An overview of liaison interpreting

Abstract Using an illustration giving a survey of liaison interpreting, the author, himself an interpreter, discusses different aspects of this interpreting genre. As ‘ad hoc’ practice it has existed since time immemorial, but it is only now that its significance is being gradually realised and accepted by theoreticians and societies alike. The author attempts to discuss such aspects as ‘general language and specialised lexical proficiency’, ‘communicative’ and ‘bilingual’ competence, ‘role’ and ‘ethics’ of liaison and community interpreters in the context of translation theory.