Type of Event: Seminar
Date: 6th November 2008
Venue: Department of Interdisciplinary Studies on Translation, Languages and Culture, Forlì, University of Bologna
Event theme(s): Child language brokering (CLB) is a widespread practice that is generally performed by the children of immigrant and minority groups and that takes place in all those domains that pertain to these families’ social and daily life. Even though immigrants can resort to the services of professional interpreters and mediators, very often, because of the unavailability of such figures or simply because they prefer to do so, they choose to entrust their children with this task. Despite being a very common practice, CLB is very often an unseen and unacknowledged form of linguistic and cultural mediation. The present Study Day will aim to provide an overview of research in this field by comparing data and experiences gained by researchers on child language brokering activities in different countries. Furthermore, it will also present this phenomenon from the point of view of the representatives of various public institutions as well as former language brokers who acted as interpreters for their families in their young age.

Description: The Study Day will comprise a morning session chaired by Prof. Nigel Hall during which researchers from different European countries and the US will present their studies on different aspects of Child Language Brokering.

10:00-10:30 Marjorie Faulstich Orellana, Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, UCLA
Learning, Development, and Immigrant Child Language Brokering

10:30-11:00 Rachele Antonini, Advanced School for Interpreting and Translating of Forlì, University of Bologna
Child Language Brokering in Italy: Some preliminary data

11:30-12:00 Elaine Bauer, Research Fellow, Thomas Coram Research Unit, Institute of Education,
University of London
Language Brokering: Practicing Multiplicity

12:00-12:30 Iris Guske, Kempten School of Translation & Interpreting Studies
Language Brokering and Problems of Parentification among Minority Adolescents –
Does Public Service Interpreting Offer a Way Out?

12:30-13:00 Bernd Meyer, Institut for Germanic Languages, Hamburg University
Children and family members as ad-hoc-interpreters in hospitals: good
reasons for bad practice?


The event also comprises a Round Table in the afternoon CHILD LANGUAGE BROKERING: THE POINT OF VIEW OF INSTITUTIONS AND FORMER CHILD BROKERS with representatives of various local public institutions as well as adults who in their young age acted as linguistic and cultural (inter)mediaries for their families.



Keynote Speakers:
Deadline for submission of proposals:
Registration deadline: Conference attendance is free of charge but advance registration is required and seating is limited
Contact details: Rachele Antonini
rachele.antonini@unibo.it
SITLEC, Corso Diaz 64, 47100, Forlì (FC), Italy
Event website: http://www.disitlec.unibo.it