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Article published In:
Ethics of Non-Professional Translation and Interpreting
Edited by Esther Monzó-Nebot and Melissa Wallace
[Translation and Interpreting Studies 15:1] 2020
► pp. 132–152

Ethics, accuracy, and interpreting in social settings

Assessing a non-professional interpreter profile

ORCID logo | Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Accuracy tops most of the codes of ethics for public service interpreting. This dominant position is not accidental, since the lack of truth in the transmission of the message may entail a violation of the users’ and providers’ fundamental right to truth. In Catalonia, where intercultural mediators have taken on the role of interpreters for many years, the issue of accuracy becomes even more complex due to their dual roles as professional mediators and non-professional interpreters. Drawing on more than four hours of video recordings and post-task interviews with study participants, this paper analyzes the accuracy of five intercultural mediators working with Arabic, Spanish, and Catalan when in the role of interpreter.

Keywords: intercultural mediation, non-professional interpreters, public service interpreting, ethics, accuracy
Article outline
  • Introduction
  • Theoretical background
  • Objectives and participant profile
  • Methodology
  • Results
    • Rendition typology and frequency of use in terms of accuracy
    • Renditions with changes in the form of the message
    • Renditions with changes in the content of the message
    • Translation of the style, tone, and register
  • Discussion and conclusions
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 17 April 2020
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/tis.20008.gil
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