Il role-play nella didattica dell'interpretazione dialogica: focus sull'apprendente

The present paper sets out to compare role-playing techniques based on scripts to the Conversation Analytic Role-play Method as teaching/learning tools for the training of dialogue interpreters at university level. The discussion is based on data as diverse as recordings of classroom interactions during role-playing activities at Italian higher education institutions and perceptions of trainee interpreters as collected through an online questionnaire and a blog. Far from suggesting that either method should prevail over the other, we argue that the two can be combined within a comprehensive training path aimed not just at improving learners’ interpreting skills and translation strategies, but also at helping them to a) familiarize themselves with different communities of practice; b) acquire the interactional competence needed to deal with the complex dynamics of such communities; c) raise their awareness of ensuing ethical issues.