Cultivating capabilities and coping: accepting and analysing moments of communicative opacity in multilingual encounters

Abstract

Researching in heterogeneous communities can present challenges for the most experienced of researchers, especially in the context of ethnographic work, where the dynamism and unpredictability of a research setting can make it difficult to anticipate the languages spoken. Drawing on data from multilingual health consultations, I reflect on incidents where language(s) extend beyond the scope of my repertoire and inhibit the immediacy of inference. Ensuing collaborative processes of translation, transcription and analysis offer opportunities to illuminate (mis)understanding(s), but also demonstrate how additional contributions can complexify and shape what can be understood as ‘interpretation’. In documenting some of the practical and ethical considerations that emerge during the research journey, I explore the experience of developing capabilities to cope with communicative opacity and (un)expected tensions. I conclude with some tentative recommendations for institutions seeking to support doctoral students embarking on fieldwork in diverse settings.