ABSTRACT
In Chapter 7 we examined the interpreting process and the types of linguistic and communicative competence that court interpreters must develop. Now we will look at the content knowledge that is required for court interpreting. We have already seen that interpreters need to have some understanding of criminal and civil procedure in the courts where they work and in the countries where their languages are spoken. They must also be familiar with the evidence that is presented in typical criminal and civil cases, and the associated terminology. In this chapter we will review the most common criminal offenses and civil-law issues that you are likely to encounter in your work as a court interpreter. The chapter concludes with recommendations for resources that are available to help you research the subject matter and terminology related to these topics.
Driving offenses: Even the most law-abiding citizen will at some time come into contact with law enforcement authorities in connection with a traffic violation. These offenses are considered the least serious, and are often dealt with in a separate court. Nonetheless, the evidence presented in traffic cases can be quite technical, especially with respect to accidents and vehicle maintenance. For instance, a truck driver may receive a citation for not having the required safety equipment, or a police officer in a reckless driving case may present testimony about road conditions and signage. You must therefore know the correct terms for all parts of passenger and freight vehicles, road signs, features of public roadways (e.g., median strip, fast lane, overpass, double yellow line), and driving terms (e.g., skid, swerve, pull over). Terms used by police officers in describing arrest procedures are also likely
to come up in testimony. Specific terms related to driving while intoxicated or driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, an offense which is being enforced with increasing vigor in many countries, are also important. These include the symptoms of intoxication and the tests that are administered to measure blood alcohol content. Because numbers are notoriously difficult to interpret accurately, you should prepare by learning the numbers of frequently violated code sections. Obtaining copies of vehicle or traffic codes in all of your
