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Article published In: Interpreting
Vol. 21:1 (2019) ► pp.91–114

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“A beautiful woman sitting in the dark”

Three narratives of interpreter training at the University of Nairobi

 | University of Geneva
Published online: 13 March 2019
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https://doi.org/10.1075/intp.00021.del
Abstract
This ethnographic study of the Master’s in Conference Interpreting at the University of Nairobi aims to link interpreter training to the linguistic make-up of Kenyan society and the constraints of public higher education in Africa. It is the first comprehensive study of interpreter training in Kenya, and shows the limits of replicating pedagogical approaches that have been tried and tested in Europe in a different environment. Based on the findings, I recommend a widening of the scope of training to include conference, court and community interpreting. It is argued that this would improve the sustainability and relevance of interpreter training in Africa.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Case description
  • 3.Analytical framework
    • 3.1Pedagogical assumptions
    • 3.2Institutional environment
    • 3.3Linguistic environment and interpreting market
  • 4.Method
    • 4.1Ethnographic approach
    • 4.2Research participants
    • 4.3Data collection and analysis
  • 5.Results
    • 5.1Managers
    • 5.2Trainers
    • 5.3Students
  • 6.Discussion
  • 7.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
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