Interpreters and the Making of History

1. Because there was a scarcity of interpreters in the 16th century, when the explorations and conquests of the New World took place, some natives of the new region were kidnapped and taught the langauge of their abductors, and then served as interpreters.
2. In some cases, the interpreters, being aware of the power they had at the colonization period of the new world, used this power in political terms and attacked to the colonizers with the natives, like in the case of Etienne Brule in Canada.
3. With Mexico becoming a Spanish colony, the number of interpreters to be employed in administrative bodies increased, and this led to the legislation of at least fifteen laws implemented to the interpreters especially which shows us both the importance but at the same time suspicion put on the interpreters.