A bibliometrical analysis of interpreting studies in China

Through a bibliometrical analysis of a database of quality articles in interpreting studies published between 2008 and 2012 in the 14 CSSCI and CORE journals that have published interpreting researches in China, this article describes the status quo of interpreting studies in China during the past five years, which provides latest information following up Wang & Mu (2009)’s survey about developments of the field from 1958 to 2007. A quantitative survey is conducted to reveal the annual production, the distribution of articles in different journals and active researchers of the field. More in-depth qualitative analysis is also done over the content and citation sources of the articles in order to examine distribution of research themes and topics, research methods and theoretical sources. It is found that the total publication of this period is comparable to 53.5% of the previous five decades. Their research themes range from interpreter training to theoretical issues, interpreting techniques and issues in practice, interpreting product, interpreting process and community, telephone and sign-language interpreting. Their research methods include theoretical conceptualization, literature analysis and reviews, theory-application analysis, summary and reflection of experiences, experimental studies, survey studies and observational studies. It is concluded from the bibliometrical analysis that new progress has been achieved in interpreting studies in China during the past five years, which is evident in more wide-ranging research themes and topics, more diversified theoretical sources and better utilization of methodology. The bibliometrical analysis also indicates the emergence of a new generation of researchers, who are expected to take interpreting studies to a new height with favorable institutional and academic environment in place in China.