Kadrić, Mira, Rennert, Sylvi and Schäffner, Christina (2022): Diplomatic and Political Interpreting Explained. London/New York: Routledge, 191 p.

Diplomatic interpreting is a field that often takes the spotlight as it involves high-profile officials and diplomats in their communication of national policies to foreign audiences. Interpreting in a diplomatic context, which is different from political interpreting in a domestic context, is characterised by the difficulty of rendering allusions, euphemisms, sensitive information and cultural idioms, which are typical of diplomatic language. However, scant attention has been paid to diplomatic interpreting in Translation Studies due to its ephemeral nature and the confidentiality of diplomatic communication. Fortunately, Diplomatic and Political Interpreting Explained by Mira Kadrić, Sylvi Rennert and Christina Schäffner provides further insights into the nature, characteristic features and situated practice of diplomatic interpreting. This book systemically investigates language as a tool of diplomatic communication, the role of interpreting in diplomacy, as well as behaviours of interpreters in various diplomatic contexts. Drawing on insiders’ perspectives by means of interviews with interpreters, diplomats and politicians, this book focuses on their use of language and their interpreting strategies in different communication settings. The findings shed new light on theoretical modelling of interpreting in a diplomatic context, as well as empirical implications on practices of diplomatic interpreting. With key concepts, definitions and examples offered in each chapter, the book serves as a useful textbook for students and teachers in training programs for diplomatic interpreting in different cultures. The first chapter overviews the historical development of diplomacy and describes the current situation of international politics and diplomacy from the perspective of an Austrian diplomat. This diplomat begins with the history of diplomacy, international law and international organisations and then explains how major diplomatic events in world history have contributed to the current international order. The 21st century has been a witness to new challenges and opportunities for world peace as globalisation has gained momentum. Diplomacy has also taken on more forms of soft power in the areas of culture, sports and even religion, to promote mutual understanding and cooperation. This imposes increasing responsibilities on the part of diplomats, the most essential of which is to facilitate inter-state communication and agreement on important matters (p. 13). Chapter 2 deals with the important role interpreting plays in global politics and diplomacy. Historical evidence demonstrates that interpreters’ tasks go far beyond language mediation itself given that interpreting is strongly shaped by interpreters’ ideology and the stance taken by the institutions they work for, and it exercises important influence on diplomatic communication. The authors also explain different types of interpreting in corresponding contexts of communication, including consecutive and simultaneous interpreting, dialogue interpreting, conference interpreting and so on. Compared with other forms of political communication, diplomatic language is usually more tactful, sensitive and circumspect (p. 30) since the ultimate goal of diplomatic communication is to reach an agreement. Interpreters need to coordinate communication implicitly or explicitly in a fair way so as to construct alignment between the different parties. They are supposed to achieve “multipartiality” by acting in the interests of all parties and equally presenting every party’s view point without personal involvement (p. 37). Chapter 3 is centred on the crucial features of diplomatic communication, including the choice of language, functions of diplomatic speeches and the interpreter’s role in diplomatic communication. Language choice in a diplomatic context is always political and symbolic (p. 43). Although speaking in one’s mother tongue, which is then interpreted, is a way to show the superiority of one’s own language or country, using the language of the listeners is also preferred by many diplomats as a sign of goodwill and respect. Diplomatic speeches are usually a combined type of genres realising informative, expressive, appellative and …