A Text-based Approach To Consecutive Interpreting Between Chinese And English

A research on the history and status quo of the interpreting studies both at home and abroad indicates that the focus of interpreting studies is mainly on the process, especially the process of simultaneous interpreting, and that small energy goes to the product of interpreting, not to mention that of consecutive interpreting between Chinese and English. Studying the process, undoubtedly, can help reveal interpreting mechanism and thus improve interpreting training. Nevertheless, the interpreted text, as the product of CI, serves as the most significant criteria for evaluating interpreters'performance. Studying the products, therefore, can facilitate the establishment of the system for quality assessment, and thus promote interpreters'professional competence by directing interpreting training.Via a text-based approach, this paper takes as the point of departure the Hatim-Mason Hypotheses about the prominence of structure in consecutive interpreting, and assesses the liability and validity of these assumptions in the context of CI between Chinese and English. Finally, after an empirical study on two samples taken from an authentic setting, as well as on the corresponding notes, some conclusions are reached regarding the hypotheses and the roles texture, structure, and context play in the CI between Chinese and English.With a brief review of interpreting studies in the west, this paper makes an investigation into the status quo of interpreting studies in mainland China, and points out the concern and value of the studies presented in the paper. The author cited two samples of consecutive interpreting from a news briefing, and corresponding notes were made by an interpreter when listening to the tape. Through observation, comparison, and qualitative and quantitative studies on these samples and notes, this paper comes to the conclusion that Hatim and Mason's hypothesis, which regards structure as the prominence in consecutive interpreting, cannot claim to be valid in CI between Chinese and English. Instead, the studies in this paper show that texture stands out in CI between Chinese and English, and meanwhile functions performed by other layers of textuality are also suggested in the paper. However, limitations and weaknesses in the research necessitate further solid evidence for...