08/05/2017
A matter of interpretation: Legal interpretation in Ireland
There is a lack of training and testing of legal
interpreters in Ireland, writes Mary Phelan in the April 2017 Gazette.
A demanding
role
Legal interpreters should have a high level of
proficiency in English and another language. However, the ability to speak two
languages is not enough: they also need to master legal terminology in both
languages and to be familiar with regional variations in terms of vocabulary
and idioms. In addition, they require excellent short-term memory, along with
consecutive and whispered simultaneous interpreting skills.
Furthermore, interpreters must be able to preserve
the register (for example, formal or informal) used by a speaker. If a speaker
makes a false start, or pauses, the false start or pause should be preserved in
the interpretation. Interpreters also need to understand ethical principles
applicable to legal interpreting. This makes for a role requiring significant
training and competence.
No
accreditation
However, there is no accredited training for legal
interpreters in Ireland, writes Mary Phelan, Chair of the Irish Translators’
and Interpreters’ Association and lecturer in translation and interpreting at
Dublin City University. Interpreters are not tested to establish their
competence either.
In other jurisdictions where interpreters are
tested, the failure rate is high. For example, in Britain, the pass rate on the
Diploma in Public Service Interpreting is 20-30%. The assumption in Ireland,
where interpreters for the Gardaí and the courts are outsourced, is that anyone
who speaks English and another language can be an interpreter.
Given the lack of clear standards, Phelan writes,
solicitors and judges need to establish the competence and training of any
interpreter, and be mindful of best practice. Phelan sets out useful advice for
practitioners on establishing whether an interpreter is necessary, assessing a
potential interpreter, and navigating the ethical issues involved.
Read the full article in the April 2017 Gazette
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