A Qualitative Analysis of Language Brokering Within the Medical/Health Domain Using A Focus Group Methodological Approach

When professional translators are not available parents often rely on their children to help them translate written and verbal communication. These children serve as language brokers. This research qualitatively looks at language brokering within the medical/health domain by means of focus groups. Looking at data from seventeen participants - focus group data is qualitatively analyzed using the constant comparison approach in order to answer the research questions. The answers to questions leading this research provide insight about who language brokers translate for, where within the medical/health domain brokering occurs, and the tasks that are associated with brokering. It also provides insight on themes that arose during the focus groups. These themes include analyzing tactics of language brokers, methods for easing the experience formulated by language brokers themselves, feelings of language brokers, the parental role during a brokering experience. This research contributes to the gap in language brokering literature seeking domain specific analysis.