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Interpretation can either be simultaneous, with the interpreter speaking at the same time as
the original speaker, or consecutive, with the interpreter speaking only during the breaks
provided by the original speaker.
Issues of Equivalency and Accuracy
Some languages have tremendous flexibility in expression; others have a limited range of
words.
The reverse may be true, however, for some topics.
This slippage between languages is both aggravating and thrilling for translators and
interpreters.
Translation studies traditionally have tended to emphasize issues of equivalency and
accuracy.
That is, the focus, largely from linguistics, has been on comparing the translated meaning
with the original meaning.
Equivalency: An issue in translation, the condition of being equal meaning, value, quantity,
and so on.
The Role of the Translator or Interpreter
We often assume that translators and interpreters are invisible, that they simply render
into the target language whatever they hear or read.
The roles that they play as intermediaries, however, often regulate how they render the
original.
It is not always appropriate to translate everything that one speaker is saying to another, in
exactly the same way, because the potential for misunderstanding due to cultural
differences might be too great.
Translation is more than merely switching languages; it also involves negotiating cultures.
LANGUAGE AND IDENTITY
In the previous chapter, we discussed cultural identity and its complexities.
One part of our cultural identity is tied to the language(s) that we speak.
The relationship between language and culture becomes more complicated when we look at
the complexity of cultural identities at home and abroad.
Language and Cultural Group Identity
Writer Henry Moritsugu (1992), who was born and raised in Canada and who later
immigrated to the United States, explains:
There is no way we could teach our children Japanese at home. We speak English. It wasnt
a conscious effort that we did this. . . . It was more important to be accepted. . . . I wish I
could speak the language better. I love Japanese food. I love going to Japanese restaurants.
Sometimes I see Japanese groups enjoying themselves at karaoke bars . . . I feel definitely
Western, more so than Asian. . . . But we look Asian, so you have to be aware of who you
are.
The ability to speak another language can be important in how people view their group
membership.
The languages we speak and the languages others think we should speak can create
barriers in intercultural communication.
Code Switching
Code switching is a technical term in communication that refers to the phenomenon of
changing languages, dialects, or even accents.
People code switch for several reasons:
(1) to accommodate the other speakers,
(2) to avoid accommodating others, or
(3) to express another aspect of their cultural identity.
Globalization has sparked increased interest in some languages while leaving others to
disappear.
Today, Ancient Greek and Latin, as well as French, still retain some of their elite status, but
English is the de facto language of international communication today.
Having a common language also facilitates intercultural communication, but it can also
create animosity among those who must learn the others language.
Learning a foreign language is never easy, of course, but the dominance of English as the
lingua franca raises important issues for intercultural communication.
Lingua Franca: A commonly shared language that is used as medium of communication
between people of different languages.