Interpreters at Terminology Work: Views to Professional Development, Language Policy and Language Management
Lakner, Kati (2011)
Lakner, Kati
Humanistinen ammattikorkeakoulu
2011
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2011092913332
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2011092913332
Tiivistelmä
This study aims to introduce an approach to terminology work, specifically an online terminology database established and maintained by a group of sign language interpreters (SLIs), and to examine the role of the terminology work in relation to the professional development of the practitioners and in relation to issues of language policy, management and planning.
The term bank in question was established and published online by Via Sign Language Sector Cooperative in Finland and is used by Via members, employees and customers, some 100 people altogether. The study introduces the term bank, its principles of use before setting out to investigate how it is being used currently. I want to investigate if there are routines for when and to what purposes it is being used and whether efforts are being made to achieve systematic and conscious professional development. Through these ideas I aimed to arrive at a realistic understanding of the bank’s usage and of the willingness and ability of its users to develop the tool further by delivering new material and by commenting on existing content. The results are used to evaluate the term bank’s role as a tool for professional development, particularly on the development of metalinguistic awareness. The method of terminology work is also reflected with theory of language policy and management, particularly on corpus planning.
The data for this study is collected through carrying out an online survey for the current users of the term bank, embedding both qualitative and quantitative elements. As requested by the administration of the term bank, it sets to find out whether the employees use the term bank according to the employer’s expectations and whether they consider it as a suitable tool for developing their professional skills. The personal involvement of the researcher with the examined subject as a member of the administration of the tool provides an insight to this study.
The results of the survey suggest that enhancing interpreters’ professional development through terminology work can affect their metalinguistic awareness and eventually help them to provide better quality service. At the same time it is acknowledged that such terminology work needs to be aware of its implications towards the minority language involved and that the work should adhere to existing language policy. The results of this study indicate a strong motivation to involve native FinSL users more in the terminology work. The results propose the need for further research in the field of Sign Language Studies of how new terminology comes into existence and evolves in such cooperative efforts. The field of Interpreting Studies could benefit from further research on the interpreters’ process of developing metalinguistic skills.
While this study examines the situation of interpreters in Finland, working with one of the country’s minority languages, Finnish Sign Language (FinSL), the author proposes that the results of this study offer new perspectives for interpreters and for interpreting in general. It also suggests that terminology work carried out by interpreters is an act of language management and can be one way of responding to the expectations set by the current language policy.
The term bank in question was established and published online by Via Sign Language Sector Cooperative in Finland and is used by Via members, employees and customers, some 100 people altogether. The study introduces the term bank, its principles of use before setting out to investigate how it is being used currently. I want to investigate if there are routines for when and to what purposes it is being used and whether efforts are being made to achieve systematic and conscious professional development. Through these ideas I aimed to arrive at a realistic understanding of the bank’s usage and of the willingness and ability of its users to develop the tool further by delivering new material and by commenting on existing content. The results are used to evaluate the term bank’s role as a tool for professional development, particularly on the development of metalinguistic awareness. The method of terminology work is also reflected with theory of language policy and management, particularly on corpus planning.
The data for this study is collected through carrying out an online survey for the current users of the term bank, embedding both qualitative and quantitative elements. As requested by the administration of the term bank, it sets to find out whether the employees use the term bank according to the employer’s expectations and whether they consider it as a suitable tool for developing their professional skills. The personal involvement of the researcher with the examined subject as a member of the administration of the tool provides an insight to this study.
The results of the survey suggest that enhancing interpreters’ professional development through terminology work can affect their metalinguistic awareness and eventually help them to provide better quality service. At the same time it is acknowledged that such terminology work needs to be aware of its implications towards the minority language involved and that the work should adhere to existing language policy. The results of this study indicate a strong motivation to involve native FinSL users more in the terminology work. The results propose the need for further research in the field of Sign Language Studies of how new terminology comes into existence and evolves in such cooperative efforts. The field of Interpreting Studies could benefit from further research on the interpreters’ process of developing metalinguistic skills.
While this study examines the situation of interpreters in Finland, working with one of the country’s minority languages, Finnish Sign Language (FinSL), the author proposes that the results of this study offer new perspectives for interpreters and for interpreting in general. It also suggests that terminology work carried out by interpreters is an act of language management and can be one way of responding to the expectations set by the current language policy.