Investigating interventionist interpreting via Mikhail Bakhtin

The paper presents assertive queer-feminist strategies in simultaneous interpretation and argues that these are not only feasible but compliant with basic tenets of Structuralism. In particular, I will use three aspects from Mikhail Bakhtin’s work: firstly, organic versus intentional language change (hybridity), secondly, the concept of the act as an answerable, participatory action (“postupok”), and thirdly, the idea of a distant addressee with presumed absolute and responsive understanding (the loophole reader). These concepts will be read against work in translation studies on decision processes (Jiri Levy, Justa Holz-Mänttäri, Cecilia Wadensjö). The paper suggests that while translators’ decisions are influenced by norms, habitus and other factors, they are autonomous at the moment of action. The call for empowerment becomes a call for responsible agency.