Community Interpreting Module five study materials
What is Communicative Autonomy?
The capacity of each party in an encounter to be responsible for and in control of his or her
own communication.
2. What is meant by the "role" of the community interpreter and why does it matter?
The proper "role" of the community interpreter is to facilitate communicative autonomy
because the interpreter is there to "give voice" and not take it away or undermine
autonomous decision-making by all parties.
3. Why can't interpreters just make their own decisions to "help out" a service user instead
of following strict ethics, standards and protocols?
-First, doing so can undermine communicative autonomy. Also, no one then knows what to
expect of community interpreters, The next section, on advocacy, will explore this question
further.
4. community interpreters who adhere to a common set of professional practices rather
than deviating from those practices are compared to having a regularly scheduled public
transportation system. Why was this analogy used? Do you agree with it? Why or why not?
-If a bus driver left his scheduled route to drive a pregnant patient home, what would
happen? So with community interpreters. When one interpreter chooses to violate accepted
standards to "help out,,, expectations for the behavior of community interpreters are
shattered and no one knows what to expect. The system has ceased to operate smoothly
and predictably,
5. What are the Five Steps for Strategic Mediation?
I--1. Interpret what was just said or signed.
I--2. Identify yourself as the interpreter
M--3. Mediate briefly.
R--4. Report your mediation to the other party.
R--5. Resume interpreting.
6. What are the four protocols?
1. Positioning
2. Professional introductions
3. Direct speech (1st person)
4. Turn-taking management
7. What are the Chia guidelines?
