How interpreters “participate” in communication problems

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  • 通訳者はいかにコミュニケーション摩擦に関与するか
  • 通訳者はいかにコミュニケーション摩擦に関与するか : 中国の日系企業における社内通訳者の実例分析を通じて
  • ツウヤクシャ ワ イカニ コミュニケーション マサツ ニ カンヨ スル カ : チュウゴク ノ ニッケイ キギョウ ニ オケル シャナイツウ ヤクシャ ノ ジツレイ ブンセキ オ ツウジテ
  • A case study analysis of in-house interpreters in Japanese companies in China
  • −中国の日系企業における社内通訳者の実例分析を通じて−

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The present study attempts to explain the behavior of interpreters when communication problems occur, focusing on cases involving Japanese companies in China. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven in-house interpreters, and twelve instances of communication problems were identified and analyzed. Following Baker（2006）, the present draft argues that interpreters do not merely find themselves “caught up in” communication problems but rather actively participate in the process. Interpreters use various strategies to settle conflicts when they occur and do what they can to prevent communication problems from occurring. However, cases were identified where employees tried to shift the responsibility for the problem to the interpreters. Even in cases where the interpreter seemed to be managing the situation well, they were often actually emotionally confused or conflicted, and as a result tried to distance themselves from the situation. In this study, interpreters were found to serve as a “buffer” when communication problems occurred.

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