Linguistic and Practical Aspects of Legal Interpreting: Challenges and Pitfalls

The phenomenon of migration, which has gained significant importance in Europe in recent decades, primarily due to its unpredictable dynamics and occasional emergency situations, also involves the judicial system. Society is in a constant state of evolution, and public institutions and services are inevitably called upon to reconsider their systems based on monocultural principles. Interpreters in the legal field play a crucial and delicate role, especially when languages and cultures as distant as, say, Italian and Chinese are brought into comparison. Legal systems differ, and the terminology used does not always have an equivalent in the target language. The right to linguistic assistance in the judicial context and, in general, the need for institutions to overcome language barriers and establish communication with migrants are closely linked to the recognition of individual rights and fundamental freedoms. Interpretation and translation emerge as essential tools for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. The main objective of this contribution is to highlight and clarify the linguistic and cultural differences which pose challenges in the field of legal interpretation, providing valuable insights for the training of interpreters working with Italian and Chinese in particular.