A Study on the Professional Identity Crisis of Contemporary Interpreters in China

Abstract

The interpreting professionalization faces a variety of challenges in China, such as the increasing number of interpreters, rising societal English proficiency, and advancements in artificial intelligence, leading to crises in interpreters’ professional identity. Existing studies predominantly focus on interpreter’s roles in interpreting activities from a third-party perspective. Research on interpreters’ professional identity from their own perspective remain insufficient. This study aims to understand the impact of challenges to the interpreting profession on the professional identity of interpreters.

Employing ethnographic methods, the research studies 50 practicing professional interpreters in the Chinese interpreting market during 2023–2024. Interviews totaling 62,3181 Chinese characters are coded under constructivist grounded theory. A narrative analysis is conducted followed by a multimodal analysis of interpreters’ social media activities. Surverys are processed using statistical tools to explore correlations between challenges in the industry and interpreters’ perceptions of professional identity crisis. The data were interpreted with reference to identity theory and symbolic interactionism.

Three research questions were addressed: (1) How do interpreters acquire their professional identity? (2) What identity crises interpreters face throughout their career? (3) How can interpreters cope with these crises and uphold their professional identity?

The study finds that students are heavily motivated by their imagination of the profession, which is co-constructed by media, family and friends, professional education and role models. The acquirement of professional identity requires interpreters to go through three stages, including academic advancement, rigorous practice, and profession entry. The arduous path to identity affirmation is also the first identity crisis interpreters face. Overcoming psychological setbacks and frustration, and affirming their interpreting and interpreter competence signify resolution of this stage’s crisis.

Along the line of individual development, interpreters face the crisis of a lack of belonging. It undermines interpreters’ commitment to their professional community, affecting their long-term identity affirmation and sustainment. The third crisis is achieving a stable professional identity. In the social field, interpreters first face the crisis of declining professional returns. Second, interpreters face the crisis brought by rising societal English proficiency and advancements in Artificial Intelligence. Third, interpreters face the crisis of changes in public perception, which deems that they are going to be replaced by technology.

This study proposes solutions tailored to three phases of interpreters’ professional identity development. Media outlets should accurately portray interpreting to foster a correct public understanding, while interpreter education programs should cultivate realistic career expectations among students. Professional associations should play a stronger role in regulating the industry, protecting interpreters’ rights, promoting public awareness, and providing dispute arbitration. Associations should also offer community-building opportunities and professional certification to enhance interpreters’ identity affirmation, sense of belonging, and identity stability.

This study represents the first attempt to examine the professional identity crisis of contemporary interpreters in China. Theoretically, it introduces identity theory and symbolic interactionism and constructs a framework for interpreters’ professional identity, identifying interpreting and interpreter competence as its core. Practically, it unveils interpreter’s professional identity crises and offers solutions to address these issues, providing recommendations to both regulator and educators in interpreting profession.