Interpreting for Refugees in Hong Kong

In the current state of the world when we are witnessing ever increasing numbers of refugee crises around the globe, the need for professionally trained interpreters who work alongside protection and humanitarian personnel is significant. This chapter takes a historical perspective on the specifics of interpreting for refugees grounding its findings in analysis of oral histories on interpreting during the Indochina refugee crisis, as well as interviews with contemporary interpreters who have been involved in interpreting for refugee and asylum seekers in Hong Kong at the present. Because of the urgency of the situation, often, the interpreters who are engaged for their language skills had not received any training, and they share the refugee experiences themselves. As more often than not these interpreters are non-professional, the article will look at the specific issues that arise from this situation including emotional stress, trust-related issues, and training needs.