The physician and the interpreter, from ignorance to delegation: À propos d’une expérience française

Abstract

In France, most doctors have a poor knowledge of professional interpretation, and share the general concern that speak-ing a foreign language threatens national cohesion. The time needed to listen to patients is denied, despite increased recognition of patients’ rights. Recourse to professional interpreters is unusual. This situation also reflects the issue of welcom-ing migrants in an indivisible and mono-lingual Republic. Working with a profes-sional interpreter is not only a deontologi-cal and clinical issue, but also a coherent action in view of the French constitution: patients must be provided with profes-sional interpreters because the French Republic is indivisible and because French is its official language.