「知道，其實是不懂的意思」：談新移民社會工作與語言

Known is Unknown: Language and Social Work with Immigrants

社會實務工作是以語言為中心的活動，不過，語言卻是社工員與新移民工作時最大障礙之一。新移民社會工作雖然已成為國內多元文化社會工作重要議題之一，然而探討新移民社會工作中語言溝通經驗的論文卻相當匱乏。本文聚焦於新移民工作中的三個語言面向，包括語言與權力關係、文化差異對語言溝通的意義、以及在會談中使用通譯員的問題及影響，論述不同語言及專業術語隱藏的複雜意義，並指出服務提供者對語言問題必須具備敏感度，否則語言極有可能成為壓迫與邊緣化新移民服務使用者，以及延續並強化社會不平等現象的工具。最後本文從批判性思考、知識與技術三大面向針對新移民社會工作中的語言問題提出溝通能力的建議。

Language is central to social work practice with immigrants, but it can be a major barrier to service provision. The review of literature suggests a dearth of research papers related to the use of language in social work practice. In order to fill in the knowledge gap, this paper aims to help practitioners to understand the complex relations between language, power, culture and the use of interpreters in the process of working with immigrants. It is argued that language works as a double-edged sword, either facilitating or impeding the services. Front-line practitioners therefore need to be sensitive to this issue, and understand how language is used to perpetuate oppression and discrimination. The paper ends by drawing implications for communication competence.