Why must interpreters be cautious about advocacy?

Interpreters must be cautious about advocacy primarily to maintain professional boundaries and neutrality. The role of an interpreter is to facilitate communication between parties without taking sides or influencing the dialogue. By advocating, interpreters risk blurring the lines of their impartial role, which can lead to a conflict of interest and possibly undermine the trust placed in them by both clients and the parties involved.

Maintaining neutrality is critical because it ensures that the message conveyed is accurate and unaltered by the interpreter’s personal biases or opinions. When interpreters step into an advocacy role, they may inadvertently alter the meaning of the communicated message or might prioritize one party's needs over another, thus harming the integrity of the interpretative process. This neutrality is foundational to the ethical standards outlined in the RID Code of Professional Conduct, which binds interpreters to act professionally and fairly at all times in their practice.