Here in Japan where interpreting is for some a dream job - you meet celebs as anyone knows - the extralinguistic requirements to perform in liaison mode are by far and large ignored. There is a growing discourse on technics, note-taking and the likes. But the cultural brokering is so much perceived as diluted inside the language competence that it's hardly a matter of discussion. To be honest, it's not more a matter of discussion elsewhere. But what is culture brokerage in action? On the TV news, one sees very visible politicians from various countries meeting each others, basking in front of the camera, with discreet interpreters on their sides, sitting behind trying so hard not to be visible. When the celebs get down the airplane, get inside the meeting room, they have protocol agents who tell them what to do, how to behave. Very prominent businessmen may rely on interpreters for interpreting, mostly. But you average businessman gets down the bus from Narita with colleagues, sometimes alone, and he may request or at least expect the accompanying interpreter not only to show him the way but the manners of the country. More than often have I worked with client sometimes over conscious and concerned not to make a faux-pas, a blunder, in a country where the prejudice for delicacy, coming from the view of outsiders, is heavily ingrained. I won't discuss what is at stake when the client thinks too much of him as being some sort of elephant in the porcelain shop, but fact is that he may expects to have her interpreter also act as a protocol agent, majordome, maitreD, or whatever you call it. I do push my clients in the mmeting room when time comes to exchange business cards to have them ready and quick at hand, the dynamic of the protocol to be played asking for prompt readiness they usually don't have. Not helping them by delivering cues may make turn awkward and somewhat loose face a little in some situations in the eyes of that other side. That other side who doesn't help, whi may be even more tensed that the non-japanese side, often even more. That is when the interpreter may intervene to calm things down for th benefit of all, that is, the benefit of the communication dynamics. Liaison interpreting is more than often a job about keeping things moving on.
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