Observing briefly trained, non-certified interpreters at work: Risk Analysis

The exceptional migratory flows in Europe in 2015-2016 have entailed several challenges for the Flemish public service interpreting sector, including a mismatch in supply and demand, a shortage of interpreters for lesser-used language varieties, and government budget constraints. To meet these chall...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Wilde, July De, Van Hest, Ella, Rillof, Pascal, Van Poucke, Lies
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2021
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Alcalá (UAH)
Repositorio:e_Buah Biblioteca Digital Universidad de Alcalá
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ebuah.uah.es:10017/48250
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10017/48250
https://dx.doi.org/10.37536/FITISPos-IJ.2021.8.1.283
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Public Service Interpreting
Assessment
Non-certified interpreters
Interpretación en servicios públicos
Evaluación
Intérpretes no certificados
Philology
Filología
Descripción
Sumario:The exceptional migratory flows in Europe in 2015-2016 have entailed several challenges for the Flemish public service interpreting sector, including a mismatch in supply and demand, a shortage of interpreters for lesser-used language varieties, and government budget constraints. To meet these challenges head-on, the Flemish Government Integration Agency, responsible for certifying public service interpreters, has set up a research project designed to determine whether, and under what circumstances, briefly trained volunteer “language assistants” (LAs) could offer a valid additional form of language mediation. First, participants were trained and evaluated when interacting, mainly through role play, with fellow trainees. Second, their interpreting performances during real-life service provision interactions were video-recorded and assessed. The LAs’ interpreting performances were assessed predominantly as unsatisfactory, the main challenges being linked to accuracy, language proficiency and code of conduct adherence. These findings have been addressed in a follow-up project by increasing the required CEFR level of Dutch, and by changing the content of the training.