Article published In: Mediation Strategies
Edited by Anthony Pym
[Language Problems and Language Planning 42:3] 2018
► pp. 288–307
Articles / Articulos / Aufsätz / Arikoj
“It’s so vital to learn Slovene”
Mediation choices by asylum seekers in Slovenia
Published online: 28 June 2018
https://doi.org/10.1075/lplp.00024.pok
https://doi.org/10.1075/lplp.00024.pok
Abstract
Short-time migrants, who stay in the host country from one to 12 months, use mediation strategies including lingua francas, public-service interpreting and translation, translation technologies, intercomprehension, and learning the host country’s dominant language. The choices made by asylum seekers in Slovenia, a country of transit for the majority of asylum seekers, are analyzed on the basis of questionnaires answered by 127 current and former residents of the Slovene asylum seeker centers in 2016, followed up by semi-structured interviews with a representative group of 34 asylum seekers. The results show that the majority of newly arrived migrants regard the use of lingua francas as a helpful but not desired long-term strategy. They define host-country language learning as the most desirable strategy for linguistic and social inclusion. Surprisingly, they are reluctant to use translation technologies and interpreters because they either doubt the accuracy of the transfer or they consider such mediation (interpreting in particular) a hindrance to their independence.
Povzetek
Komunikacijske strategije prosilcev za azil v Sloveniji
Namen članka je ugotoviti, katere komunikacijske strategije (npr. lingua franca, prevajalske in
tolmaške storitve, prevajalske tehnologije, medjezikovno razumevanje in učenje jezika države
gostiteljice) najpogosteje uporabljajo migranti, ki v državi gostiteljici ostanejo kratek čas, in
sicer od enega do dvanajstih mesecev. V raziskavi smo analizirali komunikacijske strategije
prosilcev za azil v Sloveniji, ki predstavlja za večino te skupine migrantov prehodno državo.
S pomočjo vprašalnika smo zbrali podatke o jezikovnih profilih 127 trenutnih in nekdanjih
stanovalcev slovenskih azilnih domov v letu 2016, s polstrukturiranimi intervjuji pa kvalitativne
podatke o reprezentativni skupini 34 prosilcev za azil. Rezultati kažejo, da je uporaba lingue
france za večino migrantov najkoristnejša strategija, ki pa je, kljub dejstvu, da mnogi od njih
nimajo namena ostati v državi gostiteljici, ne dojemajo kot uspešne dolgoročne strategije; kot
najbolj zaželeno strategijo namreč izpostavljajo učenje jezika države gostiteljice, saj vodi do
uspešne jezikovne in družbene vključenosti. Presenetljivo je, da ta skupina migrantov nerada
uporablja prevajalske tehnologije in tolmače, saj bodisi dvomijo v natančnost prenosa bodisi
dojemajo tovrstno podporo (zlasti tolmačenje) kot oviro pri doseganju samostojnosti.
Resumo
Elekto de lingvoperadaj strategioj fare de azilpetantoj en Slovenujo
Celo de ĉi tiu artikolo estas identigi la ĉefajn lingvoperajn strategiojn (i.a. lingvafrankao, oficiala
interpretado kaj tradukado, traduka teĥnologio, reciproka interkompreno, lernado de la ĉefa
lingvo gastiglanda) uzatajn de personoj enmigrintaj por mallonga tempo, ĉeestantaj en la lando
inter 1 kaj 12 monatoj. La studo analizis la lingvoperajn strategiojn de azilpetantoj en Slovenujo,
kiu por la plimulto de tiuj migrantoj estas nur transira lando. La rezultoj de tiu studo, kiu
enhavis demandilojn kolektantajn datumojn pri la lingvaj konoj de 127 nunaj aŭ iamaj loĝantoj
de la slovena azilcentro en 2016 kaj duonstrukturitajn intervjuojn kun reprezenta grupo de 34
azilpetantoj, montras, ke la plimulto de nove alvenintaj migrantoj, malgraŭ la fakto, ke multaj el
ili ne intencas resti en la gastiga lando, opinias la uzon de lingvafrankao helpa, sed ne dezirata
longtempa strategio kaj nomas la lernadon de la ĉefa lingvo gastiglanda la plej dezirinda strategio,
kiu kondukas al sukcesa lingva kaj socio inkluziveco. Surprize ili malemas uzi tradukajn
teĥnologiojn kaj interpretistojn, ĉar ili aŭ dubas pri la precizo de la informtransdono aŭ opinias
tian subtenon (precipe interpretadon) obstaklo kontraŭ ilia sendependeco.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.Previous research and definitions of basic terms
- 3.Methodology and sampling
- 3.1Preliminary questionnaire
- 3.2Interviews
- 4.Mediation strategies
- 4.1Lingua franca
- 4.2Intercomprehension
- 4.3Translation and interpreting
- 4.4Translation technologies
- 4.5Dominant host-country language
- 5.Conclusion
- Acknowledgements
- Notes
References
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Cited by (4)
Cited by four other publications
Valdez, Susana & Ana Guerberof-Arenas
Ayvazyan, Nune & Anthony Pym
2022. Portraying linguistic exclusion. In Advances in Interdisciplinary Language Policy [Studies in World Language Problems, 9], ► pp. 237 ff.
Pokorn, Nike K. & Jaka Čibej
2022. Migrants’ attitudes towards community interpreting. In Advances in Interdisciplinary Language Policy [Studies in World Language Problems, 9], ► pp. 257 ff.
This list is based on CrossRef data as of 26 november 2025. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.
