Cultural Sensitivity in Interpretation

I’ve been reflecting on how crucial cultural sensitivity is in our work as interpreters. Recently, I attended a workshop on this topic, and it made me realize how often we overlook the cultural nuances that can impact communication. What strategies do others use to ensure they’re respectful and informed about the backgrounds of the people they interpret for?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍‌⁠‌‍⁠‍‌‍⁠​‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‍​‌‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠​‍‌⁠​​‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠‌‌‌‌​⁠‌‌‍​‌‍‍​‌‍‌⁠‌‌​⁠​⁠​​‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‍‌‌⁠​‍‌⁠‍‍​‍⁠‌‌‍⁠‌‌‍⁠‍‌​⁠⁠‌​​⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

I totally agree about the nuances — i often read about the cultures I work with beforehand. Have you found any particular resources helpful?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍‌⁠‌‍⁠‍‌‍⁠​‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‍​‌‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠​‍‌⁠​​‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠‍‌​⁠‍​​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌​⁠‍‌‍‍⁠‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‍‍‌⁠‍​‌‌‌‌‌​‍⁠‌​​⁠‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‍‍‍‌​‌‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

I find that attending community events helps me grasp cultural nuances better. Have you looked into local cultural immersion activities? :open_hands:.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍‌⁠‌‍⁠‍‌‍⁠​‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‍​‌‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠​‍‌⁠​​‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠‍‌​⁠‍​​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠‌⁠‌​‍​‌​⁠​‌‌‌⁠‌‍‌​‌​⁠‍​⁠‌‍‌⁠‍‌‌⁠‍​​⁠‍‌‌⁠​‌‌‌‍‍​⁠​‍‌‍​‍‌​⁠‌‌‍‍‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌