Title: Addressing linguistic and cultural diversity in interview research: Some challenges and ways forward. Dr Jane Andrews, University of the West of England
1Addressing linguistic and cultural diversity in
interview research Some challenges and ways
forward.Dr Jane Andrews,University of the West
of England
2Outline of Session
- Translation and interpretation in qualitative
research issues raised in the literature -
- Background to my study (nested within the
Home-School Knowledge Exchange project) -
- Ways in which linguistic and cultural diversity
have been addressed in social science research -
- Examples of issues arising from conducting
qualitative interviews with an interpreter -
3Issues raised in different literatures (1)
- Current sociology does not confine itself to
social problems and works across language
barriers, but arguably the lack of critical
attention given to the process of linguistic
translation and its articulation with the
translation of cultural processes persists - Bradby, H. (2002) Translating culture and
language a research note on multilingual
settings In Sociology of Health and Illness Vol.
24, No.6, pp.842-855 - Example of different ways of translating terms
such as sister brother into other languages
when health workers take medical histories from
patients
4Issues raised in different literatures (2)
- Translations, then are never easy, never
transparent, never simple encodings and decodings
from one language to another. Representation,
self-presentation can never be simply a matter of
language in such contexts. For any
cross-cultural intervention, there are a whole
complex set of issues around cultural difference,
difference within cultural groups and culturalist
assumptions that need to be anticipated and built
into the research methodology. - Kamler, B., Threadgold, T. (2003) Translating
Difference questions of representation in
cross-cultural research encounters In Journal of
Intercultural Studies, Vol.24, No.2, p.137-151 - Example of narrative workshops conducted by
Australian researchers with Australian-Vietnamese
women with a translator
5Issues raised in different literatures (3)
- there is very little reflection on the
implications for qualitative research of language
difference and the use of third parties in
communication across languages This is a
strange omission given that qualitative
approaches are steeped in a tradition that
acknowledges the importance of reflexivity and
context. - Temple, B., Edwards, R. (2002)
Interpreters/translators and cross-language
research Reflexivity and border crossings In
International Journal of Qualitative Methods 1
(2) - Links reflexivity with a call to consider
interpreters as active in producing research
accounts
6Issues raised in different literatures (4)
- to conduct meaningful research with people who
speak little or no English, English speaking
researchers need to talk to the interpreters and
translators they are working with about their
perspectives on the issues being discussed. - Temple, B., Edwards, R. (2002)
Interpreters/translators and cross-language
research Reflexivity and border crossings In
International Journal of Qualitative Methods 1
(2) - Implication for writing up research making the
interpreter visible
7Issues raised in different literatures (5)
- in qualitative research, interviewing is
perceived as a participative activity to generate
knowledge, a two way learning process, where the
subjectivities of the research participants
influence data collection and the process of
meaning making. Cultural differences have
significance for both phases. - Shah, S. (2004) The researcher/interviewer in
intercultural context a social intruder! In
British Educational Research Journal Vol.30,
No.4, pp.549-575 - Cultural diversity and linguistic diversity
present challenges in research
8Background to my study (nested within the
Home-School Knowledge Exchange Project)
- Socio-cultural theory (Wertsch 1985, 1991, 1998)
underpins the research as well as the notion of
Funds of Knowledge (Luis Moll et al 1992) - A large-scale project with two angles
action-based research and more traditionally
focused research (evaluation of action-based
research, measures of childrens attainment,
attitudes and learning disposition and
investigations of home practices using case
studies) - Research sites covered 2 UK cities, detailed
sampling of schools, classes, children and parents
9Ways of addressing linguistic and cultural
diversity in research
- Employing researchers who share the same
linguistic and cultural heritage as the research
participants (as practised by e.g. Eve Gregory,
Charmian Kenner, Gill Crozier) - Use of family members/children as
interpreters/translators in research in the home - Use of outside interpreters in research in the
home
10Using an interpreter in interview research
- Implications at different stages of the research
process - design of instruments,
- gaining access to research participants,
- briefing of interpreter,
- roles within research interview,
- interpretation of the data obtained,
- presentation of the data
11Working with a bilingual transcript or with
interpreted data only?
- In terms of the professional practice of
interpreters, the interpreted comments are the
product but for research purposes maybe this is
not the case? - What happens if we compare interpreted data with
a full bilingual transcript?
12Interpreted Data Issues Arising from Data (1)
- Treatment of humour communicated or omitted on
interpreters judgement (if he has any
interests!) - Cross-cultural difference in the associations of
certain terms interpreter conveys a concept
laden with a particular value-judgement (Risk) - Sequencing of content in interpreted utterances
could imply a hierarchy of significance to the
researcher (he likes history, maths, PE) - Treatment of direct quotations by the interpreter
(Ive just got to do it) - Reporting (Dad says) versus interpreting (I
dont know much English)
13Interpreted Data Issues Arising from Data (2)
- Treatment of so-called technical language
(figures and maths) - Leading questions (e.g. interpreter asks parent
if they feel they have missed out on something by
having studied at school for a few years) - addition of intensifiers (very good at maths)
- Loss of detail (very interested in his studies)
- Interpreter develops a rapport (we (Indian
people)) - Interpreter allays fears about research (these
questions are about) - Interpreter gives culturally relevant examples
(in our cookery we use handfuls)
14Implications for conducting research in
linguistically and culturally diverse settings
- Interpreter as a co-researcher
- Briefing and debriefing are essential
- Planning for working with an interpreter (time,
cost) - Consideration of how interpreter/interpreted data
match with the research paradigm and design - Decisions need to be made whether to work with
interpreted data only or with a bilingual
(translated) transcript