Page 66 - Translation Journal July 2015
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an interpreter’s responsibility were brought to light, suggesting a role exchange from a mere translator to a facilitator, particularly
when working for intergovernmental communication. The author argues that formality, intelligibility and coherency are the essential
measurements for interpreting assessment, apart from the traditional criteria including accuracy, fluency, and expressiveness. To
enable these benchmarks quantifiable, post-interpreting management is as indispensable as pre-interpreting preparation for a given
assignment. The review therefore sheds light upon the importance of using SWOT analysis tool and to be more specific, error analysis
based on the transcription, to monitor strong and weak cases/instances in the delivery, and external factors that would do good and
harm to the performance as well.
In the review of the assignment, the report particularly focuses on problematic or referable cases that either violate or follow the
principles of formality, intelligibility and coherency. Case analysis is presented to discuss practical solutions to the problems of
inappropriateness in register, “untranslatability” in meaning and incoherency in delivery. To be register-conscious, the interpreter is
expected to the match her diction to that of the speaker with regards to the subject, the audience and the occasion as well; to get the
meaning across, she needs to seek beyond “untranslatability” flexible expressions in the form of paraphrasing, describing, keeping
the terms in their original or skipping them; to achieve coherency in delivery, the interpreter could re-organize the speaker’s utterances
through putting in logical links, cutting off dispensable expressions and reversing the sequence of speech notes.
It is undoubtedly that the solutions discussed in the report fall short of a complete survey and study on many more related assignments
working for intergovernmental communication, and may not be necessarily applicable in all similar scenarios. Therefore the report only
serves to bring to light a responsibility that is increasingly expected and sought after of a quality interpreter: a role of exchange from a
translator to a facilitator.
Bibliography
Joos, M. (1961). The Five Clocks. New York: Harcourt, Brace and World.
Nolan, J. (2011). Interpretation: Techniques and Exercises. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.
66 | Translation Journal - July 2015
when working for intergovernmental communication. The author argues that formality, intelligibility and coherency are the essential
measurements for interpreting assessment, apart from the traditional criteria including accuracy, fluency, and expressiveness. To
enable these benchmarks quantifiable, post-interpreting management is as indispensable as pre-interpreting preparation for a given
assignment. The review therefore sheds light upon the importance of using SWOT analysis tool and to be more specific, error analysis
based on the transcription, to monitor strong and weak cases/instances in the delivery, and external factors that would do good and
harm to the performance as well.
In the review of the assignment, the report particularly focuses on problematic or referable cases that either violate or follow the
principles of formality, intelligibility and coherency. Case analysis is presented to discuss practical solutions to the problems of
inappropriateness in register, “untranslatability” in meaning and incoherency in delivery. To be register-conscious, the interpreter is
expected to the match her diction to that of the speaker with regards to the subject, the audience and the occasion as well; to get the
meaning across, she needs to seek beyond “untranslatability” flexible expressions in the form of paraphrasing, describing, keeping
the terms in their original or skipping them; to achieve coherency in delivery, the interpreter could re-organize the speaker’s utterances
through putting in logical links, cutting off dispensable expressions and reversing the sequence of speech notes.
It is undoubtedly that the solutions discussed in the report fall short of a complete survey and study on many more related assignments
working for intergovernmental communication, and may not be necessarily applicable in all similar scenarios. Therefore the report only
serves to bring to light a responsibility that is increasingly expected and sought after of a quality interpreter: a role of exchange from a
translator to a facilitator.
Bibliography
Joos, M. (1961). The Five Clocks. New York: Harcourt, Brace and World.
Nolan, J. (2011). Interpretation: Techniques and Exercises. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.
66 | Translation Journal - July 2015
