‘To translate feelings not words’. Humanitarian interpreting: challenging institutional and professional boundaries in interpreting for refugees

Moskal, M. , Fassetta, G. , Imperiale, M. G. and Spurway, J. (2024) ‘To translate feelings not words’. Humanitarian interpreting: challenging institutional and professional boundaries in interpreting for refugees. Language and Intercultural Communication, (doi: 10.1080/14708477.2024.2317138) (Early Online Publication)

Abstract

This article explores the findings of a qualitative research project that examined the experiences of humanitarian interpreters in four different European countries: the United Kingdom, Greece, Italy and Spain. The article engages with the question of emotional involvement required from humanitarian interpreters, which leads them to challenge institutional and professional boundaries but also to set clear limits to safeguard their wellbeing. Despite differences in understanding the humanitarian interpreter’s role and responsibilities in the four contexts of the study, the findings allow us to argue that humanitarian interpreting should be guided by the principles of trauma informed practice. Questo articolo esplora i risultati di un progetto di ricerca qualitativo che ha esaminato le esperienze di interpreti umanitari in quattro paesi Europei: Regno Unito, Grecia, Italia e Spagna. L’articolo esamina questioni relative al coinvolgimento emotivo degli interpreti umanitari, che li porta a sfidare barriere istituzionali e professionali ma anche a porre chiari limiti per salvaguardare il proprio benessere. Nonostante differenze nella concettualizzazione del ruolo e delle responsabilità dell’interprete umanitario nei quattro contesti di studio, i risultati della ricerca ci portano a concludere che il ruolo dell’interprete umanitario dovrebbe essere guidato dai principi della trauma informed practice.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: The research reported in the article receive the support from EU Erasmus + project 2018-1-EL01-KA202-047813 CVET and accreditation framework to up-skill interpreters to support the social inclusion of refugees.
• Keywords: humanitarian interpreting, refugees, trauma informed practice.
• Status: Early Online Publication
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Spurway, Mr Jamie and Imperiale, Dr Maria Grazia and Moskal, Professor Marta and Fassetta, Dr Giovanna
• Authors: Moskal, M., Fassetta, G., Imperiale, M. G., and Spurway, J.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Education; College of Social Sciences > School of Education > Culture, Literacies, Inclusion & Pedagogy
• Journal Name: Language and Intercultural Communication
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• ISSN: 1470-8477
• ISSN (Online): 1747-759X
• Published Online: 19 March 2024
• Copyright Holders: Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s)
• First Published: First published in Language and Intercultural Communication 2024
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons licence