earticle

영어

This study aims to examine the characteristics and actual state of medical interpretation in the Japanese Colonial era. During the Japanese Colonial era, the Japanese language dissemination policy was implemented earlier in the medical field compared to the other fields. Accordingly, the interpreting roles disappeared even from the bureaucracy system of the Government-General of Joseon Hospital. However, as various data reveal that the demand for interpreters remains, it is assumed that substantial difficulties in communication in medical fields must have persisted. Newspaper articles and magazine serial novels are included as the sources to be used to infer the actual situation at the time. Of course, articles were censored at the time, and serialized magazine novels may have its own limitations due to its fictional nature, but considering the absolute insufficiency of related historical materials, they could be deemed as meaningful data to confirm the actual situation to some extent. Through these data, it was possible to infer that various types of interpretation existed in medical settings at the time, including interpreters, medical staff, and family members. In addition, for the perspective of the role of the interpreter, it was found that it had characteristics of community interpreting, such as the interpreter answering on behalf of the patient or scolding the guardians on behalf of the medical staff. The present study has its significance in that it analyzed and considered the medical field at the time from the perspective of interpretation as seen in the media.