At the mercy of others’ voices: an illustration of frequent interpreter language errors in kenyan courtrooms

Abstract

This paper reports on a study of interpreter language errors carried outin a sample of courts in Kenya between January and March 2008.Drawing from data mainly consisting of transcriptions of audio-tapeddiscourse of official proceedings in the sample courts, the paperillustrates the most prevalent language errors made by interpreters inthe course on interpreting judicial proceedings. Using a typology ofinterpreter language errors documented in the literature, the paperidentifies and illustrates the occurrence of grammatical, lexical,omission and intrusion and distortion errors as the most frequentlyoccurring in the sample courtrooms, as they accounted for the bulk ofthe interpreter errors encountered in the data. Illustration anddiscussion of each of this type of errors show that reveal the extent towhich these errors can alter the intended meaning of the interlocutorsin the court set-up, which in turn can lead to a miscarriage of justice,especially where the judicial process depends entirely on theinterpreter’s capacity to facilitate communication by mediatingbetween languages.