Interdisciplinary Research for Accurate and Precise Court Interpreting.

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K00607
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 02060:Linguistics-related
• Research Institution: University of Shizuoka
• Principal Investigator: MIZUNO Kaoru 静岡県立大学, 国際関係学研究科, 研究員 (90262922)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 法廷通訳 / 正確な通訳 / 法曹三者 / 法廷通訳人の負担

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aims to analyze verbal Japanese expressions used in courtroom interpreting and propose desirable interpreter roles and interpreting methods to achieve accurate interpretation with less burden on courtroom interpreters. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the researcher's circumstance, the study could not be conducted as planned. Traditionally, there has been a discrepancy in the roles and necessary abilities of courtroom interpreters expected by courtroom interpreters and those expected by legal professionals - specifically judges, prosecutors, and attorneys. A survey of people who had served as courtroom interpreters, conducted in cooperation with co-researchers, and a recent study on the current state of court interpreting revealed that this situation persists today.

Free Research Field

日本語教育、社会言語学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

多くの法廷通訳人が高い能力と努力に支えられて仕事をこなすというシステム、また通訳人と通訳人を使用する側である法曹三者との間の通訳観や通訳に求めるものには格差があるという状況は変わらない。裁判所は法廷通訳について一般に周知したりデジタル化を進めており、徐々に変化している点は評価できるが、法廷で使用される発言が訳しにくいと通訳人が感じている状況は以前と変わっていない。本研究では大きな進展をはかることはできなかったが、こうした問題点を確認することができた。