Zur Selbstübersetzungskompetenz hochrangiger Regierungsbeamter im politischen Diskurs: Eine Fallstudie zu Sabri Boukadoum On the Self-Translation Competence of High-Ranking Government Officials in Political Discourse: The Case of Sabri Boukadoum

Abstract

Self-translation remains a significantly underexplored practice within political communication, even though it constitutes an important mechanism for shaping how messages travel across linguistic, cultural, and institutional contexts. The present analysis underscores that the interaction between individual multilingual proficiency and professional linguistic mediation forms a solid foundation for effective international understanding. This perspective opens avenues for future research concerned with linguistic adjustment and the role of political multilingualism in diplomatic activity. The study adopts an exploratory orientation and examines how high-ranking government officials employ their linguistic resources to transmit political content across diverse publics, particularly in situations requiring political sensitivity and direct communicative impact. The analytical framework draws on Critical Discourse Analysis as conceptualized by Fairclough and by Wodak and Meyer, who view discourse as a social arena in which power relations, identity constructions, and political aims are articulated and continually renegotiated. From this standpoint, self-translation is understood not merely as a technical transfer but as a strategic act that influences the interpretation of political positions and produces communicative authority. The corpus consists of an interview conducted by former Algerian Foreign Minister Sabri Boukadoum with the Spanish newspaper El País, selected for its linguistic density and relevance to the political context in which it was produced. The review indicates that Boukadoum adjusts his statements when shifting between languages, emphasizes historical links, foregrounds cultural proximity, and positions himself as a credible political actor. Linguistic reformulations, terminological decisions, and rhetorical strategies emerge as deliberate means used to ensure that political messages circulate coherently across various audiences. Through such choices, self-translation refines political intentions, mitigates misinterpretations, and strengthens the force of diplomatic communication. The study also shows that multilingualism functions not only as an instrument of communicative flexibility but also as a resource for performing political roles and negotiating strategic positioning in international arenas. Nevertheless, the expertise of professional interpreters remains indispensable in contexts requiring terminological precision, neutrality, and institutional coherence. Overall, the study highlights the potential of this field and provides insights for future work concerned with the interplay between political communication, linguistic agency, and the practical use of self-translation within diplomatic practice.