Book review. From the Classroom to the Courtroom: A Guide to Interpreting in the U.S. Justice System (American Translators Association Scholarly Monograph Series XVII). Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 2012. xxii + 214 pp. ISBN 978-90-272-3193-2 (hb). €99.00, US$149.00./ 978-90-272-3194-9 (pb). €33.00, US$149.95
Table of contents
I will start with a simple observation: this book is not about theory. The title gives that away. Now on to something that perhaps is not quite as obvious: this book is not about transitioning from being a student in a translation class to being an interpreter in court. The title, then, is somewhat misleading. The subtitle, on the other hand, in a mix of thematic and rhematic elements (see Genette 1997, 88), aptly describes what readers have in their hands: a guide to interpreting in the U.S. justice system. This simple guide walks interpreters through the steps of a trial, explaining specialized terminology and highlighting the role of the interpreter at every stage.
References
De Jongh, Elena M
1992 An Introduction to Court Interpreting: Theory and Practice. Lanham, MD: University Press of America.
Genette, Gérard
1997 Paratexts: Thresholds of Interpretation. Translated by Jane E. Lewin. New York City: Cambridge University Press. 