PowerPoint Presentation
Former Language Brokers Reclaiming Power in Interpreting
EventsSara Alczar Silva, University of Arizona Education and
migration: Languages foregroundedOctober 21, 2016
IntroductionFrom 1990 to 2014, there was dramatic increase of
children with immigrant parents from 8,149,000 to 17,489,000 (MPI
2013)
Orellana et al. (2003, p. 509) studied a sample of 236
Spanish-speaking youth and found that 55% had been language
brokers
IntroductionDefining Language BrokersLanguage brokering is the
process in which youth translate or interpret without specialized
for adults. (Tse, 1995, p. 181)
To translate from one language to another while retaining the
meaning of the message by analyzing the degree of linguistic,
pragmatic, semantic, and procedural difficulties involved in the
transmission of utterances and identifying the alternatives
available to them (Valds, 2003, p. 13)
IntroductionStudies have focused on two aspects of these
childrens lives:the influence of language brokering on academic
performance the impact on the relationship with their parents
This study focuses instead on the positionality shift of former
youth interpreters who are at the end of a Translation and
Interpretation university program
Previous ResearchPositive Greater lexical range(Halgunseth,
2003)Problem-solving abilities (Walinchowski, 2001)Children taking
advocacy stances for their parents(Valenzuela, 1999)Protect their
parents from humiliation (Valdes et al., 2003) Parents think its
good children were acquiring a second language. (Corona et. al,
2012)
Familismo(Corona et. Al 2012) ; Surez-Orozco and Surez-Orozco,
1995)
NegativeParents becoming too dependent on their children
(Umaa-Taylor, 2003) Children were forced to grow up too fast
(Cohen, Moran-Ellis, and Smaji, 1999) Might impede academic
achievement(Dement and Buriel,1999)Stressful and high-risk
situations(Corona et. Al, 2012)
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Power and Positionality
The role of power is complex in interpreting eventsSanchez and
Orellana (2006) and Reynolds and Orellana (2009)
Speakers simultaneously embody several borders, inhabiting two
identities at a time
childhoodadulthood, MexicanAmerican, noncitizencitizen,
SpanishEnglish, brownwhite, and working classmiddle classUrciuoli
(1998) and Hill (1999)
QuestionsHow does translation and interpretation training, if at
all, influence the perspectives of former language brokers on their
past and present experiences, considering positionality and
language ideologies? How do former language brokers deal with the
complexities of power dynamics in interpreting events since they
began translation and interpretation training? What aspect of
translation and interpretation training, if any, serve as sources
of empowerment for former language brokers?
Context
Arizona 896,310 immigrants (Immigration Policy, 2013)66% of
homes in Arizona, languages other than English are spoken (Pew
Research Center, 2012)Disparities in income and access to services
(ibid)
Translation and Interpretation Studies in the United States
Higher education65 programs approved by the American Translators
AssociationPrimary and secondary educationNo opportunity to study
translation and interpretationPreparacin OnlineProfessional
Language Development Program
Translation and Interpretation at the University of ArizonaIt is
the only one that approaches both translation and interpretation
simultaneously and comprehensively, focusing on the health care and
legal fields.
Translation and Interpretation: Social Justice and
PracticeMedical and Business TranslationLegal and Business
TranslationBeginning Simultaneous InterpretationBeginning
Consecutive InterpretationAdvanced Simultaneous
InterpretationAdvanced Consecutive Interpretation
PositionalityGrew up at the border of Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mxico
and Douglas, Arizona, United States, moved to Tucson (60 miles from
the border)Language brokering Translation and Interpretation
Program StudentProfessional Language Development Instructor and
Curriculum DeveloperTranslation and Interpretation Program
InstructorResearcher, Second Language Acquisition and Teaching PhD
Student
Participants9 womenMexican originTranslation and Interpretation
as plan BParents inculcan multilingismo
Adriana AlejandraEvaMonserratBlancaLily SofiaAngelicaSara
Open recruitment
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Methods
SurveysFocus group/individual interviewsFree to use whichever
language they chose
Code-switching allowed13
Powerful Powerless ChildrenPowerfulLanguage knowledgeAdult
experienceBridging the gapPowerlessImposed power rather than
acquired
Many children told us how they had to translate or were put to
do so by others because there was no one else who could. In this
sense, the power they achieve is one that they were often powerless
to refuse (Reynolds and Orellana: 2009, p. 221)
Powerful Powerless Children
Specialized vs. Everyday EncountersSpecializedLegal
(Adriana)Hospital (Angelica, Alejandra, Blanca, Lily, Sofia,
Sara)EverydayParent-teacher conferences(Monserrat, Sara)School
(Monserrat, Sofia, Sara)Business and social events (Adriana,
Alejandra, Eva, Monserrat, Alejandra, Angelica, Blanca, Lily,,
Sara)
Stressful and negative experiences High-risk situationAdvanced
terminology
Positive experiencesProud of performance
(Orellana, M. F., Dorner, L., & Pulido, L., 2003)
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Supported Specialized EncountersBlancaMedical contextBilingual
mother prepared her
Lily Medical contextCardiologist she was shadowing asked her to
be an interpreterHe curated cases she could handleLily studied
beforehand
Bilingual vs. Youth InterpreterCommunication skills in both
languages (Sofia, Angelica)Leadership skills (Sofia,
Angelica)Linguistic self-awareness (Angelica, Blanca, Eva)
Bilingual vs. Youth InterpreterLilyBeing a youth interpreter,
you're applying what you learn as a bilingual. Does that make
sense? Like, as being bilingual, you're bicultural. You know both
sides. You kind of understand both cultures, but you're always in
the middle, and you're never really having to do it in a
professional setting, youre not having to do both at the same time.
You're not having to do both at the same time. And being a youth
interpreter, it's kinda like you're having to apply your English
and your Spanish, and it's not just...it's just ummm...How would
you say like. You're having to apply these big concepts. It's not
just "Oh let's talk about the novela. Let's talk about about what
our friends are doing" It's like you're talking about, if you
interpret like legal or business, you're talking about those
concepts, like I talked a lot about medical. And I just think it's
a completely different experience if you don't have those like
encounters. I feel like it makes you smarter too, like life
smarter, not smarter like in the field, but just you're more aware
of the... I mean, I would say the blessing you have to be bilingual
or bicultural because it's like you have the best of both worlds if
you are looking at it on the bright side.
Should youth be acting as language brokers?Opinions DividedNever
(Alejandra, Adriana)Depends on the context (Sofia, Angelica, Eva,
Monserrat)Always no matter what (Lily)
Pueden estar expuestos pero no ser responsables[They can be
exposed but not be held responsible] -Eva
Should youth be acting as language brokers?Opinions DividedNever
(Alejandra, Adriana)Depends on the context (Sofia, Angelica, Eva,
Monserrat)Always no matter what (Lily)
Pueden estar expuestos pero no ser responsables[They can be
exposed but not be held responsible] -Eva
Claiming PowerTerminology (Adriana, Alejandra, Angelica, Blanca,
Eva, Sofia, Lily)Protocol (Adriana, Monserrat, Lily,
Sara)Metalinguistic knowledge (Alejandra,Blanca, Eva)Linguistic
confidence (Blanca, Eva, Monserrat)Translation & interpretation
method and techniques (Eva, Monserrat)
Tell me about a time when you had to translate for your parents
after you had translation and interpretation training
Claiming PowerTerminology/Metalinguistic KnowledgeSofiaFui a
Espaa ha hacer study abroad este verano pasado y si me fije mucho
que empec a usar ms palabras de alto register because ah en la
oficina donde trabajaba de contadora ah en Espaa puro vocabulario
ah de negocios. Entonces yo tambin me adapt a eso, y ya me estaba
aprendiendo todos los trminos de negocios []Y tambin como dijo
Angelica, the legal studies is what I prefer to learn about, and
having that background prior to going to Spain also helped because
I used some of the terminology from the legal course in the
business setting over there in Spain. [I studied abroad in Spain
last summer and I really noticed that I was using high register
words because in the office where I worked as an accountant, they
used a lot of business vocabulary. And also like Angelica said, the
legal studies is what I prefer to learn about, and having that
background prior to going to Spain also helped because I used some
of the terminology from the legal course in the business setting
over there in Spain.]
Claiming PowerProtocolLilyPues aparte de que tengo ms
vocabulario, ahora s que debes de hablar en primera persona que
como el triad, que tienes que estar atrs del doctor o enseguida del
doctor o enseguida del paciente. Y creo que ahora tengo como ms,
like self-assurance que no debo de platicar as con el paciente
porque que les tengo que decir esto es una situacin medica tenemos
que comunicarnos con el doctor. Ahora s que tengo que decir esas
cosas y antes era como no quera ser maleducada o no contestarles o
no platicar con ellos[Well, besides having more vocabulary, now I
know that you need to speak in first person, that like in the
triad, that you need to be behind the doctor, or next to the
doctor, or next to the patient. And I think I have more like
self-assurance. I should not chat with the patient because I must
tell them that its a medical situation and we need to communicate
with the doctor. Now I know I must say this things, and before, I
didnt want to be impolite or not respond to them or not chat with
them.]
Claiming PowerLinguistic ConfidenceEvaNo se me hizo tan difcil.
No me pona nerviosa ya como era algo ms natural y veo que es ms
sencillo ahora. Despus de tener las clases, tengo mas confiaza en
lo que digo. [It was not so hard for me. I didnt get nervous and it
was something more natural and I see its easier now. After taking
the classes, I am more confident in what I say. ]
Future Bilingual SelvesBusinessHealth LawInterpretation
ConclusionPositionality of youth interpreters is complex
Empowerment through Translation and Interpretation EducationFuture
researchHow do we integrate Translation and Interpretation
Curriculum in Heritage Language Programs in Higher Education and
Primary School?
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Gracias
