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The impact of culture on interpreter behaviour 229

The meeting was video-recorded, and afterwards we played the recording back
to both the British and Chinese participants (separately), asking them to stop the
tape when they wanted to comment on something significant to them. Both the
Chinese and British participants commented on this part of the interaction. The
Chinese visitors all pointed out that it was normal and polite for the head of the
delegation to ‘say a few words of appreciation’ on behalf of the whole group,
and then to introduce himself and each member of the delegation. They were
clearly offended that he had not been given this opportunity:

(2) Interview and video playback with Chinese delegation
Sun: According to our home customs and protocol, speech is delivered on the
basis of reciprocity. He has made his speech and I am expected to say
something. … In fact I was reluctant to speak, and I had nothing to say.
But I had to, to say a few words. Right for the occasion, right? But he had
finished his speech, and he didn’t give me the opportunity, and they each
introduced themselves, wasn’t this clearly implied that they do look
down upon us Chinese.

The delegation members then started discussing the extent to which the inter-
preter was responsible for the problem:

(3) Interview and video playback with Chinese delegation
Ma: at moments like this [interpreter’s name] shouldn’t have interrupted
Lin: that’s right
Xu: from the Chinese point of view, it’s normal to say a few words
Sun: to say something out of courtesy
Ma: in fact, let me say something not so pleasant, [interpreter] was just a
translator, nothing more. … he shouldn’t have taken part in anything
else. whatever I said, he shouldn’t have butted in, he should have just
translated it, this was a formal occasion. …
Lin: that’s right, that’s right. the key is to function as an interpreter …
Sun: on the other hand, maybe they didn’t want me to speak
Ma: it’s true that they didn’t ask you to speak
Lin: you could speak and you did (??)
Ma: you had the right to
Sun: I was speaking but if they [i.e. the British] didn’t want me to he wasn’t
wrong. you and I are not familiar with things here, isn’t it that the British
look down on us Chinese? … from this point of view, this was implied. in
fact I was reluctant to speak, and I had nothing to speak about. but I had
to, to say a few words. right for the occasion, right? but you had finished
your speech and you didn’t give me the opportunity, and you each intro-
duced yourself, wasn’t this clearly implied that we do look down upon
you Chinese?