ABSTRACT
In the preceding chapter 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 in Chapter 3 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 also must 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 offences and civil-law issues that you are likely to encounter in your work as a court interpreter. Then we will discuss the resources that are available to help you research the subject matter and terminology related to these topics. The chapter concludes with recommendations for continuing education.
