Constructing interpreting quality

The issue of quality has attracted considerable attention recently in translation and interpreting studies. Few publications, however, seek to explore systematically the theoretical implications of the different notions of quality. The aim of this paper is to explore quality as a social construct and to examine interpretations and definitions of quality in the field of translation and interpreting studies and practice. It is evident that the notion of quality is relative, in that it depends both on the individual who is assessing quality and on the given context or specific situation, but the relativity of quality as an attribute or notion pertaining to an object also extends to the benchmarks set up in order to gauge quality. This paper will focus on the multi-perspectivity of some of the quality benchmarks that have been applied in the context of three systems within which quality discourse has developed over the years: training, professional practice and interpreting research.