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Article published In:
Translation and Interpreting Studies
Vol. 12:3 (2017) ► pp.383–404

“There is always some spatial limitation”

Spatial positioning and seating arrangement in healthcare interpreting

| University of Ljubljana
The article focuses on the issue of spatial positioning of healthcare interpreters. Contemporary research and guidelines for healthcare interpreters recommend either a triadic position or parallel positioning, or else suggest that the position of the interpreter should be defined primarily by the situation. Based on the responses gathered by a nationwide online questionnaire sent to interpreters who work in healthcare settings in the Republic of Slovenia, the article establishes that a triangular position is the spatial positioning the untrained interpreters working in healthcare settings most often assume and find most appropriate. The interpreters prefer this position because they believe that primary role should be granted to the patient and that the interpreters should be regarded as mere conduits, and second, that there is a considerable gap between what the interpreters think they should do and what they actually do. The article concludes with some proposals how to narrow this gap.
Keywords: positioning, seating arrangement, triangular positioning, parallel positioning, healthcare interpreting, standards of practice
Article outline
  • Introduction
  • 1.Positioning in interpreting studies
  • 2.Positioning in healthcare interpreting
  • 3.Reality of interpreting in a clinical setting in Slovenia
  • 4.Healthcare interpreting in Slovenia
  • 5.Methodology
  • 6.Results of the questionnaire
  • 7.Discussion and conclusions
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 23 November 2017
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/tis.12.3.02pok
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