Interpreting Studies Overview

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

Which distinguishing feature separates interpreting from written translation?

It is performed under time constraints. (correct)

It involves translation without grammatical structures.

It requires written documentation.

It focuses solely on signed language.

What academic achievement marked the rise of interpreting as a recognized field?

The International Association of Conference Interpreters founded.

The Nuremberg Trials and the use of simultaneous interpreting. (correct)

The development of written translation theories.

The establishment of translation studies.

Which cognitive skills are especially demanded by the interpreting process?

Long-term memory and creative thinking.

Advanced writing and analytical skills.

Public speaking and rhetorical skills.

Attention management and short-term memory. (correct)

Who was a foundational figure in establishing interpreting as an academic subject?

Otto Kade. Signup and view all the answers

What is a defining characteristic of real-time interpreting?

It necessitates immediate translation without corrections. Signup and view all the answers

Why is interpreting often referred to as 'oral' translation?

Because it involves translating spoken messages. Signup and view all the answers

What role did Seleskovitch play in the field of interpreting?

He pioneered efforts in university-level training of interpreters. Signup and view all the answers

How did interpreting studies evolve as an academic discipline?

From a combination of historical practices and modern research. Signup and view all the answers

What non-verbal components significantly influence interpretation quality judgements?

Interpreters' body language Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary focus of community interpreter training compared to international conference interpreter training?

Interpersonal interaction management Signup and view all the answers

Which organization established a Code of Professional Ethics for interpreters?

International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC) Signup and view all the answers

What was one outcome of the growth of international conference interpreting after the 1940s?

Creation of university-level training institutions Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect of interpretation quality is often left to researchers and examiners to establish?

Source-target correspondence Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the core components of interpreter training within the European model curriculum?

Simultaneous interpreting with text Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a significant factor in the evaluation of interpretation quality?

Listeners' emotional response Signup and view all the answers

What concept does 'professional secrecy' refer to in interpreting?

The necessity to keep confidential information private Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of the Paris School approach to interpreting?

Understanding meaning Signup and view all the answers

According to the theory of meaning, interpreting is viewed as:

A process based on knowledge-based comprehension Signup and view all the answers

Which theoretical paradigm has gained prominence in international conference interpreting?

Cognitive Processing Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes interpreting from traditional translation according to Otto Kade's definition?

Time pressure and lack of review Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect of interpreting studies does interdisciplinary collaboration primarily enhance?

Meaning comprehension Signup and view all the answers

What range of communication does Kade’s definition of interpreting encompass?

Spoken and signed language, including sight translation Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following cognitive subskills is considered crucial for an interpreter?

Macro-processing Signup and view all the answers

In the context of interpreting, what does cognitive processing primarily involve?

Information processing and memory structures Signup and view all the answers

What was the initial perception of interpreters in signed-language interpreting?

They were perceived as neutral conduits. Signup and view all the answers

What role do interpreters play according to the pyramid model in spoken-language community interpreting?

Cultural Broker Signup and view all the answers

What creates tension in court interpreting?

The expectation for verbatim translation. Signup and view all the answers

What is emphasized as a key aspect of interpreting from a social perspective?

It addresses the dynamics of trust and power among parties. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a challenge faced by interpreters during cognitive processing?

Limited access to technological tools. Signup and view all the answers

What technological advancement enabled simultaneous interpreting in the 1920s?

Electro-acoustic systems. Signup and view all the answers

What is considered the primary task of an interpreter in terms of quality?

To fulfill the communicative needs of the addressee. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT one of the roles interpreters may assume in healthcare interpreting?

Legal Advisor Signup and view all the answers

What significant change occurred regarding the interpreter's role over time?

They evolved from neutral conduits to facilitators. Signup and view all the answers

Which strategy is NOT categorized as an online strategy for coping with processing constraints?

Background research. Signup and view all the answers

Which quality criteria rank highest for evaluating an interpreter's performance in conference settings?

Fidelity to the source text and correct terminology. Signup and view all the answers

Which study is NOT associated with the history of interpreting according to the content?

Smith's research on contemporary interpreting practices. Signup and view all the answers

What has significantly influenced the role and ethical boundaries of interpreters?

Institutions and fields of work expectations. Signup and view all the answers

What do interpreters do to enhance their thematic knowledge before real-time tasks?

Conduct background research and prepare glossaries. Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect is least likely to be prioritized in interpreting quality criteria?

Pleasant delivery voice. Signup and view all the answers

Which operation does NOT contribute to high cognitive task load in interpreting?

Retelling personal experiences. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Introduction

Interpreting studies is a field within translation studies, but its position is ambiguous.
It's an increasingly independent and diversified field of study.
It's often considered a sub-discipline, but also on par with translation studies, and within it alongside specialized fields such as audiovisual translation.

Interpreting Studies Defined

Interpreting studies focuses on real-time human translation in shared communicative contexts.
Often referred to as "oral" translation, distinct from "written" translation.
While a straightforward definition exists, complexities exist and are discussed in section 8.2.1.

Interpreting Studies Characteristics

Interpreting studies functions as both a sub-discipline of translation studies and as an independent academic field.
Interpreting focuses on real-time spoken or signed language translation in shared communicative contexts.
It differs from written translation due to time constraints and the absence of opportunities for review or correction.
It demands advanced cognitive skills, encompassing attention management and short-term memory.

Evolution and State of the Art

Interpreting practices existed since ancient times, but the field wasn't formally recognized as an academic pursuit until the 20th century.
Simultaneous interpreting gained prominence during the Nuremberg Trials.
Early studies focused on mental processes, especially simultaneous interpretation.

Academic Foundations

In the 1960s, individuals established interpreting as an academic subject.
Otto Kade notably offered a foundation for understanding interpreting characteristics.

Pioneering Role

Seleskovitch played a significant role in the profession and training of conference interpreters.
The Paris School with Seleskovitch's leadership emphasized understanding meaning rather than just focusing on language elements. The approach remained a strong influence.

Increasing Depth and Breadth

The "theory of meaning" (théorie du sens), prevalent since the early 1960s, argues that interpreting involves comprehension based on knowledge, not just translating words.
Research expanded from conference interpreting to other domains, like community interpreting.
Interdisciplinary collaboration, such as sociolinguistics, broadened the field.

Unity in Diversity

Multiple theoretical perspectives exist in interpreting studies:
Interpretive theory focused on meaning comprehension.
Cognitive processing focused on memory and multitasking.
Social interaction concerned the interpreter's role in communication.

Interpreting Defined as Translation

Otto Kade (1968) defined interpreting as a form of translation, categorized in terms of:
Original text presented only once, with no review possible.
Target-language text produced under time pressure.
This definition encompasses spoken and signed language interpreting, plus sight translation

Cognitive Processing

A prominent interpreting perspective, especially for conference interpreting, is the view from cognitive science.
Interpreters are considered an information processing system relying on working memory, long-term memory, and various cognitive skills such as anticipation, inference, and macro-processing.

Intercultural Mediation

Interpreting can be viewed as intercultural mediation.
It involves communicating between parties with diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, highlighting issues like purpose, role, trust, status, and power.
Interpreters mediate between languages and cultural value systems.

Major Issues- Cognitive Processing

Challenges related to concurrent listening, processing, and speaking.
Managing cognitive resources like attention and memory to cope with the cognitive load from the demanding simultaneous interpreting process.

Strategies

Strategies employed:
Anticipation, compression of information, and syntactic restructuring.
Dealing with constraints of high source-text presentation speed and density.
Includes online strategies during interpreting, and off-line strategies employed before real-time interaction.

Quality Evaluation

An interpretation's quality is evaluated on its ability to fulfill the communicative needs of the intended recipient.
Fidelity to the source language, cohesion, fluency, and correct terminology are crucial in conference interpreting, outweighing other features like pleasant voice and native accent.

Quality Considerations

Non-verbal elements of interpretation significantly impact assessments.
Precise source-target equivalence is often hard for assessors to assess because of the nature of the communicative activity involved in interpretations.
Examiners typically look for effects of quality rather than only linguistic equivalence.

Training

The need for interpreters' competency and professional responsibility is understood to be vital and has been of major concern since Herbert's 1952 handbook.

Training Institutions/Evolution

University-level training institutions started in the 1940s (Geneva, Heidelberg, Vienna).
Increased demand and growing attention from professional organizations such as the United Nations, the AllC, and European institutions consolidated and institutionalized the training programs.
Modern training programs have a European model curriculum.

Interpreting modalities and models

Core components include: consecutive interpreting (with note-taking), simultaneous interpreting (in booths), and sight translation.
Community interpreting training frequently differs from that of international conference interpreters, emphasizing the management of interpersonal dynamics and cultural issues over text-processing abilities.

Ethics and Role

Ethical conduct is crucial in any profession.
The AllC's (International Association of Conference Interpreters') 1957 Code of Professional Ethics, focused on professional secrecy.
The RID's (Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf) 1965 Code further included principles like impartiality and faithfulness to the source message. These codes helped to define the role of interpreters in different settings.

Evolving Role

The initial view of interpreters as "neutral conduits" has evolved.
Contemporary perspectives view interpreters more actively as facilitators of communication.
Including bilingual/bicultural skills and navigating between languages and cultures.

Interpreting Roles

In spoken-language community interpreting, especially healthcare, interpreters often perform multiple roles as laid out by the pyramid model.
Message Converter, Message Clarifier, Cultural Broker, Advocate

Court Interpreting Specifics

In legal contexts, interpreters are expected to maintain a higher degree of literal accuracy, or "verbatim" translation. This creates tension because it may not be always effective.
This divergence can stem from conflicting demands for smooth communication, legal system demands for neutrality, and maintaining accuracy in word-for-word translation.

Interpreter's Role and Boundaries

Interpreter's roles and boundaries depend on the expectations of institutions.
The roles interpreters play are shaped by expectations, as well as their own values and constraints.

Technology

Technology has fundamentally impacted interpreting, particularly simultaneous interpreting, since the 1920s.
Electro-acoustic systems made simultaneous interpretation possible and crucial.

History

Interpreting gained broader professional recognition in the 20th century, but its history remains partially documented.
Important research on simultaneous interpretation origins, the Nuremberg Trials, and German interpreting practices exist.
More research is needed to understand the history in diverse contexts.

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Description

This quiz explores key concepts in interpreting, differentiating it from written translation. It also covers pivotal achievements and figures in the field, as well as the evolution of interpreting as an academic discipline. Test your knowledge of the skills and ethical standards that define professional interpreting.