Migration, Ideology and the Interpreter-Mediator. The Role of the Language Mediator in Educational and Medical Settings in Italy

Perhaps one of the broadest and at the same time most complex aspects of community interpreting, the question of “role” has assumed a prominent position in the debate in this discipline. This is not surprising, perhaps, given its unique positioning in the interface between theory and practice, academia and professional institutions, and given its hybrid nature as both a sub-discipline of Translation/Interpreting Studies (a recent development) and as a profession in its own right that has been practiced from time immemorial without the benefit of the support academic disciplines usually enjoy. What is interesting, then, is that this interface is at the heart if its profoundly troubled nature and at the same time the driving force behind its uniquely dynamic character. The current status quo is an interface between two different strands of knowledge, practice and ethics, that have only recently ‘discovered each other’: Interpreting studies has only just woken up to the fact that interpreting is more than conference interpreting (and at a pinch diplomatic and court interpreting), and professional interpreters are only now beginning to feel that they have the support of an academic and institutional network, that they are a ‘real’ profession and a ‘real’ discipline. Professionals and academics, two separate discourse communities and professional communities, are thus coming to the discipline from different ontological angles, leading to an interpreting-focussed (theory, interpreter ethics) job-approach as opposed to an institution and task-focussed (practice, institutional ethics) approach. Although the interface between these two aspects create vitality, they are not, however, always compatible: practice, research, academic descriptive and prescriptive knowledge and professional ethics do at times, clash. Both in the literature and in the field, this clash is most evident in the issue of “the interpreter’s role”. It would be safe to say, we believe, that at the heart of most macro-linguistic and some micro-linguistic trouble spots in the discipline, we find the question of role. ‘Role’ affects - the degree of the interpreter’s participation and involvement - institutional budget constraints that require the interpreter to multi-task - the interpreter’s tasks and responsibilities – where to draw the line? - allegiance - should the interpreter follow institutional contract/mandate or interpreting ethics? to what extent are the ethical requirements of these two different discourse and professional communities compatible? - which of these two codes of ethics is most compatible with the overall market constraints and needs (what does the market(s) require from interpreters?) - the recruitment of expensive, well-trained professionals or more ad-hoc solutions (bilingual staff, short-term training, relatives and friends as interpreters) - sectorial role differences – medical, legal, education, commercial - are role divergences dictated by different sectorial or institutional needs? Should the category ‘intepreeter’ be diversified sectorially and not only conference vs. community/ simultaneous vs. dialogue? What are the implications of these divergences? They are not, we argue, always superficial or trivial, and raise questions such as: How do these divergences affect the interpreter’s degree of participation and involvement? Do they affect the interpreters’ strategies, performance and quality? Do they impact on the interpreter’s allegiance with either party and/or with the interpreter’s group/identity-construction (as “a professional interpreter” or as “part of the staff at Hospital X”). This paper analyzes some of the problems resulting from interpreter role-conflict in the Region of Emilia Romagna in Italy. We will be looking at two sectors in particular: that of health and education, both major employers of interpreters but with – historically – two very different approaches to interpreting. Through questionnair..