This webinar will provide an overview of the Role-Space model developed by Peter Llewellyn-Jones and Robert G. Lee. The core premise is that a role is not something we have, rather is it something we do. The model proposes three interrelated dimensions of interpreter decision making and behavior: interaction management, participant alignment and the presentation of self. The interaction between and amongst these axes forms the role-space that an interpreter occupies in an interaction. Before learning to interpret, students must be aware of their own communicative behaviors in the languages and cultures with which they work before applying them cross-linguistically and cross-culturally. Examples from the trainer’s own interpreting and teaching practice will be provided to illustrate applications of the model.

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2. NATIONAL
COUNCIL
ON
INTERPRETING
IN
HEALTH
CARE
Housekeeping
• This session is being recorded
• Certificate of Attendance
*must attend full 90 minutes
*certificates will be emailed by
December 14, 2021
• Use “Q&A” to send comments /
questions to the hosts

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Welcome to our guest presenter!
Robert G. Lee, MA, CI/CT

4. Role-Space Theory and the
Training of Interpreters
National Council on Interpreting in Health Care
Train the Trainers webinar
November 16, 2021
Robert G. Lee

5. Thank you to NCHIC and
the Coordinating Team for
this opportunity!
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

6. Learning objectives
• Demonstrate an understanding of the role-space
model and its theoretical foundations
• Explain the 3 inter-related axes of the role-space
model
• Apply the components of the role-space model in
designing screening, training, and assessment of
interpreters

7. Outline
• Space as a metaphor for language knowledge and
use
• Metalinguistic knowledge of student interpreters
• The Role-Space model with examples
• Applications for teaching interpreters
• Questions

9. Problematic view of languages as being in the
individual person

10. Communication between/among people is seen as
problematic –you either ‘share’ a language or you
don’t – a binary distinction

11. If languages are thought of as being in the
individual person – how interpreting is viewed:
The interpreter ‘has’ two languages
between which s/he alternates

12. Instead of ‘having’ languages, we inhabit linguistic spaces

13. People use multi-modal linguistic strategies and repertoires
in their linguistic spaces
Gestures
Paraphrasing
Writing/Drawing
Use of cognates
Questioning
Describing

14. Multi-lingual interactions involve multiple linguistic spaces

15. Interpreting can be modeled as
bridging linguistic spaces

16. Multi-lingual interactions involve multiple linguistic spaces

17. Student interpreters need to
understand and articulate the
linguistic spaces they inhabit

18. Translanguaging
• Term developed from bi-lingual educational settings in
Wales and then the US (see Wei (2011), García and Wei
(2018), among others).
• A more explanatory term than ‘code-switching’ or
‘code-mixing’
• Individuals make use of a variety of Strategies and
Repertoires in communicating in multi-lingual
environments
• There is joint construction of meaning and interaction
by all participants (cf Bélanger (2004) for interpreted
interactions)

19. Translanguaging and Space
The notion of translanguaging space is particularly
relevant to multilinguals not only because of their
capacity to use multiple linguistic resources to form and
transform their own lives, but also because the space
they create through their multilingual practices, or
translanguaging, has its own transformative power.
It is a space where the process of what Bhabba (1994)
calls ‘‘cultural translation’’ between traditions takes
place; it is not a space where different identities, values
and practices simply co-exist, but combine together to
generate new identities, values and practices.
(Wei (2011) p. 1223)

20. Student Interpreters’ Knowledge of
Languages, Cultures and Interaction
• What knowledge of their working languages/cultures do
students bring to their initial interpreter training (crucially
including sub-cultures and intersectionality)?
• How much can they articulate what they know about how
interactions work in monolingual interaction.
• Following Howell, (1982), students need to be both Conscious
of what they can do and Competent at doing it
• They might more consciously competent in their second
language than their first. They also might be unconsciously
incompetent in interpreting itself.
• Before learning to interpret, students must have these
language fundamentals firmly in place
• They must understand, articulate and demonstrate a wide-
range of appropriate behaviors in the languages and cultures
with which they will eventually work
• Following on the concept of the ‘role’ of interpreters in
interactions can be discussed and explored

21. ROLE is a 4-letter word

22. Recognition of the problematic
nature of ‘role’ in interpreting
• Many researchers have discussed issues with how ‘role’
is described in interpreting (e.g. Roy (1993), Wadensjö
(1998), Metzger (1999), Angelelli (2001)).
• Interpreting is a specialized form of communicative
interaction
• If we can model ‘normal’ interactions and use them as
the substrate for interpreted interactions, they will be
more effective for participants
• Understanding the fundamentals of monolingual
interactions generally can inform our understanding of
mediated interactions like interpreted ones

23. Underpinnings of the
Role-Space Model

24. Enact Roles
(Goffman)
Cooperate
(Grice)
Accommodate
(Giles et al)
Align
(Garrod &
Pickering)
Monolingual Interactions

25. Interac3on
(Wadensjö)
Interaction
Construction
(Bélanger)
Discourse
Process
(Roy)
Interpreted Interactions
Role-Space
(L-J & Lee)

26. Underpinnings of the model
• Sociology/Sociolinguistics - R.
Linton, R. Turner, E. Goffman
A role represents the dynamic aspect of a status. The
individual is socially assigned to a status and occupies
it with relation to other statuses. When he puts the
rights and duties that constitute the status into effect,
he is performing a role. (Linton, 1936, p. 114)
Role refers to behavior rather than posiWon, so that
one may enact a role but cannot occupy a role.
(Turner 1956, p. 317)

27. Just as we don’t have languages, we
inhabit linguistic spaces, we do not
have roles, we inhabit a role-space

28. Role Space Axes
(after Llewellyn-Jones & Lee 2014. Thanks to Doug Bowen-Bailey)

29. Axis of Interaction
Management
Interaction management refers to
those behaviors (or, even,
interventions) that an interpreter
uses to actively manage how the
interaction is proceeding.
High Management
Regulating Turn-taking
Interpreting Consecutively
Phone Interpreting
Low Management
Exercising NO Control
Conference Booth Interpreting
VRS?

30. Axis of Participant Alignment
Par3cipant alignment refers to how much the
interpreter is direc3ng their communica3on to,
or seeming to iden3fy with, a specific
par3cipant (or, possibly, a sub-group of
par3cipants). In addi3on, it may be that the
interpreter is reac3ng directly to uFerances
made by one of the interlocutors.

31. Axis of
Presentation of
Self High Presentation of Self
Introducing one’s self
Using ‘I ‘statements “I would like
clarification”…
Low Presentation of Self
Referring to self as ‘Interpreter’
Not responding to direct questions
Waiting for others to introduce

32. Application: Role-Space in a
Medical Setting

33. Initial Appointment/Medical History
Doctor Patient
Presentation of Self
Interaction
Management

34. First Follow-up appointments
Doctor Patient
Presentation of Self
Interaction
Management

35. Further follow-up appointments or on-
going treatments
Doctor Patient
Presentation of Self
Interaction
Management

36. Doctor Patient
Presentation
of Self
Doctor Patient
Presentation
of Self
Doctor Patient
Presentation
of Self

37. Using the model in training
interpreters
• The axes of the model can be used to help students to
articulate what they know about their working languages:
• What are the similarities/differences in Interaction Management
between the languages? For example, how is overlapping talk
handled, interruptions, requestions for clarification/repetition, etc.
• How does Alignment occur? How does one signal alignment with
those of similar background? How are issues of status expressed
overly or covertly?
• What are the norms regarding Presentation of Self to others
(familiar vs. unfamiliar people, addressing professionals vs. lay
people, etc.)?
• Having students discuss these issues with each other (both
in same language groups as well as mixed language groups)
can help develop their consciousness and competence in
these areas

38. Using the model in training
interpreters
• Having students discuss these issues with each
other can help develop their consciousness and
competence in these areas
• These discussion can be done both intra-and inter-
lingually
• This can help students to identify gaps in linguistic
and cultural knowledge (both general and domain
specific)
• Later the model can be re-introduced to discuss
applications in interpreted interaction

39. Take home messages
• Metalinguistic competencies (including general
knowledge of communication and interaction as well as
language- and culture-specifics) are areas that should
be screened for, evaluated and taught before actual
interpreting training
• The Role-Space model can be a tool to help students
identify their areas of strengths/weaknesses on various
aspects of negotiating interactions
• The model can then be used when teaching
interpreting, allowing students to implement the
strategies and repertoires in the working languages for
interpreted interactions

40. References
Angelelli, C. V. (2001). Deconstruc8ng the invisible
interpreter: A cri8cal study of the interpersonal
role of the interpreter in a cross-cultural/linguis8c
communica8ve event. Ph.D, Stanford University.
Bhabba, H. (1994). The Loca)on of Culture. Routledge,
London
Bélanger, D-C. (2004) ‘Interac8onal paQerns in dialogue
interpre8ng’, Journal of Interpreta8on, 1-18.
García, O. and Wei, L. (2018). “Translanguaging”. In The
Encyclopedia of Applied Linguis)cs, C.A. Chapelle
(Ed.). John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Garrod, S. C. and M. J. Pickering (2006). "Alignment as
the Basis for Successful Communica8on."
Research on Language & Computa8on 4(2-3).
Giles, H., Coupland, N., & Coupland, J. (1991).
Accommoda8on theory: Communica8on, context,
and consequence. In H. Giles, J. Coupland, & N.
Coupland (Eds.), Contexts of accommoda8on:
Developments in applied sociolinguis8cs (pp. 1–
68). Cambridge University Press
Goffman, E. (1990). The presenta8on of self in everyday
life, London : Penguin.
Howell, W.S. (1982). The empathic communicator.
University of Minnesota: Wadsworth Prin8ng
Company.
Llewellyn-Jones, P., & Lee, R. G. (2014). Redefining the
Role of the Community Interpreter: The Concept
of Role-Space. SLI Press.
Linton, R. 1936. The Study of Man, New York: Appleton-
Century Croks.
Llewellyn-Jones, P. and R. G. Lee (2014). Redefining the
Role of Community Interpreters: The Concept of
Role Space. SLI Limited, UK.
Metzger, M. (1999). Sign language interpre8ng :
deconstruc8ng the myth of neutrality.
Washington, D.C., Gallaudet University Press.
Roy, C. (1993). "The problem with defini8ons,
descrip8ons and the role metaphor of
interpreters." Journal of Interpreta8on 6: 127-153.
Turner, R.H. (1956), Role-taking, role standpoint, and
reference-group behavior. American Journal of
Sociology, 61
Wadensjö, C. (1998). Interpre8ng as interac8on. London,
Longman.
Wei, L. (2011). “Moment analysis and translanguaging
space: Discursive construc8on of iden88es by
mul8lingual Chinese youth in Britain”. Journal of
pragma)cs, 43(5), 1222-1235.

41. NATIONAL
COUNCIL
ON
INTERPRETING
IN
HEALTH
CARE
Robert G. Lee, MA, CI/CT
Use “Q&A” to
send comments
and questions to
the hosts.
Q&A
@RobertGLeeTerp

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