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Article published In: Target
Vol. 31:3 (2019) ► pp.352–377

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Self-repair as a norm-related strategy in simultaneous interpreting and its implications for gendered approaches to interpreting

ORCiD logo with link | Ghent University
 | Ghent University
Published online: 29 March 2019
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/target.18076.mag
Abstract
This paper analyses a possible gendered manifestation of norms in interpreting. It focuses on the use of self-repair, a textual expression of the norm, by male and female interpreters. Two research questions are examined: (1) whether the extent to which self-repairs occur in interpreting is gendered and (2) whether gender influences the way in which the output is repaired using editing terms. Considering the literature on gender and norm-compliance, female interpreters are expected to produce more self-repairs and editing terms than male interpreters. The research is based on the 2008 subcorpus of EPICG with French source speeches and their English and Dutch interpretations. The interpreters’ self-repairs were manually identified and statistically compared. Regarding the first question, it appears that gender influences the use of self-repairs in interpreting. As for the second one, statistical analysis reveals language-based patterns: in the English booth, women use significantly more editing terms than men. The French/Dutch subcorpus yields no significant difference. However, women seem to also use apologies as editing terms.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Norms in interpreting
  • 3.Gender and norms
  • 4.Interpreting norms and corpora
  • 5.Data and methodology
    • 5.1Data
    • 5.2Methodology
  • 6.Results
    • 6.1Research question 1
    • 6.2Research question 2
  • 7.Discussion
  • 8.Conclusion
  • Note
  • References
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