International Perspectives on Sign Language Interpreting

Interpreter Education in Sweden: A Uniform Approach to Spoken and Signed Language Interpreting

Interpreter Education in Sweden: A Uniform Approach to Spoken and Signed Language Interpreting 124 A N N A H E I N IN SWEDEN, the Code of Juridical Procedure (rättegångsbalken), the Administrative Court Procedure Act (förvaltningsprocesslagen), and the Administrative Procedure Act (förvaltningslagen) are laws that legalize the right to use an interpreter if a person does not speak Swedish or is impaired in speech and/or hearing. In the Swedish context, the same body is responsible for the training of interpreters regardless of language or category. Both spoken and signed language interpreters can become authorized by the state under the same conditions, and the liberal adult education college system allows for sign language interpreter training in a wider context , influenced by Deaf associations. The recognized minority languages in Sweden are all forms of Sami, Finnish, Meänkieli (Tornedal Finnish), all forms of Romany, and Yiddish. Swedish Sign Language is not recognized as a minority language but the Swedish Parliament in 1981 officially acknowledged it as the first language of deaf people. All deaf people have the right to be fluent in their visual/ gestural language and in the language, Swedish, that surrounds them. COMMUNITY INTERPRETING IN SWEDEN Töi, the Institute for Interpreting and Translation Studies at Stockholm University, has since its inception in 1986, the overriding responsibility for interpreter training in Sweden, both interpreting for immigrants/minorities and for deaf people, and it also oversees the training programs for conference interpreters, including the European Masters in Conference Interpreting. The number of interpreter services agencies of spoken languages in Sweden is about 60; towns and municipalities run about 40 of these, and 20 are private. There are about 5,000 community interpreters in Sweden, working with over 100 different languages. There are very few spoken language interpreters who have a full-time paid position as an interpreter. The interpreting is primarily provided in medical care and social welfare services. The interpreting costs are mainly financed by public funds and generally by the authorities and institutions where the interpreting takes place (see Niska, 2004, for more information). Community Interpreter Training Interpreter training for community interpreters began in 1968 (the same year sign language interpreter training began). Today there are two different kinds of training programs; academic courses at Swedish universities and vocational training coursers at adult education centers and voluntary educational associations. The Töi regularly organizes academic training, but the greater part of the training of community interpreters is in the form of shorter courses in adult education centers or at liberal adult education colleges. These nonacademic-level courses for community interpreters are not organized by the institute, but the institute distributes the governmental grants and supervises the training. The basic instruction covers medical services, social welfare, the labor market, and legal interpreting. The basic training can be supplemented with special courses and further education in areas such as psychology, dental care, women’s diseases, tropical diseases, and interpreting for clients with special needs, for example, children and victims of torture. In a few languages, university training is available, leading to state authorization. Authorization of Interpreters In Sweden the Swedish National Juridical Board for Public Lands and Funds undertakes the authorization of interpreters. To become authorized, the following criteria must be met: • Be over 18 years of age • Live in a country within the European Economic Space • Have an irreproachable background • Pass two different examinations—one written and one oral Only if the candidate passes the first written examination is the oral part administered. The written examination is given on the same day at several SWEDEN 125 126 ANNA HEIN places in Sweden twice a year. The oral examination is then given in the building in Stockholm (the capital of Sweden) where the board is situated. Figure 1 provides details of the examination content. Part one looks almost the same for all candidates—only the terminology part is tested live with the signed language candidates. The role-plays are recorded, but not video recorded for the spoken language candidates. The placing of candidates and panel members is different, as the panel has to see both the language assistant and the candidate in the sign language setting. But the content and the difficulty level are the same for all categories of languages. Sign Language Interpreter Working Conditions Most Swedish Sign Language interpreters leaving a training program find a job directly after finishing the program—often...