Open AccessMeaning: lost, found or 'made' in translation? A hermeneutical approach to cross-language interview research
Author(s) -
Barbara Fersch
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
qualitative studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1903-7031
DOI - 10.7146/qs.v4i2.8859
Subject(s) - focus (optics) , perspective (graphical) , meaning (existential) , reflection (computer programming) , linguistics , epistemology , foreign language , sociology , qualitative research , translation studies , computer science , artificial intelligence , social science , philosophy , physics , optics , programming language
Qualitative research that includes interviews in languages foreign to the researcher(s) has become increasingly common. However, there is surprisingly little reflection on the methodological implications of such research practices. Furthermore, strategies on how to analyse cross- and multi-language interview material are lacking. The aim of this article is to present possible ways of handling these challenges, focusing mainly on analysis. I propose a hermeneutical approach to the issue. First, I will discuss the epistemological/methodological foundations of the approach before proposing some 'tools' to help practically tackle the 'problem' of analysis using the chosen methodological perspective. Rather than ignoring or trying to circumvent the question of foreign language and/or translation, in the proposed approach linguistic questions and questions of translation are the central focus.