Vietnamese Interpreters’ Awareness of Professional Norms in Japanese-Vietnamese Business Interpreting

Abstract

This study analyzes Vietnamese interpreters’ awareness of professional norms in Japanese-Vietnamese business interpreting from interview data within the framework of Andrew Chesterman’s theory of translation norms. The informants in this study were twelve interpreters with more than five years of experience in business interpreting. The findings demonstrate that Japanese-Vietnamese business interpreters conform to the following accountability norms: (1) carries out assignments with thoroughness, (2) restrains the exercising of power, (3) adopts a position not to betray the client; communication norms: (4) facilitates the flow of communication, (5) promotes mutual understanding, (6) builds and maintains good interpersonal relationships; and relation norms: (7) puts a high priority on semantic similarity. When there are circumstances in which norms contradict each other, the interpreter will decide which norms to prioritize and which norms to break.