The Malinche is the most common name used when referring to this historical figure, also known as “Doña Marina”, or Malinalli Tenépatl (c.1502 – c.1529), who is considered to be the first Spanish interpreter.

Before learning more about this heroine, let´s take a look at the historical context: Between 1519 and 1521 the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire took place, which was one of the most important campaigns in the Spanish colonization of the Americas, carried out by a coalition army led by Hernán Cortés. After three centuries of domination and colonialism, and a war of independence, many of the conquered territories were transformed into what we know today as the Mexican Republic.

All historians agree that La Malinche was the daughter of a noble Aztec family. When she was still a child, she was sold into slavery to the Mayan chiefs of Tabasco. La Malinche, who spoke their native language Nahuatl fluently, quickly learned the language of their new owners, Mayan. Later on, the chiefs of Tabasco gave her to Hernán Cortés, together with another 19 Indian slaves, as a form of tribute to the Spaniards for their victory. Cortés called her “Marina” and, when he became aware of Marina´s linguistic skills, he started to use her as a Nahuatl-Mayan interpreter, using Jerónimo de Aguilar (a Spanish priest who had been shipwrecked and rescued by Cortés) as a Maya-Spanish interpreter.

She interpreted from Nahuatl (the Aztec language) to the Chontol Mayan language for Aguilar, who could interpret from Maya into Spanish for Cortés. The process was then reversed, from Spanish into Mayan and from Mayan into Nahuatl. This way, through the use of three languages and two interpreters, all the negotiations between the Spanish and Aztecs were carried out, until Malintzin learned Spanish and became the direct and sole interpreter. Over the time, she became more than just an interpreter for Cortés, and even bore him a son, who represents one of the first known Mestizos, an individual whose blood is a mixture of European and indigenous American.

Many believe that without Marina serving as interpreter, Cortés would have failed in his conquest. Some view her as a heroine, others as the betrayer of the Aztecs, who turned her back on her own culture. Malinche is also considered by some to be the mother of the Mestizo race.

Regardless of how we perceive her, we can´t deny that her language interpreting skills helped to seal her role in history forever, as well as the destiny of the Aztec Empire. This woman´s story shows the importance that interpreters can play in the course of history.