A Brief Introduction to Interpreting/Interpretation PDF

‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم‬ IMAM UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LANGUAGES & TRANSLATION Prof.: A. Abidi ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE DEPARTMENT BA Level -8 Course Titl...

‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم‬ IMAM UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LANGUAGES & TRANSLATION Prof.: A. Abidi ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE DEPARTMENT BA Level -8 Course Title: Interpreting-2 (Sections 142-144-145) Course ID: ENG485 Academic Year: 1446 (2024-2025) First Trimester Lecture Days-Meetings-Room/Lab: Sun.-Mon.-Wed.-Thurs.:3-6/252 A Brief Introduction to Interpreting/Interpretation Interpreting is a branch of TRANSLATION -(translation, here, being a generic term)- whose medium of transfer is oral speech rather than written language. Translation is written and requires (a) reading (source text [ST]), (b) comprehension (ST), and (c) production (target text [TT]). Interpreting is oral and requires (a) listening (source speech [SS]), (b) comprehension (SS), and (c) production (target speech [TS]). TRANSLATION Translation Interpreting (Written) (Oral/Signed) Modes of Interpreting Types of Interpreting 1. Simultaneous 1. Conference Interpreting 2. Consecutive 2. Community Interpreting (Medical, Education, 3. Sight translation Public Health and Safety, Police, Housing, 4. Whispered Interpreting (Chuchotage) Social Security, Legal Areas) 5. Liaison/Accompanying Interpreting 6. Relay 3. Escort/Travel/Business Interpreting 4. Court/Judicial/Legal Interpreting 5. Media Interpreting 6. Telephone/Telephonic/Tele-interpreting/ Over-the-Phone Interpreting (OPI) 7. Sign language interpreting (sign-language Page 1 of 3  Interpreter or signer) Interpreting and Translation: Interpreting is often confused with translation. The difference is that interpreters work with the spoken word whilst translators deal with written texts. 1- Simultaneous: Interpreting while the person is speaking, using particular equipment (e.g., booths, earphones/headphones, microphone). In this case, the interpreter listens and speaks (or signs) at the same time. Simultaneous Interpreting (SI) is widely recognised as a very difficult, complex mental task. The concentration required for SI places a great deal of pressure on the interpreters. Note that it is not actually “simultaneous.” The interpreter lags behind the speaker at least one unit of thought (i.e., a few words behind the speaker). The time lag between the speaker’s delivery and the interpreter’s output during simultaneous interpreting is termed ‘ear-voice span’ (EVS), ‘referring to the interval between the interpreter’s hearing of what the speaker says and his or her vocal articulation of the interpretation’ (Pöchhacker, 2015, p.418). This interval differs according to the language combinations. SI is usually unidirectional., i.e., from language A to language B but not vice-versa. Ideally, SIs should be so familiar with a subject that they are able to anticipate the end of the speaker’s sentence or what he/she is going to say next. 1. Listening actively → comprehension skills SI ---- 2. Processing (analysing) → transfer skills 3. Rendering orally (speaking) into another language → production skills ➔ All are under severe time pressure Simultaneous Interpreting requires (a) listening, (b) comprehension (working memory), and (c) production. 2- Consecutive: Interpreting after the speaker has finished, usually with the help of notes. The interpreter listens to a speech in one language, takes notes, and then renders it into another language. The time lapse between the speech and its rendering varies greatly. It usually lasts from anywhere between one to fifteen minutes. In some special occasions, the time lapse may be up to half or one hour. It can be short CI (the interpreter relies on memory, each message segment being brief enough to memorise) or long CI (the interpreter takes notes of the message to add rendering long passages). It is usually bidirectional, i.e., from language A to B and vice-versa. 1. Listening actively → comprehension skills CI ----2. Note-taking [Long C] and/or Processing (analysing) [Short C] → transfer skills 3. Rendering orally (speaking) into another language → production skills ➔ All are under less severe time pressure Consecutive Interpreting requires (a) listening, (b) comprehension (taking notes and/or working memory), and (c) production. 3- Sight Translation: It is the oral translation of a written document, a hybrid of translation and interpreting. ST relies on the comprehension of the written text and the instantaneous, oral translation of that text in the target language. It is faster and more economical than writing the translation. 4- Whispered/Whispering (or Chuchotage): The interpreter is seated or standing with the participants (2 individuals or 2 small groups of people) and interprets (whispers) simultaneously directly into their ear. With this interpreting mode, no equipment is required. It can be either consecutive or simultaneous. 5- Liaison/Accompanying: It is used in meetings and discussions conducted into languages with an interpreter interpreting in both directions. It shares numerous features with consecutive interpreting, Page 2 of 3 to the extent that it is often considered as a subcategory of the latter. However, it is different as it does not involve note-taking. 6. Relay: The interpreter interprets between two languages via a third one. It is sometimes referred to as “indirect interpreting.” Example: interpreting from Japanese into Arabic via a first interpreting into English or French. Interpreting Modalities: - Spoken - Signed Interpreting Settings: - Conference - Media - Courtroom - Healthcare and others Terminology (basic terms): - Active language: the language into which the interpreter interprets - Passive language: the language from which the interpreter interprets - Sign language: Sign language interpreters work between a spoken and a signed language or between two sign languages. - Retour: Working from your mother tongue into a second active language. - Ad hoc interpreter: By definition, an ad hoc interpreter is a person who is not trained but called on to interpret. The person could be a family member, a bilingual staff requested to interpret or someone in the hospital waiting room declaring that he or she is bilingual and volunteers to interpret. It could even be an advanced level language learner. An ad hoc interpreter is sometimes called a lay interpreter or a chance interpreter. Note that Ad hoc literally means "for this" in Latin, and in English, it almost always means "for this specific purpose." Page 3 of 3