Abstract
This chapter explores the place of the translator and interpreter in international development programmes. By drawing on INGO policy documents related to language and translation and interviews with translators/interpreters as well as other NGO staff, the chapter aims to extend current understandings of translation and interpreting practices in international NGO programmes. It presents an overview of the most common translation/interpreting practices and profiles encountered in the Listening Zones data. One of its findings is that translators/interpreters in development contexts are expected to have different skillsets than those of professional translators/interpreters working in Western contexts: instead of competence in using translation tools, or adhering to codes of professional conduct such as neutrality, NGO staff emphasised the importance of local embeddedness, understanding the culture and realities of local communities, and knowledge of NGO work and development terminology. Finally, the chapter includes a brief comparison with the state of current practices and research in humanitarian settings and argues that both in development and humanitarian settings, much work remains to be done to raise awareness of the important role of languages and translation.
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Footitt, H., Crack, A.M., Tesseur, W. (2020). Translators and Interpreters in Development. In: Development NGOs and Languages. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51776-2_5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51776-2_5
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