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Article published In:
Community Interpreting, Translation, and Technology
Edited by Nike K. Pokorn and Christopher D. Mellinger
[Translation and Interpreting Studies 13:3] 2018
► pp. 366–392

Interpreter traits and the relationship with technology and visibility

 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte
 | Butler University
Research on technology and interpreting regularly investigates technology-mediated interpreting settings and contrasts various interpreting configurations to better understand how technology changes the interpreting task. This scholarship generally does not account for various personality or character attributes exhibited by interpreters, nor does it examine the actual adoption and usage of these tools. This article presents findings from a survey-based study that examines several interpreter-specific constructs, namely their self-perception of the interpreter’s role and communication apprehension, in conjunction with attitudes toward technology use and adoption. Findings suggest that community interpreters differ from their conference interpreting counterparts and that domain-specific differences emerge between medical and court interpreters with respect to their perceived role and their propensity to adopt new technologies.
Keywords: communication apprehension, community interpreting, technology adoption, technology use, visibility
Article outline
  • Introduction
    • Technology use and adoption
    • Visibility and communication apprehension
    • Surveying the field
  • Methods
    • Participants
    • Procedures
    • Measures
    • Technology adoption propensity index
    • Personal report of communication apprehension
    • Media and technology usage and attitudes scale
    • Interpreter Interpersonal Role Inventory (IPRI)
    • Analysis
  • Results
    • Community vs. conference interpreting
    • Correlations
    • Court vs. medical interpreting
  • Discussion
  • Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 9 November 2018
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/tis.00021.mel
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