ANNA-RIITTA VUORIKOSKI A Voice of its Citizens or a Modern Tower of Babel? The Quality of Interpreting as a Function of Political Rhetoric in the European Parliament ACADEMIC DISSERTATION To be presented, with the permission of the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Tampere, for public discussion in the Pinni auditorium B 1100 of the University, Kanslerinrinne 1, Tampere, on February 21st, 2004, at 12 o’clock. Acta Universitatis Tamperensis 985 ACADEMIC DISSERTATION University of Tampere, The School of Languages and Translation Studies Finland Distribution University of Tampere Bookshop TAJU Tel. +358 3 215 6055 P.O. Box 617 Fax +358 3 215 7685 33014 University of Tampere
[email protected] Finland http://granum.uta.fi Cover design by Juha Siro Printed dissertation Electronic dissertation Acta Universitatis Tamperensis 985 Acta Electronica Universitatis Tamperensis 317 ISBN 951-44-5877-X ISBN 951-44-5878-8 ISSN 1455-1616 ISSN 1456-954X http://acta.uta.fi Tampereen yliopistopaino Oy Juvenes Print Tampere 2004 Acknowledgments Quality assessment is an integral part of an interpreter’s career, beginning with entrance tests to schools of interpreting, continuing with final exams, and followed up with tests which give a qualified interpreter the right to work for EU institutions or any other institution employing interpreters on a permanent basis. Even if one does not apply for work at these institutions, peer assessment is an integral part of the recruitment process. Membership of professional associations is also based on peer assessment. It is not surprising, therefore, that a number of authors have been interested in the quality criteria of (conference) interpreting.