Interpreting in medical settings: “Sometimes a doctor, sometimes a patient… but always an interpreter”

Abstract

The term “scientific translation” involves a wide range of translation typologies. If the translator or interpreter wants to perform a good job, he or she must frequently “become”, in a certain way and in most occasions, the Science professional of these specific fields and also the patient or user of this service, which normally implies a lot of responsibilities. Working as an interpreter in community services is a difficult task that requires specific training, for instance: learning the terminology and language, as well as the main socio-cultural aspects and scientific methodological matters according to the particular communicative situation; choosing the appropriate interpreting mode required for the context, and learning the structure of the centre or institution the person will work for, etc. But there are also some other factors that could determine the success or failure of this act of communication, for example, the stress management. One of the main objectives of this paper is to make students and professionals aware of the psychological difficulties that community interpreters who work in health contexts might face, to apply easy techniques that could help the interpreter doing her/his job as good as possible.