Conference

Abstract for “Translating for Immigrants and Refugees in Valencia: The Role of the Translator and Interpreter in their Access to the Public Services”

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Najat Sijilmassi, University Jaume I

The current political situation in the Arab world has led to a massive Arab migration towards European countries the hope of finding a better life. However, one of the first obstacles the new immigrants and refugees face is their inability to access many local services, especially public services, due to their lack of proficiency in the States’ languages. This issue is specially challenging as regards their access to justice. In many occasions, newcomers have no other option but to seek assistance from old immigrants or refugees, including children, to act as interpreters or mediators between them and the public services. The overwhelming lack of provision of linguistic services by the States impedes the integration of refugees and immigrants in host societies, thereby impacting their personal development as well as the socioeconomic development of their hosting societies. The present paper aims to discuss a specific case study: Arab immigrants and refugees choosing Valencia as their new home. Two methods of data collection were used: a questionnaire and protocols of face-to-face interviews. The questionnaire was designed to gather information about the different situations where refugees needed linguistic assistance—whether they occurred immediately after their arrival or during their whole period in the new country, whether their needs were met and, in this case, who was in charge of the mediation. A semi-structured interview was conducted with respondents after completing the questionnaire to gain insights regarding their views and perspectives as to how the lack or presence of mediation affected their personal, social and labor possibilities.

Conference

Abstract for “The Legal View of Non-professional Translators: From Tolerance to Acceptance”

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Vicent V Briva Iglesias

Non-professional translation and interpreting has been traditionally absent in Translation Studies, despite it being a common practice. Only recently, have the three non-professional translation conferences held in Forlì (2012), Mainz (2014) and Winterthur (2016) given some attention to non-professional translation and interpreting. That consideration was long overdue, especially is we bear in mind that specific Translation and Interpreting training is a recent addition to University-based education.

This contribution takes non-professional translation and interpreting as its object of study. More specifically, it will focus on how specific systems approach the regulation of non-professionals’ practice. The Argentinian system will be taken as a case in point and compared to the Spanish system. This poster will examine how non-professional and yet suitable (‘idóneos’ in Spanish) translators are offered a place in the professional market.

Such initiatives are instrumental in providing a solution to the increasingly complex linguascape that poses increasing challenges to the judicial system, which must adjudicate in cases where migrants from different linguistic backgrounds require solutions from the legal system (applications for refugee status but also conflicts with the criminal system or with other citizens).

The possibilities of many speakers of minorized languages to receive training and to be adequately represented in legal settings are severely reduced when only certified and trained translators and interpreters are engaged in situations requiring some kind of language brokering. Non-professional bilinguals serve, therefore, a much needed role in satisfying an urgent need.

In this poster, a content analysis of the Argentinian and the Spanish regulations will be conducted in order to find differences and similarities and to identify the gaps that could be filled in the Spanish legal system as to non-professionals. It is our belief that the final aim of current legislative frameworks should be to guarantee an effective communication, also for migrants, in legal settings.

Conference

Abstract for “Translating for Linguistic Minorities in China: A Study on Translation Policy in the Judicial System”

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Shuang Li, University of Leuven

As a multi-ethnic country, China faces a complex linguistic environment and resulting political, social and economic challenges. Hanyu (Mandarin Chinese or Putonghua), as the official language, coexists with a variety of indigenous minority languages and plays the most prominent role in everyday life. In such a multilingual context, the government and language policymakers have come up with ways to promote participatory citizenship and social integration (Information Office of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, 2009; Li, 2013: 139; Zhou, 2004: 71-95; among others). Among the measures, however, the role of translation (and interpreting) remains a relatively unexplored area.

Translation policy, as has been proved in other parts of the world (Diaz Fouces, 2004: 99-103; García González, 2004: 111; Meylaerts, 2011a; Núñez, 2014), can be of great help in multilingual societies. Therefore, this study aims to explore the roles of China’s current translation policies towards minority languages in managing multilingualism in the judiciary. Based on definitions of translation policy given by Meylaerts (2011b) and Núñez (2013), the three indispensable aspects of translation policy (i.e. translation management, translation practices and translation beliefs) will be analyzed.

Data on translation management related to legal affairs will be collected from the People’s Republic of China (PCR) Constitution and national, provincial, prefectural, county and local legislation, directives and regulations issued at both national and local levels. Translation practices in the judiciary will be investigated based on previous empirical studies on minority language communities, self-reported practice and other published materials. Regarding translation beliefs, published materials will be taken for reference. Besides, a survey will be conducted, with a combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches. Firstly, respondents will be split into four categories, namely the authorities or policy-makers, citizens who only use indigenous minority languages, Hanyu monolingual citizens and bilingual or multilingual citizens who use both Hanyu and minority languages. Secondly, the values assigned by each respondent to translation practices for linguistic minorities in the judicial system will be analyzed and categorized. Also, based on the insights of Complexity Theory, the complex connections and interactions among these three aspects of translation policy will be discussed.

This research will illustrate how translation policies play a positive role in providing linguistic minorities with easier access to justice and enhancing their participation in legal affairs. To be specific, it will be argued that proper and concrete translation management may help remove language barriers in the judiciary, contribute to the development of minority languages by standardizing and improving their legal terminologies, and cultivate qualified legal translators and interpreters. It is also noteworthy that the three components of translation policy as well as non-linguistic factors (including political, demographic and bureaucratic factors) interact with each other in a complex network, which may lead to different roles for translation policy, either positive or negative, in managing multilingualism in public services.