On Strengthening The Interpreters' Intercultural Competence

Interpretation as a modern profession and an important means of cross-cultural communication has been widely accepted nowadays because of its quick transmission of messages and prompt communication at once. It has established an important status in international communities. With the development of economic globalization and China's accelerating opening up, China is increasingly involved in international conferences and in close contact with the international communities. Under such circumstances, interpreters, with their bilingual talents and special skills, help people overcome language barriers and serve as a bridge in intercultural communication.This thesis aims to study interpretation from the perspective of cross-cultural communication. During the whole process of interpretation, interpreters have a high possibility to meet many a cultural shock and barrier. Noting these cultural differences, the thesis thus investigates on the reasons that cause cultural barriers and the solutions to deal with them. After pondering upon the interactive relationship between language, culture and communication, the thesis concludes with the importance of cultivating the interpreters'cross-cultural awareness and strengthening their intercultural competence.The thesis first gives a brief introduction of interpreting and the types of interpreting. Then it is indicated that analysis at cross-cultural level is indispensable if interpreters are to achieve accurate comprehension and reconstruction.Chapter One first states that interpreting is an act of intercultural communication and then further explores culture, communication and the relation between the two. It is argued that the setting of interpreting is intercultural communication.Chapter Two firstly elaborates the interpreters'role as a bridge between cultures as well as languages. Due to the various cultural difficulties in intercultural communication interpreters should hence cultivate cross-cultural awareness and enhance their cross-cultural communicative competence. When preparing for interpreting, interpreters should take the possible cultural differences into consideration.Chapter Three makes tentative suggestions as to how an interpreter can be a successful intercultural communicator. Interpreters should enhance their competence in both verbal and nonverbal communicative aspects, cultivate cross-cultural awareness through acquiring cultural knowledge, realize the impact of English used as an international language and expose themselves to as many cultures as possible. Last but not the least, interpreters should practice various skills and techniques and act in a professional manner, which distinguish them from the ordinary bilinguals.A concise conclusion is drawn at the end of the thesis,reinforcing the importance of interpreters'cross-cultural awareness and calling for interpreters to strengthen their intercultural competence.