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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. 133–163

Chapter 6
Legal translator and interpreter training in languages of lesser diffusion in Spain

A case study about participants’ perceptions

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This chapter describes the first continuing education course on legal translation and interpreting in Spain for languages of lesser diffusion following guidelines established in EU projects. The course filled the formative gap for legal translators and interpreters who can act in police and court proceedings respecting the due process of law in the region of Valencia (Spain). In this paper we will analyse the advantages and disadvantages of the use of the blended format for both instructors and students, with special emphasis on the difficulties encountered by professionals in active employment as interpreters of languages of lesser diffusion in the legal settings, without academic training or professional accreditation. The results of questionnaires administered both to instructors and students in order to measure their satisfaction with the course are presented and discussed so that they can serve as a guide for improvement in future editions and for institutions willing to offer such training in the European Area of Justice.

Keywords: legal interpreting, legal translation, languages of lesser diffusion, training, blended learning
Article outline
  • 1.Why is there a need for legal translator and interpreter training in Spain?
    • 1.1Spanish universities’ involvement in a legal translator and interpreter curriculum
    • 1.2CCDUTI’s T/I curriculum proposal for the Ministry of Justice
  • 2.Professional development of translation and interpreting in legal settings: A university continuing education course
    • 2.1Components of course design
  • 3.Moving towards blended and work-based learning for LIT training
    • 3.1The blended learning approach
    • 3.2Training interpreters of languages of lesser diffusion (LLDs) through blended learning
  • 4.The course
    • 4.1Admission to the course
    • 4.2The programme
    • 4.3Course coordination
  • 5.Case study: Course participants’ satisfaction assessment
    • 5.1Materials
    • 5.2Methodology
      • 5.2.1Subjects
        • 5.2.1.1Instructors
        • 5.2.1.2Learners
      • 5.2.2Procedure
  • 6.Results
    • 6.1Learners
      • 6.1.1Questions 1–24 (Likert scale questions)
      • 6.1.2Questions 25–27 (open-ended questions)
    • 6.2Instructors
      • 6.2.1Questions 1–21 (Likert scale questions)
      • 6.2.2Questions 22–25 (open-ended questions)
  • 7.Discussion
    • 7.1Discussion of ETELM-IL quantitative and qualitative results
    • 7.2Discussion of ETELM-IP quantitative and qualitative results
    • 7.3Cross-comparison of ETELM-IL and ETELM-IP results
  • 8.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 3 June 2020
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/btl.151.06bla
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