Towards Professionalization of Church Interpretation in Tanzania: What Do Church Stakeholders Say about the Quality Criteria of Church Interpretation?

Abstract

Church interpretation is a fast-growing service in practice, though it is still immature in professionalization. This study examines the criteria for measuring quality in church interpretation in Tanzania. These criteria are compared with those discussed by scholars elsewhere. Data were collected in ten representative churches in Dar es Salaam through interviews, focus-group discussions, and questionnaires. It was found that most criteria mentioned by participants in this study, such as fluency, mastery of grammar, faithfulness, congruence, and others, shared a great deal with the criteria discussed in the literature on interpretation. It was also established that initiatives to improve church interpretation in Tanzania are still embryonic, as there are limited actions taken by professional stakeholders to improve it. This paper calls for interpretation stakeholders to provide professional training for interpreters who intend to become professional church interpreters.