APG5616 - Conference interpreting - 2019

This unit will complement APG5690 Advanced Translation and follows on from APG5874 Practice of Conference Interpreting and translation. In this unit, students will be exposed to further training in consecutive interpreting, simultaneous interpreting and sight translation/interpretation, as well as theory of Interpreting Studies applied to conference contexts.

On successful completion of the unit students will have gained competence and knowledge in the following :

The theory of Interpreting Studies

1. Students will be made aware of advanced theoretical aspects of Interpreting Studies and of interpretation; aspects of research findings in disciplines that have a bearing on interpretation, for example, psycholinguistics, neurolinguistics, communication and discourse studies.

   Consecutive interpretation

2. At the end of the programme students will be capable of giving a fluent and effective consecutive interpretation of a speech lasting at least 10 minutes into the target language, accurately reproducing the content of the original and using appropriate terminology and register.
3. Training in these skills will require a variety of exercises, such as content analysis and memory exercises, consecutive interpretation without notes, summarisation, sight translation and note taking techniques. Speeches used will confront the students with a diversity of subject areas, styles, and registers, and their length, information density and degree of technicality and specificity will increase as the unit progresses.

   Simultaneous interpretation

4. At the end of the programme students will be able to provide a fluent and effective simultaneous interpretation of speeches of at least 20 minutes into the target language, accurately reproducing the content of the original and using appropriate terminology and register.
5. While training in these skills will build on the same kind as those used to practise consecutive interpretation, additional exercises specifically designed to establish and consolidate the skills will be required. Furthermore, students will be trained in booth techniques and team interaction. Speeches used will confront the students with a diversity of subject areas, styles, and registers, and their length, information density and degree of technicality and specificity will increase as the programme progresses. Once they have acquired simultaneous interpreting skills, students will also be taught how to interpret with the text in front of them (sight interpretation).

Within semester assessment: 30% + Exam: 70%

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 288 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

See also Unit timetable information

Interpreting and translation