Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 5-8-2020
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Modern Languages
First Advisor
Felice Coles
Second Advisor
Luanne Buchanan
Third Advisor
Tamara Warhol
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
This work examines the different Spanish dialects spoken by interpreters and their clients in public schools in Mississippi and whether dialectal mismatches hinder communication between interlocutors. To do this, I conducted a brief interview and survey of several interpreters for the Tupelo Public School District. The interview and survey assessed the interpreters’ personal use of Spanish dialects as well as their ability to identify certain dialects and opinions as to the relevance of dialects in their work. I found that interpreters, though aware of dialectal differences among Spanish speakers, were generally not able to identify specific dialects. Furthermore, I found that the majority did not believe that dialectal differences hindered communication with their clients. The results of this study suggested that speakers of different Spanish dialects most likely can communicate effectively within the context of public school interpreting.
Recommended Citation
Fortenberry, Walker, "Interpreting Efforts in Mississippi Schools: Does Spanish Dialect Diversity Hinder Communication?" (2020). Honors Theses. 1428.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/1428
Accessibility Status
Searchable text
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.