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Professional Standards and Ethics For California Court Interpreters

This document provides guidelines for court interpreters on accurately interpreting legal proceedings. It discusses [1] not omitting redundant words from attorneys' questions as they carry meaning, [2] including false starts and self-corrections from witnesses' testimony, [3] interpreting filler words used by attorneys and witnesses to evaluate credibility, and [4] asking for clarification if meanings are ambiguous rather than guessing to ensure an accurate record. Court interpreters must maintain the original register and not alter the level of language.

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MonicaMarin
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75 views

Professional Standards and Ethics For California Court Interpreters

This document provides guidelines for court interpreters on accurately interpreting legal proceedings. It discusses [1] not omitting redundant words from attorneys' questions as they carry meaning, [2] including false starts and self-corrections from witnesses' testimony, [3] interpreting filler words used by attorneys and witnesses to evaluate credibility, and [4] asking for clarification if meanings are ambiguous rather than guessing to ensure an accurate record. Court interpreters must maintain the original register and not alter the level of language.

Uploaded by

MonicaMarin
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Professional

Standards and
Ethics for
California Court
Interpreters
Redundancies
Or repetition

2
Redundancies

The comments and For example, when an


attorney says:
questions from
attorneys are often
“Did you watch and observe
redundant. him at all times?”

This is particularly so in the legal context.


You should not omit the similar words.
Near-synonyms carry different shades of meaning 3
Advice!
Resist the inclination to leave
out words, because all of them
have a purpose

4
FALSE STARTS
Or misspeaks.

5
False Starts

Many speakers, attorneys and witnesses alike,


make false starts and then revise their
statements.

6
FALSE STARTS

“
It is important in interpreting witness
testimony that all such self-
corrections be included in the target
language version.

7
FALSE STARTS

“
Never correct errors made by the
speaker, , no matter how
unintentional they may be.

8
FALSE STARTS

“
You may correct your own false starts
or “misspeaks,” but be sure to say it
with “interpreter correction,” so that
the record can show that it is you,
rather than the witness, speaking.
9
FILLER WORDS
to gain time

10
FILLER WORDS
◈ To formulate what they want to say or to fill
a silence.
◈ Attorneys will use words such as “now” at
the beginning of their questions, and
witnesses will start their response with
expressions like “well,” “to be honest,”
“quite frankly.”
11
FILLER WORDS
◈ As the interpreter in a legal proceeding, you
have the obligation to render into the target
language all the filler words used by the
speaker.

12
Remember
!
This will help the jury to
evaluate the credibility of the
witness.

13
Changes in
Meaning
Remember how important is the CONTEXT.

14
Changes in Meaning - Cultural contex
American British
Who says “I put it in my Could mean either that he
boot” clearly means he put put it into his footwear or
an object into his footwear into the trunk of his car.

15
Changes in Meaning
★ If there is any doubt about which of several
meanings is intended, be cautious―do not
guess.
★ Ask for clarification, it is better to put the
term or phrase in question on the record in
the language used in court, spelling it for the
court reporter
16
Changes in Meaning
For example: For example:
“Your Honor, the witness “Your Honor, the
has used the Spanish term interpreter has asked the
‘pinzas’— the interpreter witness what he meant
will spell it for the record: when he used the word
P-I-N-Z-A-S—which has ‘pinzas’ in his reply, and
several possible meanings” the witness indicated
(tweezers, pliers, forceps, ‘pliers.’
clothespins, claws, darts).
17
Register
you must never alter it.

18
REGISTER

You must never For example You should not


alter the register, or If the attorney say in the target
level of language, to asks, “What did language, “What
make it easier to you observe the did you see him
understand or more subject to do do next?” if more
socially acceptable. subsequently?” formal synonyms
exist.

19
Register
IMPORTANT!

To remember that when interpreting a witness’s


testimony before a jury, the jury will draw
certain conclusions about the witness’s
sophistication, intelligence, and credibility based
on word choice, style, and tone, among other
things.
20
THANK
S!

21

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