Liaison interpreting as intercultural mediation

Abstract

The conventional understanding of the liaison interpreter views the professional as a language broker between two or more individuals not speaking the same language. The manner in which this language gap is bridged, according to the conventional understanding, is through copying verbatim what is said in one language (the source language) and pasting it (into the target language). The conventional understanding of the profession and its professionals neglects the multi-faceted nature of the profession along with the many challenges with which its professionals are faced. A liaison interpreter is a professional who forms a bridge between languages, people and culture. When viewed through this lens, new meaning and understanding are gained regarding the work of the liaison interpreter whilst, similarly, unveiling the complexity of the profession. As such, new questions may be raised pertaining to the role of the liaison interpreter in dialogue settings. This mini-dissertation seeks to shed new light on an age old profession whilst unveiling these hidden factors to highlight the benefits of factoring cultural training into interpreter training to better train student interpreters, and equip them with a unique set of skills to assist them in overcoming the unique set of challenges with which liaison interpreters often grapple.