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Article published In: Interpreting
Vol. 20:1 (2018) ► pp.33–62

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Corpus-based terminological preparation for simultaneous interpreting

 | China Foreign Affairs University
Published online: 26 April 2018
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https://doi.org/10.1075/intp.00002.xu
Abstract
This experimental study examines whether use of a corpus-based terminological preparation procedure, managed by a term extraction tool (Syllabs Tools) and a concordance tool (on the Sketch Engine platform), enables trainee interpreters (Chinese A, English B) to achieve greater accuracy in a simultaneous interpreting (SI) task on a specialised topic. Twenty-two interpreting students on a one-year MA course in the UK were divided into a test group (10 students) and a control group (12 students). Nine days before the experiment, which involved SI from the A into the B language as well as vice versa, both groups were given preparatory documentation in both languages. In addition, the test group received term lists automatically generated by the extraction tool and used the Sketch Engine concordance tool. The control group extracted terms manually and did not have the concordance tool. Terminological accuracy in SI was found to be significantly higher, with fewer omissions, even when terms occurred in rapid succession, in the test group. All students afterwards participated in focus group discussions, providing feedback on the effectiveness of their preparation and an estimate of the time they had dedicated to it. In addition, their recall of terms was tested two months later by completion of a 15-item quiz and was found to be significantly better in the test group.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
    • 1.1Terminology-driven preparation
    • 1.2Models and procedures for the simultaneous interpreter’s terminological preparation
      • 1.2.1Moser-Mercer’s terminology workflow
      • 1.2.2Will’s knowledge management model
      • 1.2.3Rütten’s information and knowledge management model
    • 1.3The interpreter’s preparation with corpus tools
  • 2.The study
  • 3.Methodology
    • 3.1Study design
    • 3.2Participants
    • 3.3Experimental materials
      • 3.3.1Preparation documents
      • 3.3.2Experimental speeches
    • 3.4Total preparation time allowed
    • 3.5Procedure
    • 3.6Dependent variables
      • 3.6.1Judges
      • 3.6.2Holistic assessment of SI
      • 3.6.3Terminological accuracy
      • 3.6.4Terminological quiz
      • 3.6.5Focus groups
  • 4.Results
    • 4.1Terminological accuracy
    • 4.2Holistic assessment of SI
    • 4.3Significant error categories
    • 4.4Terms prone to serious error
    • 4.5Association between density of terms and number of serious errors
    • 4.6Subsequent recall of terms
    • 4.7Preparation time
    • 4.8Students’ feedback on their preparation
      • 4.8.1Traditional preparation
      • 4.8.2Corpus-based preparation
  • 5.Discussion
    • 5.1Main effects of the two preparation procedures
    • 5.2Challenges and coping strategies
      • 5.2.1Coping with challenging terms
        • Items not prepared beforehand, and therefore not activated
        • Insufficient activation
      • 5.2.2Coping with high information density
  • 6.Conclusion
    • 6.1Contextualising the findings
    • 6.2Limitations of the study
    • 6.3Future work
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
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