The Linguist

Chartered Institute of Linguists WINTER 2024 The Linguist 17 therefore, of vital importance in order to help students grasp the affective meaning and the emotional power of the language used, depending on the intensity or level of offensiveness, the situation and the interlocutors. RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIPS Based on 20 years of German language teaching experience in the TILLT classroom, I am convinced that this type of education must involve the whole body, especially for prospective interpreters. Appropriately dealing with controversy includes the recognition that a particular term or expression is only part of the picture. The so-called 'taboo value' depends on the use of intensifiers: say, the tone of voice or facial expression. 3 Therefore it is not enough to concentrate on proper verbal expressions, voice or pronunciation. It is equally important to consider aspects such as body language, manners, gestures, posture, proximity, eye gaze and facial expressions. These elements are all relevant for students' future jobs as interpreters and should be included in the teaching process at a very early stage. Obviously, nothing is offensive for everybody, any time and under all circumstances. 4 Rather, each and every 'taboo' must be specified according to people, context, place and time. This means that TILLT students should learn to judge the acceptability or appropriateness of words and behaviours for each communicative situation. For example, discussion of genital mutilation might be censured in one society whereas in another it could be openly considered and critically analysed. Moreover, in order to develop taboo literacy, students should learn to take into consideration the critical role of space, time and interpersonal relationships in a communicative encounter. As such, even the classroom interactions between language teacher and students, and between students and their peers, can provide valuable opportunities to learn from each other about controversial and sensitive areas – in a reciprocal and meaningful working relationship of mutual trust and respect. For more on this subject, see Eva Seidl's chapter 'Addressing Taboo Topics in Translator and Interpreter Training' in Taboos and Controversial Issues in Foreign Language Education, published by Routledge. Notes 1 Seidl, E (2023) 'Addressing Taboo Topics in Translator and Interpreter Training'. In Ludwig, C & Summer, T, Taboos and Controversial Issues in Foreign Language Education. Critical language pedagogy in theory, research and practice, Routledge, 237-246 2 Ben Slamia, F (2020) 'Translation Strategies of Taboo Words in Interlingual Film Subtitling'. In International Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Translation, 3, 6, 82-98 3 Dewaele, J-M (2018) 'Linguistic Taboos in a Second or Foreign Language'. In Allan, K, The Oxford Handbook of Taboo Words and Language, OUP, 218-232 4 Allan, K (2018) 'Taboo Words and Language: An overview'. In Op. cit. Allan, 1-27 SPEAK OUT By sharing responses to controversial topics in an educational setting, students can become confident about how to handle such issues in a work environment © SHUTTERSTOCK © PEXELS

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