"Ne diyor?" (What does she say?): informal interpreting in general practice.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to offer a comparative analysis of informal interpreters during medical consultations with both good and poor mutual understanding between general practitioners (GPs) and patients.


METHODS
Sixteen video-registered medical interviews of Turkish immigrant patients were analysed. Stretches of discourse of eight interviews with good mutual understanding between patient and doctor were compared to eight interviews with poor mutual understanding. The discourse analysis focused on: (1) miscommunication and its causes; (2) changes in the translation; (3) side-talk activities.


RESULTS
In the cases of 'poor mutual understanding', the instances of miscommunication far exceeded those in the 'good mutual understanding' group. Style of self-presentation, content omissions and side-talk activities seemed to hinder good mutual understanding.


CONCLUSIONS
Alongside the evidence about problems with informal interpreting, sometimes the use of family interpreters can facilitate medical communication.


CONCLUSIONS
Recommendations are given in order to increase physicians' awareness of the complex process of interpreting, as well as to empower informal interpreters and patients to effectively deal with this communicative triad.
Meeuwesen
Ludwien
L
Interdisciplinary Social Science Department, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. l.meeuwesen@uu.nl
Twilt
Sione
S
ten Thije
Jan D
JD
Harmsen
Hans
H
D003144:Communication Barriers; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005260:Female; D058006:General Practice; D058005:General Practitioners; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D019303:Multilingualism; D009426:Netherlands; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014175:Translating; D014421:Turkey / Q000208:ethnology; D014743:Videotape Recording