Interpreting in Namibia: Past and Present, Overview from Colonial Times to the Present Day to the Present Day
Abstract
This paper deals with the issue of interpreting in Namibia both during its existence as a German colony and after. In 1884 the territory of present- -day Namibia become a colony called German South West Africa.
One of the problems the colonizers encountered was the linguistic and cultural differences that made communication between Germans and locals complicated and at times impossible. Although the Colonial Administration emphasised language training for both negotiating parties, it the end this turned out to be too ambitious and it proved necessary to use interpreting services, especially in the areas of law, religion and diplomacy.
This paper explores the role, status, working conditions and competences of interpreters in these areas. The work also creates a broader context, including translation issues, as well as the development of interpreting services after the collapse of the colony.