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Intepretation techniques and exercises
Interpretation PROFESSIONAL INTERPRETING IN THE REAL WORLD Series Editor: Diane Teichman, Linguistic Services, Houston, Texas, USA This series will publish books ranging from resource texts which help both interpreters in training and practising interpreters to better prepare for their assignments, to training materials and instruction manuals for instructors of interpreters. Other Books in the Series The Interpreter's Guide to the Vehicular Accident Lawsuit Josef F. Buenker Other Books of Interest Culture Bumps: An Empirical Approach to the Translation of Allusions Ritva Leppihalme Constructing Cultures: Essays on Literary Translation Susan Bassnett and André Lefevere The Pragmatics of Translation Leo Hickey (ed.) Practical Guide for Translators (3rd edition) Geoffrey Samuelsson-Brown Written in the Language of the Scottish Nation John Corbett ‘Behind Inverted Commas’ Translation and Anglo-German Cultural Relations in the Nineteenth Century Susanne Stark The Rewriting of Njßls Saga: Translation, Ideology, and Icelandic Sagas Jón Karl Helgason Time Sharing on Stage: Drama Translation in Theatre and Society Sirkku Aaltonen Translation and Nation: A Cultural Politics of Englishness Roger Ellis and Liz Oakley-Brown (eds) The Interpreter’s Resource Mary Phelan Annotated Texts for Translation: English–German Christina Schäffner with Uwe Wiesemann Contemporary Translation Theories (2nd Edition) Edwin Gentzler Literary Translation: A Practical Guide Clifford E. Landers Translation-mediated Communication in a Digital World Minako O’Hagan and David Ashworth Frae Ither Tongues: Essays on Modern Translations into Scotts Bill Findlay (ed.) Practical Guide for Translators (4th edition) Geoffrey Samuelsson-Brown Cultural Encounters in Translation from Arabic Said Faiq (ed.) For more details of these or any other of our publications, please contact: Multilingual Matters, Frankfurt Lodge, Clevedon Hall, Victoria Road, Clevedon, BS21 7HH, England http://www.multilingual-matters.com PROFESSIONAL INTERPRETING IN THE REAL WORLD Series Editor: Diane Teichman Linguistic Services, Houston, Texas, USA Interpretation Techniques and Exercises James Nolan MULTILINGUAL MATTERS LTD Clevedon • Buffalo • Toronto Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Nolan, James Interpretation: Techniques and Exercises/James Nolan. Professional Interpreting in the Real World Includes bibliographical references. 1. Translating and interpreting. I. Title. II. Series. P306.N586 2005 418'.02–dc22 2004016745 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue entry for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN 1-85359-791-0 (hbk) ISBN 1-85359-790-2 (pbk) Multilingual Matters Ltd UK: Frankfurt Lodge, Clevedon Hall, Victoria Road, Clevedon BS21 7HH. USA: UTP, 2250 Military Road, Tonawanda, NY 14150, USA. Canada: UTP, 5201 Dufferin Street, North York, Ontario M3H 5T8, Canada. Copyright © 2005 James Nolan. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher. Typeset by Florence Production Ltd. Printed and bound in Great Britain by the Cromwell Press Ltd. Contents Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii Introduction: Frequently Asked Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1 Speaking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 2 Preparation/Anticipating the Speaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 3 Complex Syntax/Compression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 4 Word Order/Clusters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 5 General Adverbial Clauses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 6 Untranslatability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 7 Figures of Speech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 8 Argumentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 9 Diction/Register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 10 Formal Style. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 11 A Policy Address. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 12 Quotations/Allusions/Transposition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215 13 Political Discourse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222 1111 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011 1 2 3111 4 5 6 7 8 9 20111 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 30111 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 40 41111 v 14 Economic Discourse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236 15 Humor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258 16 Latinisms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275 17 Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288 18 Note-taking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294 Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319 1111 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011 1 2 3111 4 5 6 7 8 9 20111 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 30111 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 40 41111 vi Contents vi Acknowledgments I am much indebted to Mr Bruce Boeglin, former training officer of the United Nations Interpretation Service and director of the Marymount Manhattan College certificate program in interpretation, for his encour- agement. Useful comments on some of the exercises in this book also came from my students at Marymount Manhattan College and New York University. Mr Jean-Luc Rostan’s careful proofreading of the manuscript and Diane Teichman’s editorial guidance are highly appreciated. And no words can express my gratitude to my wife Adele, without whose patience and moral support this book would not have been written. 1111 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011 1 2 3111 4 5 6 7 8 9 20111 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 30111 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 40 41111 vii 1111 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011 1 2 3111 4 5 6 7 8 9 20111 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 30111 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 40 41111 viii Introduction: Frequently Asked Questions Why This Book? Over recent decades the explosive growth of globalization and regional integration has fueled parallel growth in multi-lingual conferences. Although conference interpreting has come of age as a profession, inter- preter training programs have had varied success, pointing to the need for an instructional manual which covers the subject comprehensively. This book seeks to fill that need by providing a structured syllabus and an overview of interpretation accompanied by exercises, developed for the classroom, in the main aspects of the art. It is meant to serve as a prac- tical guide for interpreters and as a complement to interpreter training programs, particularly those for students preparing for conference interpreting in international governmental and business settings. It is assumed students have mastered their active and passive working languages and the fundamentals of translation. Those exercises which deal with lexicon focus on expanding the student’s range of expression in order to build vocabulary to the level needed for conference interpreting. The texts used in the exercises have been selected both to illustrate var- ious aspects of translation and interpretation and to introduce the student to the wide range of topics and perspectives that arise in the international fora where conference interpreters work. How to Use this Book Interpretation cannot be learned from a book alone, but only through a combination of study and steady practice. However, it is hoped that the exercises in this book will help the student interpreter determine what techniques she or he needs to concentrate on. Although interpretation is an oral skill, it contains an element of composition. Consequently, the writing exercises in this book should not be overlooked. 1111 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011 1 2 3111 4 5 6 7 8 9 20111 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 30111 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 40 41111 1 For the sake of brevity, the treatment of subjects and techniques in this book is somewhat arbitrarily divided and some subjects are treated together in one chapter. The chapters need not be followed strictly in sequence and can be taken up in any order that the instructor or student finds appropriate, although it is strongly recommended that none be omitted from a comprehensive introductory course. The skills introduced earlier in the book (e.g. developing confidence as a public speaker) are those which are most necessary to a professional interpreter or which usually take longer for most students to master; those presented later in the book (e.g. transposing literary allusions) are techniques which are less often needed in practice or which interpreters can gradually acquire outside the classroom through experience and study. Most of the exer- cises can be done in class and/or as homework. Some require the use of tape recorders. Although the working languages used in these exercises are English, French, and Spanish, most of the exercises can be adapted to other working languages. What is Interpretation? Interpretation can be defined in a nutshell as conveying understanding. Its usefulness stems from the fact that a speaker’s meaning is best expressed in his or her native tongue but is best understood in the languages of the listeners. In addition, the respect shown by addressing an interlocutor in that person’s own language is conducive to successful diplomacy or negotia- tion. For example, US President John F. Kennedy undertook the task of mastering French specifically with a view to negotiating with French President Charles de Gaulle. But not all statesmen and diplomats have the time, energy, or linguistic talent to master the language of each party with whom they must speak. By bridging the gap between languages, the interpreter helps speakers to discharge their duty to make themselves understood and helps listeners to satisfy their need to understand what is being said. How Does Interpretation Differ from Translation? A translator studies written material in one language (the “source language”) and reproduces it in written form in another language (the “target language”). An interpreter listens to a spoken message in the source language and renders it orally, consecutively or simultaneously, in the target language. Both the translator and the interpreter must have 1111 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011 1 2 3111 4 5 6 7 8 9 20111 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 30111 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 40 41111 2 Interpretation 2 [...]... in English but hold their board meetings and publish their annual reports in two or more languages and hire interpreters and translators for that purpose Some national governments conduct all of their ofcial business and issue all of their ofcial publications in two or more languages, e.g Canada (English and French) and Switzerland (French, German, Italian, and Romansh) Are There Any Formal Professional... all the others It was quiet and low, and yet it could be heard above the shouting of the multitude; it was soft and gentle, and yet there seemed to be steel hidden away somewhere in it; it was courteous and full of appeal, 16 Speaking 1111 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011 1 2 3111 4 5 6 7 8 9 20111 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 30111 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 40 41111 17 and yet there was something grim and frightening in it; every... with an understanding of the subject Some translators, for example, specialize in medical translation and obtain regular work from pharmaceutical manufacturers Some translation agencies specialize in technical, business, or legal translation and rely on translators and interpreters with expertise in those areas Specialist translators can usually command higher fees Many translators and interpreters... Instead it has chosen integration and cooperation, even with former archenemies within NATO The United States possesses powers and riches never seen before in the world But to tackle the global challenges of the 21st century and its new security threats, you need a global strategy and a global network And only the United Nations can provide the necessary legitimacy and sustainability for worldwide common... subject and its jargon Are Some Languages More Important than Others for Translation and Interpretation? It depends on the market There is more work to be found in the major world languages that are most widely spoken and written, but there is also more competition On the other hand, a translator or interpreter who knows a rare or exotic language in a particular market is harder to nd and can often command... attention and concentration through many hours of meetings and absorb the contents of lengthy discussions on many subjects This means keeping t, notably by getting enough sleep and following good habits of nutrition and exercise An interpreter must also adopt an attitude of intellectual modesty and willingness to learn, keeping up with changes in his or her languages as well current events and the related... Interpretation (b) Pretend that you are President Valộry Giscard dEstaing and that you have been asked to record the above opinion piece for the radio Read the article aloud and record your reading on your tape recorder Give your delivery as much conviction as possible, giving the tone and inections of your voice the proper force and emphasis Relax and take your time Think through each sentence before you speak... hard-earned prestige, statesmanship and independent judgment than by alliances Multilateral diplomacy is a treacherous mineeld into which wise leaders should not venture lightly National security demands that we keep our options open and avoid entangling alliances Many nations, such as Switzerland, have prospered for centuries by maintaining scrupulous neutrality and staying aloof from the worlds quarrels... grim and frightening in it; every word was full of meaning and seemed to carry a deadly earnestness Behind the language of peace and friendship there was power and the quivering shadow of action 11 Using the topics in (5) and (7) above drawn by lot, or other timely topics, assign each student in class to give a brief speech extemporaneously and without notes 17 1111 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011 1 2 3111 4 5... Mitterrand, and excepting General de Gaulle until 1957 Today, in 1995, 38 years later, Algeria is no longer France And yet, despite independence, despite the massive, and now complete, departure of the French from Algeria, public opinion is still galvanized by Algerias turmoil: hostage-taking incidents, murders of foreigners on Algerian soil, terrorist attacks in France, acrimonious exchanges and canceled . business and issue all of their official publica- tions in two or more languages, e.g. Canada (English and French) and Switzerland (French, German, Italian, and. governmental and business settings. It is assumed students have mastered their active and passive working languages and the fundamentals of translation. Those exercises