Chapter published in:
Interpreting in Legal and Healthcare Settings: Perspectives on research and training
Edited by Eva N.S. Ng and Ineke H.M. Crezee
[Benjamins Translation Library 151] 2020
► pp. 45–62

Chapter 2
Tell us about that

Using audiovisual clips to allow students to practise interpreting authentic court questions

This chapter contains a discussion of the findings of a small study in which the authors applied voice recording technology to enable student interpreters to practise authentic legal question-and-answer discourse from the examination-in-chief and cross-examination phases of two jury trials in New Zealand. The chapter discusses the purpose of lawyers’ questions in the common law adversarial courtroom, and identifies the question types used in the video clips shown to students. It then focuses on student renditions, identifying which types of questions were interpreted most accurately, and which types of questions were interpreted least accurately. The authors offer some suggestions as to why some question forms may pose difficulties for interpreters, and make some practical suggestions to improve student understanding of the pragmatic intent of questions in the different parts of the trial process.

Keywords: audiovisual practice in interpreter education, legal interpreter education, adversarial court room, student legal interpreters, examination-in-chief, cross-examination, interpreting legal questions
Article outline
  • Introduction
  • 1.Court interpreting discourse: The language of examination and cross-examination
  • 2.Methodology
    • 2.1Error analysis of student interpreters’ renditions
      • 2.1.1Clip one
      • 2.1.2Clip two
      • 2.1.3Clip three
    • 2.2Findings of analysis of renditions by Mandarin-speaking students
  • 3.Findings
  • 4.Analysis of question types
  • 5.Discussion and conclusion
  • References
Published online: 03 June 2020
https://doi.org/10.1075/btl.151.02bur
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