ABSTRACT
Symbolic interactionism, a theory that attempts to explain the basic mechanisms governing human interaction, was developed by the distinguished US sociologist Erving Goffman in the 1970s and early 1980s. Goffman’s model has inspired a wide range of studies in written translation, audiovisual translation and interpreting. Baker combines the notions of frame and framing with narrative theory to analyze a wide range of examples involving the translation and interpreting of political narratives in situations of conflict. Goffman’s work has inspired research on a diverse range of themes and in a variety of settings. The common thread running across this work has been a focus on translators’ and interpreters’ agency, thus highlighting their social responsibility rather than pursuing the traditional theme of invisibility. The focus on agency requires greater engagement with questions of ethics, especially in relation to the implications of acknowledging the interpreter as a full participant in a triadic exchange.
