When clients expect you be on their side

"As with all professional interpreters, sign language interpreters strive to achieve the proper protocol of complete objectivity and accuracy in their translation without influencing the interaction in any way. "

I bumped on this commentary about the book Sign Language Interpreting - Deconstructing the Myth of Neutrality, and my first reaction was : "I am a professional liaison interpreter. But too often, achieving "the proper protocol of complete objectivity and accuracy in their translation without influencing the interaction in any way" simply does not fit, both realities and my clients' expectations." And I say MY client, some of whom, not implicitly, but explicitly want me to act as their local agent/consultant for the time of the session. Sometimes, they ask for more, not for less, that is, acting not only as a linguistic agent. Am I to answer: "Sorry but I will interpret what you say and what the other side says, but don't expect me to clarify the messages or tell you that when the answer is "It will be difficult", it simply means "No"? I m not talking about the booth here, not even talking about liaison interpreting as described in the books, but a variation of that one where sticking to the description of the interpreter as language agent simply does not fulfill clients' expectations. Some clients, or situation, pushes the interaction acting toward strict language intermediation, and the attitude of the interpreter is decisive to some extend. But in many situations I know, on-the-spot comments are frequently welcome and appreciated. There are more than one reasons the interpreter is allowed to cross over the sanctity of neutrality, but with awareness and caution. Here is one in a nutshell.

I want to impress my clients for the next time if any. My linguistic competences - of which I know the limits - won't impress them more than my agency at helping them reach their objectives. Of course, I start as a linguistic agent (and cultural when it comes to get the shoes of before the tatami mat ...), but I adapt to the situation and expectations of my client, whenever they ask for it, in implicit or explicit manner. If they don't want it, I retreat back to the linguistic agent den. But as a matter of fact, once they have had a taste of "beyond linguistic interpretation", they usually want more. Am I willing to tell them, no Sir, I am only a language agent? No. Period.