Why is impartiality important in interpretation and translation?

Both interpretation and translation can be difficult and demanding tasks. There are many challenges that come with the job, and let’s just say that interpreter fatigue is only the tip of the iceberg. 

One of the greatest difficulties that comes with the profession has a lot to do with the main goal of both interpretation and translation – an accurate delivery of the message. And no, we’re not just talking about the process of transforming the source language into the target language. It goes a little deeper than that. 

The challenge we’re talking about is impartiality in interpretation and translation, which is the essence of the high-quality service. It’s also the cornerstone of any code of ethics for interpreters. Not sure why it’s so important? Let’s dive deeper and learn more about impartiality and why it is crucial in interpretation and translation!

What is impartiality? 

First, let us help you better grasp what we mean by impartiality. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines impartiality as not being partial or biased. Not a very broad definition, is it? In other words, an impartial person treats all equally no matter their view on the topic. 

So, if you’re practicing to be impartial, you should consider the following qualities. An impartial person is objective, neutral, unprejudiced, detached, and fair. Especially in the professional field, impartial professionals will not let their feelings get in the way of efficiently performing tasks. 

Impartiality in interpretation and translation

Now that we know what impartiality means, you might still wonder how it’s relevant for interpreters and translators. That’s a great question! Let’s look at a few examples and reasons as to why impartiality is important. 

Interpreter trustworthiness 

You might think that the credibility of an interpreter or translator is determined by aspects such as their experience, skills, and knowledge. While it’s essential to have all of these, impartiality is at the top of the list. You’ve heard it right – this is what makes the interpreter trustworthy. 

From what we’ve observed from talking with interpreters, clients rely on them to deliver the content, tone, and undertone of messages truthfully and fully without expressing an opinion. And let’s not forget that body language or facial expressions should also stay clear of any biased opinions or indications.

For example, there have been cases of high-level meetings where interpreters were scrutinized by the public very closely for their body language and facial expressions. As a result, the public’s opinion on what was said was deduced.

As surprising as it may be, the interpreter’s lack of impartiality can disrupt the trustworthiness of both the message and the interpreter. That’s why it’s so important to stay clear of any emotional attachments while working.

Cultural differences

Another reason why impartiality is crucial in interpretation or translation is that it helps with the fundamental job of an interpreter – to get the message across from one language to another as intended by the original speaker. This can become challenging when interpreting between very different cultural environments. 

Let’s just say that cultural differences can be challenging for impartial interpreting. While some words or phrases are appropriate in one culture, they can have negative connotations in another. 

AMN Healthcare gives an example of such instances with the word “hospice”. For Latin American speakers, the word has negative associations with institutions that have minimal resources. However, in the United States, “hospice” is a service where a family member is well-cared for at home.

While our example is just one of many, it shows a situation when an interpreter or translator would need to verbally tone down or tone up a message to adjust it to the cultural context. Impartiality is crucial in such cases, as interpreting demands maintaining the same register and the same perceived level of communication without changing the message and adding or cutting content. That’s right – bridging over cultural differences can be a challenge!

Sensitive topics

It’s no secret that interpretation and translation can get mentally draining, especially if you’re involved in delivering sensitive topics, such as politics or medical care. This is why impartiality has recently become a relevant topic in the field of medical interpretation. 

To catch you up, in this mode of interpretation, an interpreter helps the patient and the doctor communicate in case they run into the problem of language barriers. We agree – healthcare is no place for miscommunication! Yet it’s also no place for biased opinions or emotional attachment.

This is where impartiality comes in. In medical interpretation, impartiality helps the communication to stay just between the patient and the provider without any judgment from the interpreter. And since health is a sensitive topic, impartiality ensures that the interpreter delivers the complete and accurate message transfer. So, what matters here is the message alone.

However, there are many other sensitive topics apart from healthcare that you might come across in interpreting or translating, such as political views. There too, the deliverance of a message alone is what matters. That’s why impartiality is so significant and a great etiquette rule to follow. 

So what does that mean for you?

Impartiality is crucial for proper interpretation or translation. It helps to stay neutral, trustworthy, and professional. With so much emphasis on it, you might begin to worry that being impartial means taking the human element out of your job. However, that’s not the case! 

In both interpretation and translation, you need to focus on the message alone and leave any personal feelings out of the deliverance. But being impartial doesn’t mean that you can’t stand for what you believe in. 

A great way to do that is to interpret for causes that you are passionate about. Houses of worship, EU institutions, corporate meetings, the list goes on! And did we mention that at Interactio, we offer an opportunity to do just that?
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