Interpreting at war : a case study on EUFOR BIH ALTHEA

Abstract

This dissertation provides a historical review of interpreting at war, analysing the role the interpreter plays in this scenario and relating it to conflict theory in order to understand better the tasks and skills required for a better performance in this setting. For this purpose an historical review of interpreting in armed conflicts is carried out to see if there are any lessons that can be learnt from the past. At the same time an analysis of war and conflict theory are carried out, as well as a review of the different modalities of interpreting required for each one of these stages and the related needs and requirements. Likewise the views of interpreters and users of interpreting services at EUFOR BiH Althea are analysed in order to see whether there are still challenges to overcome, and if so, how to deal with them in order to ensure that interpreters perform their duties well, and the user is satisfied with how these duties are fulfilled, while assuring, at the same time, that interpreters are also satisfied with the situation. Finally conclusions are drawn as to the training of interpreters in armed conflict scenarios.