Abstract

Information loss is a common phenomenon in consecutive interpreting, which exerts huge implications on the understanding in communication. Based on Gile’s theory about the principles of fidelity and Liu Minhua’s analysis on the problem analysis of consecutive interpreting notes-taking, the reasons for information loss are: (1)Insufficient or inappropriate note-taking (2)Context or words disacquaintance  (3)Excessive numbers (4)Mental stress (5)scarce capacity (6)memory error. But the correctness and effectiveness of their theories need to be prove. 

Therefore, the author carried out an experiment to verify their theories and find the possible reasons for information loss in consecutive interpreting, The experiment chose subjects among MTI first-year graduates from 3 very prestigious universities in China and junior students majoring in English Translation from a four-year college, using the qualitative analysis to analyze the students interpreters’ recordings, notes and questionnaires; and using the tabulation method, graphing method and descriptive statistical analysis method to run various data comparison, in order to find out the possible reasons for the information loss.

In the end, the tester concluded that the lexical resources, daily practice and the proper use of the note-taking method are the foundation of the completeness of C-E consecutive interpreting; and the notes(note-taking and note-reading), remembering and coordination are critical to the completeness of C-E consecutive interpreting. The results of the research illustrated and complemented the present theory of the C-E consecutive interpreting.

The analysis of this paper has a certain sense of enlightenment for consecutive interpreting education in English interpretation in undergraduate college and MTI in the future. 

Key words: consecutive interpreting；effort model；information loss

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

1 Introduction-6

2 Literature Review-7

2.1 The Definition of Consecutive Interpreting-7

2.2 The Process of Consecutive Interpreting-8

3 Important Factors in Consecutive Interpreting-9

3.1 Listening and Analysis-9

3.2 Language Expression-9

3.3 Memory-10

3.4 Note-taking-10

3.5 Numbers-10

3.6 Effort model-11

4 Research Question and Design-11

4.1 Experiment-11

4.1.1 Experimental Goal-11

4.1.2 Experimental Material-12

4.1.3 Experiment Subjects-12

4.1.4 Experimental Procedures-13

4.1.5 Experimental Hypothesis-13

5 Experiment Analysis-13

5.1 The Recording-14

5.2 The Notes-14

5.3 The Questionnaire-14

5.4 Experiment Analysis on Group A, B, and C.-15

5.4.1 The Recording-15

5.4.2 The Notes-17

5.4.3 The Questionnaire-17

5.4.4 About Missing Numbers:-20

5.4.5 About Loss of the Intensive Information-22

5.4.6 About Details and Sentences Missing in the Whole Paragraph-24

5.5 Experimental Analysis on Group D-26

6 Conclusion-29

References-31

Appendix 1: Chinese to English Original Speech-32