Impact Of Subject Competence On The Performance Of E-C Simultaneous Interpretation From The Perspective Of Effort Model

As an important bridge for cross-cultural communication, the interpreter have to communicate with people from different cultural backgrounds on a wide range of topics and professions. With the deepening international cooperation, interpreters are faced with events with more detailed and professional contents, which require not only a higher bilingual skill but also extra-linguistic expertise of the interpreter.This paper discusses the impact of extra-linguistic expertise on simultaneous interpreters’ performance from the perspective of the Effort Model. In the theoretical framework, the Effort Model from Daniel Gile is introduced, along with the sense unit in the Interpretive Theory and the psychological perspective on expertise from Robert R. Hoffman.For the empirical research, eight student interpreters of similar interpreting competence but different levels of financial expertise participated in the research. The results are analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively from the perspective of the Effort Model. In the quantitative analysis, fidelity, effectiveness and fluency of each interpreter are visualized by quantifiable indicators; while in the qualitative analysis, several classic cases are chosen for detailed study.The conclusion drawn from the research is that an interpreter with extra-linguistic expertise can provide more correct information, a better logic in a more fluent way. This is because that expertise can reduce the required processing capacity at every stage from listening and analyzing, to short term memory, and to speech production.This paper is written in the hope of further complimenting previous studies concerning the topic. Student interpreters who read this paper will be more aware of the importance of expertise on their professional life, and will better understand the Effort Model which facilitates the selection of strategies and the allocation of limited processing capacity toward better interpreting performance.Not only should interpreters themselves pay more attention to the accumulation of extra-linguistic expertise, universities and institutions with interpreter training programs, especially those with Master of Translator and Interpreter (MTI) programs, should highlight the specialized training and professional development of their students. Each university should combine their programs with local economic and cultural characteristics as well as the university’s own strengths, so as to cultivate a diverse range of interpreters that can better meet the demands of the society.