| Summary: | 博士 === 國立臺灣師範大學 === 翻譯研究所 === 103 === In this dissertation the researcher examines how the court interpreter in Taiwan has evolved from an ill-reputed mediator among indigenous bands to a key person ensuring equal access to judicial services based on human right concerns. In addition to the main topic of dialogue interpreting, this researcher also discusses interpreting professionalization. These two threads may seem separate, but are actually related in terms of court interpreting as an emerging profession.
First of all, court interpreting as a type of dialogue interpreting (also referred to as “liaison interpreting,” “ad hoc interpreting,” “community interpreting,” and “public service interpreting”) involves various elements related to “dialogue” in an interactive, situational setting. As the situational setting often occurs in an asylum, police station, prosecutor’s office, or courtroom, it is also referred to as a type of “community interpreting” or “public service interpreting.” In contrast to a simultaneous interpreter, a dialogue interpreter is mostly visible at the scene, and the setting usually involves a power differential (see Wadensjö, 1998; 謝怡玲, 2009; Mason, 1999; 任文, 2010). Prominent researchers of dialogue interpretation include Wadensjö (1998), who has covered such topics as the interpreter’s physical position, face and politeness, conflicting loyalties, and colonial issues; 謝怡玲 (2009), who highlights such topics as position, eye contact, direct or indirect speech, register change, and non-verbal commutation; Mason (1999), who covers issues of power and face, participation, conflicting loyalties, and semiotic constraints. Furthermore, 任文 (2010) discusses the subjectivity of a liaison interpreter,, empowerment, and unconventional neutrality. Almost unanimously, these researchers argue that a dialogue interpreter plays the role of institutional gatekeeper, coordinator of taking turns, and negotiator of meaning in triadic communication. In this study the researcher first discusses internal characteristics and issues of dialogue interpretation. To organize and demonstrate these topics in a conceptual way, she further constructs a diagram to show their internal relations.
With the introduction of human rights laws in various countries during the 20th century, court interpreting has drawn a lot of attention. Observing the situation worldwide, Mikkelson (1996) discusses the professionalization of community interpreting based on Tseng’s (1992) model. Tseng refers to two theories in formulating his model of interpreting professionalization, i.e., trait theory and control theory. According to the trait theory, “training institutions emerge much earlier than other characteristics, but establishment of a code of ethics is crucial to a profession … because it functions externally as one of the bargaining chips to earn public trust and internally as an indispensable tool for internal control.” (Tseng, 1992, pp. 48-49) The theory of control goes beyond internal characteristics and looks at how the occupation relates to other components of the labor market in the society. In the present study the researcher revises Tseng’s model so as to reflect the recent development of court interpreting as an emerging profession in Taiwan.
Taking a retrospective look at court interpreting in Taiwan, this researcher divides Taiwanese judicial history into five periods: (1)early period(including the indigenous self-governance, the Dutch-Spanish era, and the Koxinga regime);(2)Qing dynasty (1683-1895);(3)Japanese colonial era (1896-1945);(4)martial law under the Kuomintang (KMT)(1946-2000); and(5)modern times. During the early period, interpreting was required for signing treaties and publicizing local orders made by foreign rulers. With the advent of globalization and increasing awareness of human rights in the late twentieth century, interpreters in Taiwan have become distinguished by their diversity of language combinations compared with those of previous periods. As the concept of human rights gains increasing importance, court interpreters are required to undergo continuous training and follow a set of ethical standards. This trend has spurred the establishment of a national professional association of court interpreters.
In this study the researcher explores the development of court interpreting from the perspectives of dialogue interpreting and interpreting professionalization. She also discusses the impact colonialism has had on court interpreting in Taiwan. The researcher hopes the results will serve as useful reference material for the interpreting field as a whole.
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