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This paper aims to analyse the differences between female and male conference interpreters’ self-perceived status. Several studies (Angelelli 2004; Katan 2011; Zwischenberger 2011) indicate that women make up most of the professionals working in the translational professions, but little academic attention has been devoted to the question as to whether female and male interpreters have different attitudes towards their profession and their self-perceived status. Sociological studies on feminised professions suggest that women are generally underestimated in the workplace, which leads to them to perceive their status as lower compared to their male colleagues (Cortina/San Román 2006). To test whether this phenomenon was experienced by conference interpreters as well, the responses of a world survey (n = 805) were analysed, with a special focus on interpreters’ self-perception of the status, prestige and social value of their profession. The results showed that, when asked to evaluate their self-perceived status, there were hardly any differences between the scores obtained by female and male interpreters. However, major differences emerged when men and women expressed their opinions on the way they think their work is seen by laypeople, showing that female interpreters perceive their status as far lower than their male counterparts do.

This paper aims to investigate the relationship between the professional status of public service interpreters and that which sociologists (Etzioni, 1969; Abbott and Meerabeau, 1998) have attributed to semi-professionals such as nurses. Drawing on the sociological theories of professionalization (Albrecht et al., 2003) and on certain hypotheses suggested by interpreting scholars (Sela-Sheffy and Shlesinger, 2011), the concept of semi-profession will be defined and discussed. Subsequently, the three sociological features shared by the two professions – the lack of specialised training, increasing feminisation and the caring nature of their tasks – will be analysed from a sociological perspective. To test these assumptions, the results of a global questionnaire on the status of public service interpreters – which gathered 888 responses – will be illustrated and commented. The data showed a close relationship between the two professions, which appears to confirm the hypothesis that nurses and public service interpreters are still following the path towards full professionalization.Resumen: Mediante este trabajo pretendemos analizar la relación entre el estatus profesional de los intérpretes de SSPP y el estatus que algunos sociólogos (Etzioni, 1969; Abbott and Meerabeau, 1998) han atribuido a semiprofesionales como las enfermeras. Basándonos en las teorías sobre el proceso de profesionalización (Albrecht et al., 2003) y en las hipótesis sugeridas por algunos estudiosos de interpretación (Sela-Sheffy y Shlesinger, 2011), vamos a definir y discutir el concepto de semiprofesión. Además, las tres principales características sociológicas comunes a las dos profesiones – la falta de educación especializada, la creciente feminización y la actitud solidaria de algunas de las tareas que desarrollan – se analizarán desde una perspectiva sociológica. Para probar estas afirmaciones, los resultados de una encuensta global sobre el estatus profesional de los intérpretes que trabajan en los SSPP – que obtuvo 888 respuestas – serán analizados y comentados. La evidencia ha mostrado una relación cercana entre las dos profesiones, que parece validar la hipótesis de que la interpretación de SSPP y la enfermería todavía están siguendo el camino hacia una mayor profesionalización.

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