced displacement is a significant issue globally, and it affected 112 million people in 2022. Many of these people have found refuge in low- and middle-income countries. Migrants and refugees face complex and specialized health challenges, particularly in the area of mental health. This study aims to provide an in-depth qualitative assessment of the multi-level barriers that migrants face in accessing mental health services in Germany, Macao (Special Administrative Region of China), the Netherlands, Romania, and South Africa. The ultimate objective is to inform tailored health policy and management practices for this vulnerable population.MethodsAdhering to a qualitative research paradigm, the study centers on stakeholders’ perspectives spanning microsystems, mesosystems, and macrosystems of healthcare. Utilizing a purposive sampling methodology, key informants from the aforementioned geographical locations were engaged in semi-structured interviews. Data underwent thematic content analysis guided by a deductive-inductive approach.ResultsThe study unveiled three pivotal thematic barriers: language and communication obstacles, cultural impediments, and systemic constraints. The unavailability of professional interpreters universally exacerbated language barriers across all countries. Cultural barriers, stigmatization, and discrimination, specifically within the mental health sector, were found to limit access to healthcare further. Systemic barriers encompassed bureaucratic intricacies and a conspicuous lack of resources, including a failure to recognize the urgency of mental healthcare needs for migrants.ConclusionsThis research elucidates the multifaceted, systemic challenges hindering equitable mental healthcare provision for migrants. It posits that sweeping policy reforms are imperative, advocating for the implementation of strategies, such as increasing the availability of language services, enhancing healthcare providers’ capacity, and legal framework and policy change to be more inclusive. The findings substantially contribute to scholarly discourse by providing an interdisciplinary and international lens on the barriers to mental healthcare access for displaced populations.

Understanding interpreters' ad hoc knowledge: An empirical study based on English–Chinese simultaneous interpreting

AbstractThis study investigates ad hoc knowledge in interpreting – knowledge specifically relevant to an interpreting task, usually acquired by interpreters at pre-service and in-service stages. A quasi-experiment asked eight English–Chinese professional interpreters to prepare for and interpret two speeches with different degrees of specialisation. Five datasets were collected: (1) screen and video recordings of their preparation processes; (2) their responses to a follow-up questionnaire; (3) their scores and answers on a domain knowledge test; (4) their interpreting performance, rated by both professional interpreters and domain experts; (5) the speaker's answers to a few open questions on domain knowledge. Parts of the first and second datasets were used to examine what ad hoc knowledge the interpreters needed; the remaining three datasets, together with recording data from the first, were used to investigate the extent of their need for this knowledge. The findings show that ad hoc knowledge is domain-relevant, yet its scope is highly interpreting-specific, being neither deep nor wide; and it is by nature different from domain knowledge, mainly including speech-relevant expressive knowledge about certain domain(s) and the contextual knowledge interpreters use in their preparation. The implications of these findings for interpreting practice and training are also discussed.

Comparing Hospital Length of Stay Between Persons With LEP and English-Speaking Patients in a Large Rural Academic Medical Center.

Patients with limited English proficiency that are hospitalized without regular access to professional medical interpreters have a longer length of stay (LOS).1 The authors studied the difference in LOS between English-speaking patients and patients with limited English proficiency in New Hampshire's only academic trauma medical center. The authors also examined race, ethnicity, and distance of residence from hospital. Retrospective data were queried from EPIC, the electronic medical record system used by the authors. Queried data focused on inpatient hospitalizations between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2021. Patient primary language was grouped into English, Spanish, and other non-English language. Spanish-speaking patients live on average 39.6 miles farther from a hospital than English-speaking patients and have a 0.34 lower case mix index. After English, Spanish is the second-most frequently spoken language. Regression analyses found language to be a significant factor in LOS, LOS variance, and case mix index. A 2.34-day longer LOS for Spanish-speaking patients demonstrates an important health care disparity warranting further attention.

A Psycholinguistic Approach to Consecutive Interpretation: Identifying Problems Among Saudi Interpreters

The complexities associated with the interpretation process have raised considerable attention from researchers. The multifaceted nature of interpretation, which involves transferring meaning from one language to another in real time, presents a range of cognitive, linguistic, and practical challenges. This study comprehensively examines problems encountered by Saudi interpreters while performing consecutive interpretation. The analysis is grounded in Gile’s Effort Models (1995), which investigates the cognitive mechanisms underlying challenges across four phases: listening and understanding, note-taking, note-decoding, and expressing and reformulating. Using a questionnaire as the primary data collection tool, the study applies quantitative analysis to investigate the reported problems among 102 trainee and professional Saudi interpreters. The study reveals insights into the problems encountered by the participants during different phases of consecutive interpretation, such as note-taking, coherence maintenance, handling information density, managing nervousness, and ensuring memory reliability. These findings align with previous empirical studies in the field, emphasizing the importance of understanding the cognitive and practical difficulties inherent in the process of consecutive interpretation. Overall, this study contributes to the existing knowledge base on interpreter challenges while also highlighting the universal nature of these difficulties and the need for customized ongoing interpreter training programs.

Interpreting for International Protection Seekers in the Mediterranean Region: A Comparison of the Problems and Needs Identified by Stakeholders in Malta and Spain

Despite the increasing perils involved, more and more migrants and asylum seekers try to reach Europe every year by crossing the Mediterranean Sea. Those who manage to survive come ashore along the coasts of the southernmost countries of Europe, namely Italy, Greece, Spain, Cyprus and Malta (UN, 2023). These countries have a duty to ensure the dignity of those migrants reaching their borders, to uphold their human rights and to facilitate their integration in the host society. For these purposes, the work of professional interpreters becomes essential. This paper analyses the language-related needs and problems faced by the main entities responsible for attending international protection seekers in Malta and in Southern Spain. It also proposes some possible forms of alleviating the situation. The data provided is based on the results obtained from a qualitative study involving semi-directive interviews with the said entities

Survey of perioperative utilization of professional medical interpreters for limited-English proficient patients: Towards a framework for systems-level improvement

IntroductionSurgical patients in United States’ hospitals have grown more linguistically diverse. However, professional medical interpreter (PMI) utilization remains inconsistent at many healthcare institutions for limited-English proficient (LEP) patients. Numerous studies demonstrate that inadequate perioperative access to PMI leads to worse care and outcomes for LEP patients. The perioperative setting presents unique challenges for providers in caring for LEP patients including obtaining informed consent, a transient team of multi-disciplinary providers, and the time pressure of operating room practice. ObjectiveOur study is the first to assess barriers to consistent PMI use in the immediate perioperative setting and to identify system-level approaches to improve PMI use. MethodWe surveyed a multidisciplinary team of perioperative nurses, advanced practice providers, anesthesiology and surgical trainees and faculty on their personal practices and perceived barriers to PMI use. An anonymous online 13-question survey was used. Answer options included rank order, multiple choice, Likert scale, and free text. Survey data was analyzed using univariate statistics and stratified based on providers having received information on the Title VI Civil Rights Act of 1964 and their medical training status. Pearson's chi-squared test was performed and odds ratios calculated to determine if these provider characteristics were associated with increased preference for PMI over bilingual staff and patients’ family members for interpretation and with other LEP evidence-based care practices. ResultsWe received a total of 262 responses with a 28.3 % response rate. Among survey participants, 19.1 % of participants did not know where to find patients’ language preferences in the electronic health record (EHR) and 69.8 % of participants did not know how to update language preferences in the EHR. When a bilingual staff was present, 31.0 % and 24.8 % of providers would forgo using video and phone PMI, respectively. Comparatively, trainees were more likely to use PMI instead of patients’ family or bilingual staff. Providers who received training on the Title VI Civil Rights Act of 1964 were more likely to use PMI for interpretation and provide translated consent forms, and least likely to utilize patients’ families for interpretation. Barriers to PMI use included difficulty obtaining video consoles or phones, long wait times for interpreters, unavailability of language, unfamiliarity with using video consoles or accessing interpreters, poor sound quality and internet connectivity issues. As many as 26 % of respondents cited time pressure for starting a surgical case as the reason for not using an interpreter. DiscussionBased on these survey results, we developed a framework for quality improvement initiatives to effect system-level change in similar high-output perioperative settings. This framework can be categorized into (1) process refinement and harnessing the EHR for identification and documentation of LEP status, (2) interdepartmental collaboration to address workflow constraints, technical issues and supply-demand mismatch, and (3) increasing awareness among leadership and providers about interpretation laws, cost reduction and improved outcomes with PMI use.

Evaluation of Remote Interpreting in terms of Stress and Burnout

Stress and burnout experienced by interpreters during remote interpreting, which is more adopted after the Covid-19 pandemic in Türkiye, are examined in this study. In the first part of the study, whether the stress and burnout experienced during remote interpreting by the professional conference interpreters in Türkiye differ according to professional qualifications such as years of professional experience, having received training in remote interpreting, specialized language pairs in remote interpreting, specialized fields of interpreters in remote interpreting, and being a member of any professional association are examined. Secondly, the impact of some factors which may affect the level of stress and burnout experienced by interpreters in remote interpreting such as interpreting from a separate environment, the impact of receiving positive feedback, the quality of interpreting, and the income coming from remote interpreting compared to onsite interpreting on interpreters’ preferences for remote interpreting and/or onsite interpreting are examined by taking into consideration the professional conference interpreters in Türkiye. As a result of the analysis, first, it has been found that there is no significant relationship between the stress and burnout experienced by the interpreters in the context of remote interpreting, and their aforementioned professional qualifications. Secondly, it has been found that except the impact of receiving positive feedback factor, there is no significant relationship between the preferences of the interpreters for remote interpreting and/or onsite interpreting and the factors such as interpreting elsewhere, the quality of interpreting, and the income coming from remote interpreting compared to onsite interpreting. Interpreters prefer remote interpreting as much as they are satisfied with the positive feedback received in remote interpreting. Most of the interpreters, willing to adapt to technological developments and considering the many benefits of remote interpreting, think that remote interpreting should be as widespread as onsite interpreting. This study reveals that some improvements should be made in the context of remote interpreting in order to support interpreters’ flexibility and resilience.

Cognitive Load and Translation Accuracy in Technology Assisted Simultaneous Interpreting Enabled by Artificial Intelligence

This paper uses eye-tracking research to examine the cognitive load and translation accuracy of simultaneous interpretering with and without technology-assisted in the direction of Chinese-to-English translation and to explore the moderating role of simultaneous interpreting ability. It was found that the new type of simultaneous interpreting assisted by speech recognition technology and machine translation technology can significantly reduce the cognitive load of student interpreters and improve the accuracy of translation. However, the advantages of technology-assisted simultaneous interpreting are not significant enough for professional interpreters compared with student interpreters. This paper explains the results of the study from the perspectives of memory pressure, bilingual switching pressure, and the “ceiling effect”.

Relationship between Illness Perception and the need for Professional Medical Interpretation for International Patients in Japan.

This study aimed to conduct a cross-sectional questionnaire survey of foreign patients to analyze the impact of patients' illness perceptions on their need for professional medical interpreters. From February 2022 to May 2023, an online questionnaire was distributed to 4,962 individuals aged 18 years or older who were non-native speakers of Japanese. These individuals were enrolled in organizations such as international exchange associations and Japanese language support classes and had utilized medical institutions in Japan due to their own illness or injury or that of their children. Among the 312 valid responses, international patients with a high score for illness perception were more likely to want to utilize professional medical interpreters than those with a low score for illness perception (odds ratio, 1.968; 95% confidence interval, 1.044-3.709; P = 0.036). Our findings suggest that hospitals should be better prepared to meet the potential language needs of international patients with a higher illness perception.