Interpreting Studies

Oral translation, or interpreting as it is commonly known, is possibly the oldest form of translation; it has been part of human civilization since the dawn of time. Premised on the unique considerations that characterize this type of translation, given that both source material and translation are produced through speech (or sign language), a branch of translation studies has evolved in the 1970s: interpreting studies. The main types of interpreting include intercultural interpreting, such as in conferences and conventions; media interpreting; interpreting for diplomatic delegations; interpreting during negotiation; and intra-cultural interpreting such as community interpreting (medical, educational, etc.) and interpreting in courts of law. The field has been recently expanding from the research of conference interpreting, cognitive considerations of simultaneous interpreting, and the quality of translation, to the study of interpreting in all forms, challenges and contexts. Since interpreting necessarily involves social interaction, the role of the interpreter, their identity, and their socio-cultural challenges are some of the key research topics that have particularly gained traction over the last two decades.