AUSIT 2012: Proceedings of the "JubilaTIon 25" Biennial Conference of the Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators

by Adolfo Gentile (Editor)

The Australian Institute for Interpreters and Translators runs biennial conferences on topics relevant to the fields. This volume collects presentations from its conference in December 2012. The conference was given the title of Jubilation to celebrate 25 years of the Institute s existence. The papers in this collection are organised around three broad (a) Innovative Practices and Pedagogies in T and I Training ; (b) Interpreting in the International Experiences ; (c) Challenges, Opportunities and Needs . The papers are consistent with the long-standing flavour of AUSIT conferences, which combine the practical with the theoretical, reflect practice in Australia and around the world, and provide insights into important questions facing all elements of the profession.

220 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Tom Law · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although a compilation of articles presented at the 25th Ausit conference, it is, for the most part, taken from the lives of practitioners who are living with interpreting and translating issues daily. Each of the articles pulls back the curtain from a particular aspect of the profession and allows the reader to gain a greater understanding and appreciation for what it takes to be a competent professional in this field. The issues are real and there has been no attempt to sugar coat the problems. As such it helps those who follow know the pitfalls to avoid in the various areas discussed.

Whereas most of the other books on the subject are aimed at instruction, this book makes the practical real. Instruction without real world examples is theory. The editors have done us a great service by giving us vistas of how the theories and classroom instructions play themselves out in the lives of those who would practice these skills. Even those articles which dealt with pedagogy did so from a practical student perspective.

I am particularly grateful to the planners of the conference and the editors of the book for including material related to interpretation and translation in “community” settings. These include mental health, police, and immigrates. Each of these is becoming increasingly important in a world that no longer has real borders and where people are constantly mixing across those artificial barriers that for some are so important. This, I think, is going to be an increasing area of importance for those involved in interpretation and translation.

This is a remarkable book which will broaden your understanding of the role of interpreters and translators.