Language, Prejudice, and the Under-Acknowledged Importance of the Lewis and Clark Interpreters

This research paper analyzes the importance of capable interpreters in the successes and failures of the Lewis and Clark expedition. After establishing the linguistic context of the region, the paper uses the journals of Lewis and Clark to analyze case studies from various hired interpreters and to conclude that while reliable interpreters marked the difference between a mission's success and failure, their importance was often underestimated by expedition leaders.