Child Language Brokering Among Migrant/Refugee Communities in Türkiye

Abstract

Children who most quickly assimilate the language and social and cultural norms of the host country in a family carry out interpreting tasks for their families in different contexts shortly after migration. In this regard, child interpreters, also referred to as child language brokers, play a role in facilitating communication at the language level and in fostering interaction between migrant/refugee and host communities. Child language brokering (CLB), a phenomenon usually studied in the context of immigrant/refugee communities, can be defined as a form of non-professional community interpreting. However, it has yet to be addressed as a research area within the field of translation studies in Türkiye. Although it has been examined from the perspectives of educational science and developmental psychology for many years in international literature, child language brokering is fundamentally an interpreting activity that awaits the attention of translation studies. This study aims to bridge this gap by exploring the phenomenon of child language brokering, which has been addressed by various disciplines for years in countries with high levels of migration, in the context of migrant/refugee communities in Türkiye. To this end, semi-structured interviews were conducted with six participants aged 18-21 who migrated to Türkiye from different countries and engaged in language brokering activities for their families during their childhood. The interview findings, analysed through thematic analysis, shed light on the brokering settings in Türkiye where child language brokering is most needed, the concept of primary language brokering, contributions of language brokering, child language brokers’ feelings regarding their activities, and the responsibilities they undertake.

Keywords

• child language brokering
• child language broker
• child interpreters
• migrant
• community interpreting
• translation

Türkiye’de Göçmen/Mülteci Topluluklarında Çocuk Dil Aracılığı

Abstract

Yerleşilen ülkenin dilini ve sosyokültürel normlarını en hızlı özümseyen aile üyeleri olarak çocuklar, göçten sonra kısa sürede aileleri için farklı ortamlarda sözlü çeviri faaliyetlerini yürütmektedir. Bu açıdan, daha geniş bir ifadeyle çocuk dil aracıları olarak tanımlanan çocuk çevirmenler hem dilsel iletişimin sağlanmasında hem de göçmen/mülteci toplulukları ile ev sahibi toplum arasında etkileşim sağlanmasında rol oynarlar. Genellikle göçmen/mülteci topluluklar bağlamında incelenen bir olgu olarak çocuk dil aracılığı (ÇDA) profesyonel olmayan bir toplum çevirmenliği pratiği olarak tanımlanabilir. Buna rağmen, Türkiye’de çeviribilim alanında bir araştırma konusu olarak henüz ele alınmamıştır. Her ne kadar uluslararası alanyazında eğitimbilim ve gelişimsel psikoloji perspektiflerinden uzun yıllardır incelenmiş olsa da, çocuk dil aracılığı her şeyden önce bir çeviri faaliyetidir ve çeviribilimcilerin yaklaşımlarını beklemektedir. Temelde bu eksikliği gidermeyi hedefleyen bu çalışmanın amacı yoğun göç alan ülkelerde uzun yıllardır farklı disiplinler tarafından ele alınan çocuk dil aracılığı olgusunu Türkiye’de göçmen/mülteci topluluklar bağlamında incelemektedir. Bu doğrultuda, Türkiye’ye farklı ülkelerden göç etmiş, aileleri için çocukluğunda dil aracılığı faaliyetinde bulunmuş, 18-21 yaş aralığındaki altı katılımcı ile yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler yapılmıştır. Tematik analiz yöntemiyle incelenen görüşme verileri, Türkiye’de çocuk dil aracılığına en çok ihtiyaç duyulan çeviri ortamları, asıl dil aracılığı kavramı, dil aracılığının katkıları, çocuk dil aracılarının aracılık faaliyetine ilişkin duyguları ve üstlendikleri sorumluluk konularına ışık tutmaktadır.

Keywords

• çocuk dil aracılığı
• çocuk dil aracıları
• çocuk çevirmenler
• göçmen
• toplum çevirmenliği
• çeviri

References

1. Angelelli, C. V. (2016). Looking back: A study of (ad-hoc) family interpreters. European Journal of Applied Linguistics, 4(1), 5-31. doi: 10.1515/eujal-2015-0029 google scholar
2. Antonini, R. (2015). Child language brokering. F. Pochhacker içinde, Routledge Encyclopedia of Interpreting Studies (s.48). London: Routledge. google scholar
3. Arum^ M., ve G. Rubio-Carbonero. (2023). Reflecting on past language brokering experiences: How they affected children’s and teenagers’ emotions andrelationships. Multilingua 42 (1), 1-23. doi: 10.1515/multi-2021-0152. google scholar
4. Bayraktar-Özer, Ö. (2024). Child language brokering in Turkey: Nonprofessional interpreting experiences from Kurdish, Arab, and Pomak ethnic minorities. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development. doi: 10.1080/01434632.2024.2351090 google scholar
5. Bucaria, C., ve Rossato, L. (2010). Former child language brokers: Preliminary observations on practice, attitudes and relational aspects. MediAzioni: Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies of Language and Culture, 10, 239-268. http://mediazioni.sitlec.unibo.it google scholar
6. Chao, R. K. (2001). The role of children’s linguistic brokering among immigrant Chinese and Mexican families. V. Tseng içinde, Families of color: Developmental issues in contemporary sociohistorical contexts. Minneapolis: MN. google scholar
7. Cohen, S., MoranEllis, J., ve Smaje, C. (1999). Children as informal interpreters in GP consultations: pragmatics and ideology. Sociology of Health & Illness, 21(2), 163-186. google scholar
8. Coyoca, A. M., ve Lee, J. S. (2009). A typology of language-brokering events in dual-language immersion classrooms. Bilingual Research Journal, 32(3), 260-279. google scholar

9. Crafter, S., Cline, T., ve Prokopiou, E. (2017). Young adult language brokers’ and teachers’ views of the advantages and disadvantages of brokering in school. R. S. Weisskirch içinde, Language Brokering in Immigrant Families (ss. 224-243). London: Routledge. google scholar
10. Degener, J. L. (2010). “Sometimes my mother does not understand, then I need to translate”. Child and Youth Language Brokering in Berlin-Neukölln (Germany). MediAzioni, 10, 346-367. google scholar
11. Esquivel, A. (2012). Language brokering a dynamic phenomenon: a qualitative study examining the experiences of Latina/o language brokers. (Yayımlanmamış bitirme tezi). Scripps College. http://scholarship.claremont.edu/scripps_theses/52 google scholar
12. Giordano, S. (2007). Overview of the advantages and disadvantages of professional and child interpreters for limited English proficiency patients in general health care situations. Journal of Radiology Nursing, 26(4), 126-131. google scholar
13. Göç İdaresi Başkanlığı. (2024). Basın açıklaması. 30 Ekim 2024’de https://www.goc.gov.tr/ google scholar
14. ulkemizdeki-yabanci-sayilarina-iliskin-ortaya-atilan-gercek-disi-iddialar-hakkinda-basin-aciklamasi adresinden alındı. google scholar
15. Guo, Z. (2014). Young children as intercultural mediators: Mandarin-speaking Chinese families in Britain. London: Multilingual Matters. google scholar
16. Hua, J. M., ve Costigan, C. L. (2012). The familial context of adolescent language brokering within immigrant Chinese families in Canada. Journal of youth and adolescence, 41, 894-906. google scholar
17. Hua, J. M., ve Costigan, C. L. (2017). Adolescent language brokering for immigrant Chinese parents in Canada. R. S. Weisskirch içinde, Language Brokering in Immigrant Families (ss. 137-159). London: Routledge. google scholar
18. IOM. (2024). World migrant report. 30 Ekim 2024’de https://publications.iom.int/system/files/pdf/ pub2023-047-l-world-migration-report-2024_0.pdf adresinden alındı.Jones, C. J., ve Trickett, E. J. (2005). Immigrant adolescents behaving as culture brokers: A study of families from the former Soviet Union. The Journal of Social Psychology, 145(4), 405-428. google scholar
19. Jones, C. J., Trickett, E. J., ve Birman, D. (2012). Determinants and consequences of child culture brokering in families from the former Soviet Union. American Journal of Community Psychology, 50, 182-196. google scholar
20. Katz, V. S. (2007). From conversation to conversion: Children’s efforts to translate their immigrant families’ social networks into community connections. University of Southern California. google scholar
21. Krashen, S. (1985). The input hypothesis. New York: Unman google scholar
22. Luna, L. U. (2014). Language brokers: The relationship of acculturation, shame, hope, and resilience in Latinos of Mexican descent. (Yayımlanmamış doktora tezi). George Fox University google scholar
23. Morales, A., ve Hanson, W. E. (2005). Language brokering: An integrative review of the literature. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 27( 4), 4 71-503. doi: 10.1177 /0739986305281333 google scholar
24. Orellana, M. F., ve Phoenix, A. (2017). Re-interpreting: Narratives of childhood language brokering over time. Childhood, 24(2), 183-196. google scholar
25. Pease-Alvarez, L. (2002). Moving beyond linear trajectories of language shift and bilingual language socialization. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 24(2), 114-137. google scholar
26. Russell, B. R., Morales, A., ve Ravert, R. D. (2015). Using children as informal interpreters in pediatric consultations. International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare, 8(3), 132-143. google scholar
27. Shen, Y., Tilton, K. E., ve Kim, S. Y. (2017). Outcomes of language brokering, mediators, and moderators: A systematic review R. S. Weisskirch içinde, Language Brokering in Immigrant Families (ss. 47-71). London: Routledge.Tribe, R., ve Thompson, K. (2017, November). Working with interpreters: Guidelines for psychologists. The British Psychological Society. google scholar
28. Tse, L. (1995). Language brokering among Latino adolescents: Prevalence, attitudes, and school performance, Hispanic Journal of Behavioural Sciences, 17(2), 180-193. google scholar
29. Tseng, V., ve Fuligni, A. J. (2000). Parentadolescent language use and relationships among immigrant families with East Asian, Filipino, and google scholar
30. Latin American backgrounds. Journal of Marriage and Family, 62(2), 465-476. google scholar
31. Weisskirch, R. S. (2005). The relationship of language brokering to ethnic identity for Latino early adolescents. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 27(3), 286-299. doi: 10.1177/0739986305277931 google scholar
32. Weisskirch, R. S. (2017). Future directions for language brokering research. R. S. Weisskirch içinde, Language Brokering in Immigrant Families (ss. 294-305). London: Routledge. google scholar
33. Wu, N. H., ve Kim, S. Y. (2009). Chinese American adolescents’ perceptions of the language brokering experience as a sense of burden and sense of efficacy. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 38, 703-718. google scholar