Surveying the Growth and Development of Spoken Language Interpreting in Hawaii

Abstract

In this master’s thesis, I review the legal framework underpinning language access in Hawai‘i, and describe the development and deployment of a survey of spoken language interpreters in the state. Survey results indicate that most interpretation services are performed by L2 speakers of English, and that L2 speakers of English also account for the majority of languages interpreted, including languages of limited diffusion (LLDs). Among respondents, court interpreting emerges as the most common setting for interpreting assignments, followed by medical interpreting. Results show that advanced training is rare, and many respondents struggle with the question of certification. Through analysis of previous research in Interpretation Studies, I discuss survey results with reference to national and international trends in provision of interpretation services, interpreter training, and the role of the interpreter. Finally, I discuss implications of survey results, the importance of training, and the professionalization of community interpreting in Hawai‘i.