cultural role of the court interpeter: Factors affecting bilingual communication in the judiciary

This study investigates the court interpreter's cultural role and factors affecting bilingual communication in judicial settings. It examines court interpreting as communicative activity and as a challenging type of intercultural communication. Locating the study between prescribed standards of conduct and their practical applications in the courtroom, this thesis features the interpreter's performed role and its impact in bilingual interactions. Offering a dynamic perspective on intercultural challenges, the study investigates judicial interpreters' practice in relation to linguistic foundations, communicative strategies, and dual standards toward their performance. For exemplification purposes, the study includes a series of arguments and counterarguments posted on the National Association of Judicial Interpreters and Translators website. The overall argument to assess factors affecting bilingual communication in legal settings aims to assist court interpreters in their daily practices. An additional goal is to create a venue for more effective communication and more equitable administration of justice in intercultural context.