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Article published In: FORUM
Vol. 22:1 (2024) ► pp.118–144

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Eye-tracking the processing of visual input of live transcripts in remote simultaneous interpreting

Preliminary findings

 | University of Leeds
 | University of Leeds
Published online: 25 April 2024
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/forum.00038.yua
Abstract
The Covid-19 pandemic has led to the booming of remote simultaneous interpreting (RSI), which poses new cognitive challenges for interpreters. This study explores how interpreters adapt to these challenges, specifically the functionality of live transcripts generated automatically by Zoom Meetings in RSI. The study aims to: (1) investigate whether access to live transcripts enhances the overall performance of interpreters; (2) explore whether RSI with live transcripts increases cognitive demands; (3) identify visual attention patterns in RSI with live transcripts. A group of professional interpreting trainees (N = 13) were recruited for the study to examine their interpreting with live transcripts and interpreting without live transcripts, which yields three preliminary findings: Firstly, using live transcripts significantly improves overall interpreting performance. Secondly, RSI with live transcripts is more cognitively demanding. Lastly, live transcripts attract the highest visual attention during the interpreting process.
Résumé
La crise sanitaire liée à la Covid-19 a induit une augmentation notable de la pratique de l’interprétation simultanée à distance, soulevant ainsi une myriade de défis inédits, notamment sur le plan cognitif pour les interprètes. Cette recherche se propose d’examiner les stratégies d’adaptation déployées par les interprètes face à ces nouveaux défis, en mettant un accent particulier sur l’impact de l’utilisation des transcriptions en temps réel intégrées à la plateforme Zoom pour optimiser l’efficacité de l’interprétation simultanée à distance. Trois objectifs principaux orientent cette étude : (1) Évaluer dans quelle mesure la disponibilité des transcriptions en temps réel contribue à rehausser la performance globale des interprètes ; (2) Analyser si l’emploi de l’interprétation simultanée à distance, conjuguée à l’utilisation des transcriptions en temps réel, induit une augmentation des charges cognitives ; (3) Identifier les modèles d’attention visuelle caractéristiques de l’interprétation simultanée à distan
Pour ce faire, un groupe de stagiaires en interprétation professionnelle (N = 13) a été mobilisé. Leurs performances ont été évaluées dans deux contextes distincts : avec et sans l’appui de transcriptions en temps réel. Les résultats préliminaires de cette étude suggèrent, en premier lieu, que l’exploitation des transcriptions en temps réel favorise une amélioration substantielle des performances d’interprétation. En deuxième lieu, il ressort que l’interprétation simultanée à distance, lorsqu’elle est appuyée par des transcriptions en temps réel, impose des exigences cognitives accrues. Enfin, il est observé que le recours aux transcriptions en temps réel nécessite une concentration visuelle intense tout au long du processus d’interprétation.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Previous research on the processing of visual inputs in simultaneous interpreting
    • 2.1Visual inputs in simultaneous interpreting
    • 2.2Eye-tracking the processing of visual inputs in simultaneous interpreting
  • 3.Research questions
  • 4.Research design
    • 4.1An eye-tracked experiment of interpreting
    • 4.2Participants
    • 4.3Source speeches of the interpreting experiment
    • 4.4Procedure and software
    • 4.5Data collection and analysis
      • 4.5.1Eye-tracking data
      • 4.5.2Interpreting performance assessment data
      • 4.5.3Statistical analysis
  • 5.Results
    • 5.1Comparison of interpreting performance scores between with and without live transcript conditions
    • 5.2Comparison of cognitive effort between with and without live transcript conditions
      • 5.2.1Fixation count per minute
      • 5.2.2Dwell time per minute
    • 5.3Visual processing pattern in RSI with live transcripts
      • 5.3.1Fixation count per minute of AOIs
      • 5.3.2Dwell time per minute of AOIs
  • 6.Discussion
    • 6.1Live transcripts contribute to an improvement in the overall performance of interpreters
    • 6.2RSI with live transcripts is more cognitively demanding
    • 6.3Live transcripts attract the most visual attention
  • 7.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • References
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