If you identify a cultural misunderstanding without explaining it, what should you do?

• A. Explain the cause of the misunderstanding to both parties.
• B. Suggest that one party asks for clarification and provide your own explanation.
• C. Ignore it and continue interpreting.
• D. Mention a possible barrier and suggest the suspected cause of the misunderstanding; let the client and the provider ask questions and clarify; the ultimate goal is to be a faithful voice supporting communicative autonomy.

Answer: (D)

Identifying cultural barriers and guiding the conversation so both parties can seek clarity is the right approach. When you notice a cultural misunderstanding, name the barrier as a possibility and invite questions from both the client and the provider, while you refrain from imposing your own explanation. This keeps you as a faithful, neutral facilitator who supports communicative autonomy—the parties retain ownership of the meaning and the path to mutual understanding.

This approach works because it surfaces the issue without assigning blame or prematurely explaining it, preserves neutrality, and empowers both sides to ask for clarification. It helps maintain trust in the interpreter and in the communication process. By contrast, trying to explain the cause yourself can insert bias or misinterpretation; asking only one party to seek clarification and provide your own explanation shifts responsibility and can distort meaning; ignoring the barrier altogether misses an opportunity to improve understanding.