Empirical Study On Interpretation Faithfulness Evaluation

Based on the interpretive theory, this thesis makes a tentative empirical study on the evaluation of interpretation faithfulness. At present, empirical researches in the field of interpretation quality evaluation are quite insufficient, so do reliable data for interpretation quality evaluation. In this case, this thesis not only proposes a relatively objective and scientific formula for evaluating faithfulness of interpretation, but also makes correlation analysis through SPSS statistical software to test the correctness of the data obtained from the formula thus to test the reliability of the formula. Although the evaluation of faithfulness in interpreting performance is only part of the interpretation quality evaluation, this method is also very significant to interpretation quality evaluation. This thesis attempts to find a more scientific and feasible way to evaluate faithfulness in interpreting performance through interdisciplinary knowledge.The thesis consists of three chapters in addition to an introduction and a conclusion.The introduction briefly introduces the research background, significance of the research and methodologies used in the thesis.With the rapid development of international exchanges, interpreting has become a profession and has played an increasingly important role in modern life. People have higher expectation on a more scientific definition and a more objective evaluation of interpretation. However, interpretation quality evaluation has long been a big problem in the interpretation field. Although different experts have different criteria of interpretation, it is accepted universally that faithfulness is the most important factor in interpretation quality evaluation. Whether "Faith, Exactness and Elegance" put forward by Yan Fu or "completeness, accuracy and smoothness" proposed by Bao Gang, they all considered faithfulness should be put at the first place. After 1980s, many empirical researches both overseas and at home proved the importance of faithfulness in interpretation quality evaluation. However, most experts and scholars evaluate the quality of the interpretation, as well as the most important parameters in interpretation quality evaluation--faithfulness only by their own subjective experience and their studies not only lack of rigorous theory, but also lack of the support of objective empirical data. Thus almost all of them are unilateral to some extent. So far, there is no complete and systemic method to evaluate the faithfulness of interpretation quality evaluation. This thesis combines mathematical and statistical knowledge to propose a more objective and scientific method to evaluate faithfulness of interpretation.In the first chapter, the author makes a comprehensive retrospection of both theoretical and empirical researches concerning interpretation quality evaluation and interpretation faithfulness evaluation which are made by scholars and experts involved in interpretation studies from home and abroad. Then the author makes a summary of their research findings and points out the strengths and weaknesses of the past researches, finally the author points out the innovations in the thesis.During the late 1970s and early 1980s, western researchers made lots of achievements about interpretation quality evaluation at the theoretical level, however, empirical studies on interpretation quality evaluation only started in the mid-1980. Since then, an increasing number of scholars have focused on the empirical study.Since China's reform and opening up, foreign exchanges have become more frequent which have also contributed to the flourish of the domestic interpretation and related researches. During late 1980s'and early 1990s', China's interpreters began to focus on theoretical studies on interpretation quality evaluation. It was not until the 1990s'did empirical studies on interpretation quality evaluation start in China.In Chapter 2, the author firstly makes a brief introduction of the interpretive theory and analyzes the feasibility and reliability of regarding information units as the evaluation units in interpretation faithfulness evaluation. Secondly, the author makes an overview of the research findings by scholars and experts involved in interpretation studies. Thirdly, the author proposes a formula called"faithfulness evaluation formula"to evaluate faithfulness in interpretation and explains the meaning of the formula and the process of applying the faithfulness evaluation formula in details.In Chapter 3, in order to test the reliability and feasibility of the proposed faithfulness evaluation formula, the author designs an interpretation test among 15 selected students who major in English and calculates the degrees of faithfulness in their interpreting performance respectively by using the tested data. Then SPSS statistical software is used to make correlation analyses between the degree of interpretation faithfulness and the TEM8 scores of the 15 students to test whether there is a correlation between them. If there is a strong correlation between the degree of faithfulness and the TEM8 scores, then the reliability of the degree of interpretation faithfulness which is obtained from the proposed formula can be proved to some extent, thus to prove the reliability and feasibility of the proposed faithfulness evaluation formula.The conclusion part emphasizes that although a number of achievements have been made in interpretation studies, there remain many problems that need to be solved, especially the research methods should be updated to adapt to the development of interpretation studies. At present, the methods of evaluating the quality of interpretation are quite insufficient, interpretation study should not only focus on the knowledge of social sciences, it should also make good use of the knowledge of natural sciences and take advantage of modern techniques.This is necessary to develop and deepen interpretation studies.Nowadays more and more interdisciplinary knowledge has been used in interpretation quality evaluation. Under this background, it is a feasible and effective way to combine mathematical and statistical knowledge together with interpretation study on the basis of interpretive theory. However, there are still some limitations in the thesis. Therefore, the author points out the limitations and makes some suggestions on interpretation quality evaluation.