A Survey On The Professionalization Of Judicial Interpreting In Guangzhou

Since the reform and opening-up, China has emerged itself into the globe, thusadvancing the international flow of capitals and human resources. This globalizationtide creates astonishing wealth as well as innumerable legal disputes. The number oftrials involving foreigners in Guangzhou, the gateway of China, has risen sharply inrecent years. When language barriers exist between litigants and court personnel,judicial interpreting plays a vital role in making communication possible andguaranteeing legal equality of foreign organizations and individuals under Chineselaws.This author gets information about the professionalization of judicial interpretingin Guangzhou and makes a tentative analysis using the following sources: internet;phone interview and questionnaire. The survey finds out that some progress has beenmade in terms of the professional training, management of interpreters, andestablishment of professional associations. There are still some problems during thewhole professionalization process of judicial interpreting in Guangzhou. Suggestionshave been made by taking into consideration the phases of judicial interpreting as aprofession: laws and regulations; professional training; accreditation, supervision andmanagement; professional ethics, standards and associations. It is believed that onlywhen all those aspects are fully developed can judicial interpreting be reallyprofessionalized.