What is it about?

This chapter offers some answers to the following questions on the basis of the policy and measures taken for the Aquarius docking in Valencia in 2018: How do policy-makers understand what is needed in welcoming refugees? When do they plan language requirements? How do they understand translation needs? What can translation studies do to make them understand the real operational needs of translation? How should translators/interpreters cooperate with other agents in the planning and implementation of the refugee welcoming and hosting scheme?

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Why is it important?

The paper offers a window onto the views of policy-makers when planning linguistic needs. It highlights paths for translation and interpreting studies to make their views on linguistic mediation prevail when catering to the needs of foreign and local communities in human crises.

Perspectives

The interview conducted was enlightening, inspiring, and surprising at the same time. On the one hand, the values held by the interviewee were fully in synch with what translation and interpreting represent. On the other, however, translation and interpreting were practically absent from both the discourse and most importantly the imaginary of those in charge of planning how society will embrace refugees. Given the impact of the case on the media, I saw how translation and interpreting missed the opportunity to mean something for society at large, and I felt the urge to find a way to change the situation and to foreground translation and interpreting in pursuing social justice.

Dr. Esther Monzo Nebot
Universitat Jaume I

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: Chapter 9. Translating values, August 2021, John Benjamins,
DOI: 10.1075/btl.157.09mon.
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