Manner Matters: Linguistic Equity Through a Court Interpreter in Australia

Abstract

Linguistic equity through an interpreter is not merely a fundamental human right but also an integral part of procedural justice. As codified in the professional code of conduct, interpreters should faithfully interpret everything that has been said in the exact same manner as the original speakers. Much has been researched about the content. Little has been known about the interpretations of the manner. Drawing on one hundred questionnaire responses, this article examines the interpreters’ awareness of the manner of speech in Australian virtual courts and remote interpreting settings. The results suggest a general lack of understanding of the manner of speech, as reflected by interpreters’ inadequate knowledge of definitions and specific types of manner-related features. Furthermore, the insufficient understanding of the manner of speech impacts the interpreters’ perceptions of the manner of speech in the original utterances, and their views of the faithful reproduction of the se feature in courtroom discursive practices. The qualitative and quantitative analyses of written responses provided by professional interpreters provide insights into the practical aspects of reproducing the manner of speech in court.

Mira Kadrić, Mira; Rennert, Sylvi; y Schäffner, Christina (Eds.), Diplomatic & Political Interpreting Explained. Oxford /New York: Routledge 2022. 204 pp.

“…Then Chapter 6 examines the situatedness of the interpreting practice and elaborates on the skills, ethics, and responsibilities of interpreters in diplomatic missions. Finally, Chapter 7 concludes the book with a thorough discussion of strategies and developments for interpreters in political and diplomatic settings.There has been a robust body of interdisciplinary literature on the significance of interpreters in various scenarios (Yi 2023a(Yi , 2023b(Yi , 2024a(Yi , 2024b. The important role of interpreters in court, diplomatic, and political settings has been widely recognised.…”

“…There has been a robust body of interdisciplinary literature on the significance of interpreters in various scenarios (Yi 2023a(Yi , 2023b(Yi , 2024a(Yi , 2024b. The important role of interpreters in court, diplomatic, and political settings has been widely recognised.…”