The Roles Of Esports Interpreters From The Perspective Of "Participation Framework" Theory

The topic of interpreter’s roles is a much-debated one as prevalent perceptions have evolved with the development of the profession.Traditionally,interpreters were viewed as third-party service providers and interpreting machines.However,more and more scholars have recognized the important and diverse roles of interpreters in facilitating multi-party and cross-cultural encounters.By far,many studies on interpreter’s roles focus on common sectors of interpreting,while Esports interpreting is relatively less researched on.The Participation Framework theory proposed by Erving Goffman is an important theory of discourse analysis,which has been applied to interpreting studies.Based on the theory,the study chooses the consecutive interpreting for the winners’ interviews at LOL World Championship in 2018,2019 and 2021,and analyzes the roles of Esports interpreters for the interviews.The study identified that Esports interpreters’ roles are not single and fixed,but change frequently.Based on Goffman’s definition,the discourse roles of Esports interpreters can be deconstructed into speaking roles and hearing roles.Under the reception format,interpreters serve as both addressed hearers and unaddressed hearers.Under the production format,interpreters shifted among the roles of an animator,an author and principal.Their motives for being a principal can also be subdivided into: 1)managing the flow of discourse;2)supplementing additional information;3)asking for further clarification;4)responding to interlocutors.Besides,the role shifts of Esports interpreters have a positive influence on the outcomes of the interviews,as it enables the interpreters to respond to the interlocutors quickly,deal with unexpected situations and improve the quality of their output.It is hoped that this study may shed new insights on the complex roles of Esports interpreters and contribute to the professionalization of Esports interpreting.