Consecutiva

Tras la Primera Guerra Mundial, el presidente

Wilson (EEUU) sugiere la creación de un foro de
diálogo para evitar conflictos; el primero con
carácter estable: SOCIEDAD DE NACIONES donde
el francés deja de ser la única lengua diplomática,
de ahí la necesidad de intérpretes/traductores en
la plantilla (personnel; staff) del nuevo organismo
público internacional.
Simultánea

▪ Tras la Segunda Guerra Mundial, durante los procesos

de Nuremberg por dos razones:
1) La necesidad de interpretar a muchos más idiomas (entraba
en juego ruso, japonés)
2) Las condiciones técnicas estaban ya disponibles y se
perfeccionaban a gran velocidad; inmediatamente, el sistema
se trasladó a NY en las Naciones Unidas
▪ Es cuando por primera vez aparece la tipificación social,
profesional y académica de la profesión de “intérprete
de conferencias”
Differences between Translation & Interpreting (1)

Translation Interpreting
▪ Text produced in the past ▪ Utterance in process here/now
(process: long period)
▪ utterance in development:
▪ text: finished product, static, dynamic, unpredictable
unalterable.
▪ utterance: rapid fading
▪ Text can be re-examined
▪ verbal + gesture + body lg.
▪ text is made of words (only)
▪ Contact circumstances speech
▪ no information about author delivery.
(self-sufficient)
 Differences between Translation & Interpreting (2)

Translation Interpreting
▪ Translator interlocks one author ▪ Interpreter interlocks several
at a time. people.
▪ Text = remote, no impact on ▪ Interpreter suffers meeting
translator/audience. tensions
▪ Draft + criticism + editing: ▪ no filter between
before publication. interpreter/listeners
▪ readers = unknown; feedback ▪ listeners = known; immediate
too late to affect. gauged reaction.
▪ Time/space separation author- ▪ Shared experience
readers. speaker/listeners
Situations and modalities of
Interpreting

▪ Conference ▪ Consecutive

▪ Court ▪ Simultaneous

▪ Community ▪ Bidule (“chisme” equipo

o Health portátil)

o Police
▪ Chuchotage
o Asylum

▪ Media ▪ Liaison / Bilateral

▪ Diplomatic ▪ Sight Translation

The message should be ...

▪ exact rendition of source language message

▪ free from ambiguities

▪ fluent and shortest length of time

▪ free from personal ideas

▪ consistent with speaker’s tone

▪ receptor-centered
 Differences between
Simultaneous and Consecutive modes

Consecutive Simultaneous
▪ Speech comprehension and ▪ No time to structure speech:
speech production are separated
o immediate-production
▪ note-taking allows freedom to o great load on short-term memory
reduce
(no rules ling. acceptability) ▪ speech production does not allow
a slow down in speech lag
▪ interpreter knows the line of ▪ interpreter hears next sentence
argument before he starts while he is stating the precedent
(can analyse nuances and subtleties)
idea
(he hears the meaning of the next and
retains it although he listens to his
own delivery)
Other types of interpreting
▪ Sight translation ▪ Bilateral
o oral translation of written text o Both directions interpreting
never seen before, at reading involving stage management used
speed in
• reduced memory effort • discussions (conf.)
• listening + analysis (reading • negotiations (small group)
effort) • talks (formal /informal)
• lack of vocal indicators o features
(intonation)
• spontaneous
• if syntactically similar SL - TL
• high interaction
(less effort)
• structure → 2 frameworks
• uses: simult, bilat, community …
– communication speakers
▪ Ad hoc / Community » A, B + I
– mimi conversations
o used in conferences » A  I and B  I
• daily situations (institutions)
– Health; legal ▪ Whispered
– Police; media
o interpreter sitting close to delegates
• no previous preparation /
• small gatherings or few who need
briefing
interp.
 Consecutive interpreting
Result should not be … (Bowen & Bowen, 1984)

▪ a sentence by sentence performance (interruptions=hamper

interpreter)

▪ a word for word rendition of the original (may make no sense)

▪ a verbatim report “on-sighted” (secretary- shorthand notes)

▪ a theatrical production (content remotely connected)

Stages in Consecutive Interpreting

▪ Listening and Decoding

▪ Processing and Retaining

o Memorizing

o Note-taking

▪ Re-expressing
La memoria = capacidad de recordar
1. Fase de Adquisición Memoria inmediata = automática
o todo = material posible
– recupera inmediatamente lo que acaba de
o poder adquisición = ilimitado
2. Fase de Almacenamiento entrar
o selección según leyes
(cognitivas) – dura unos 30 segundos
1. todo material entrado 
• (aprox. 7 para introducir información)
automáticamente
almacenado
– factores
2. lo almacenado tiende a
deformarse y desaparecer • interferencias (-)
3. Fase de Evocación – si no existe vínculo / voluntad retención:
å toda actividad de la mente
o poder de recuerdo
expulsa de la memoria
1. limitado inmediatamente anterior
2. caprichoso (aparente)
• interés (+)
3. espontáneo
– selección contínua
o activación – sin interés retenemos mal + gran
1. archivar información en sitio esfuerzo
correcto
– intereses vivos + variados
2. engarzar con información
existente å memoria inmmediata eficaz
Memory
▪ Seleskovich
o What is important: NOT ability to learn
• Substantive memory (complete & correct +
by heart but the ability to improve
understanding)
memory by attaching IMAGINARY
meaning to words/figures which lack – active = short-term (transitory)
immediate meaning. • rapidly assimilated
o The less MEANINGFUL the information – passive = mid-term (length of time)
• the longer it takes to memorize • capacity recognize NOT reproduce
• the harder to remember • reactivation: NOTES = reminder

o 2 kinds of memory • Consecutive Interpreting = constant exercise in

• substantive shifting information from passive to active memory.
– information assimilated
immediately Film
– rapid analysis
• efortless
– function of comprehension
• visual + auditory
• verbatim
• more attentive
– exercises, repetition, 20
times as long, getting the • theme = familiar
wording
– more a hindrance than
help
– interpreter must avoid it by 500 word passage
separating • hard work 1 hour +
» meaning techniques
» wording
Interpreter’s Rendition
Interpreter = public speaker: (make sure speaker = understood by audience)
eye contact
look at client / delegates regularly:
 stare
 look at notes all the time
efficient = time to think
sustained, steady pace
no hesitation / unnecessary repetition (looking for the right expression)
speed = varied (statistics: delegates note down)
intonation / pauses
separation between sentences (dropping voice at end, short pause)
separation paragraphs (longer pause)
personal still faithful = paradox (the more creative, the more faithful)
understand IDEAS + RELATIONS
re-express IDEAS + RELATIONS
freedom
– invert order sentences
– merge 2 sentences
– divide one long sentence
– replace verbal expression with a substantival
Communication pre-requisites
VOICE ELOCUTION
o audience = irritated o should be intelligible
• metalic o pronounce
• highly-pitched • proper names
• too modulated
• titles (special care)
o should be • quotations
• clear o shouldn’t be monotonous
• firm (att. beginnings!)
• natural pitch
o should be clear to the last word (endings)
o eye contact! (for feed-back)
o pace adapted to audience (notes)
o avoid jerky / blurred speech
Tactics for coping with CI (D. Gile)

4Comprehension tactics CONCLUSIONS

– reconstructing segment with context
help  in spite preparation, interpreters
– delaying the notes (blank) •difficulty
– ask for clarification (speaker)
å understand
4Preventive tactics → note-taking å reformulate
– segmentation
– change order enumeration  tactics should be selected to

4Reformulation tactics •maximize information recovery

•maximize context contribution
– segmentation (when no link clear)
– reconstructing (help context) •maximize communication impact of
discourse
– explain / paraphrase
– reproduce phonetically (names) •reduce effort
– omitting information
 The Efforts Model (D. Gile,
1995) Le modèle d’efforts (1985,Meta)
Based on the cognitive categories of effort and data-processing and designed to
help interpreters understand the difficulties and select the appropriate strategies.
Gile’s theory started from two assumptions:
(1) interpretation requires some sort of mental ‘energy’ that is only available
in limited supply
(2) interpretation consumes almost all of this mental energy,
and sometimes requires more than is available, at which times
performance deteriorates.
He explains each of the 4 efforts in the input stage (listening, memory,
production and coordination) and the 3 efforts of the output stage (recall, note-
reading and reformulating).
Gile shows that coordination is corollary for the balance between all factors;
without an ongoing self-monitoring, the optimum conditions for interpreting are not
met.
 Analysis of Speech type
▪ Reasoned ▪ Polemical
• Logical argument • Aim convince
(sometimes in detriment of logic / courtesy /
honesty)
▪ Narrative
• Chronological sequence
▪ Rhetorical
▪ Descriptive • Content
• Secondary / irrelevant
• Description of scene / event
• Aim
• Description of detailed statistical • Sound impressive, by
presentation • elegant style
• Description of economic situation of a • cultural reference
• Pay tribute
• company
• industrial sector, etc.
▪ Stonewalling
• Aim hide personal view
• great length
• no content