Short-Term Memory In Interpreting

Interpreting plays an important role in the communication between parties speaking different languages. Meanwhile, studies on interpreting are gaining more and more attention from scholars and learners.Interpreting is an information processing process. The essential position of memory in interpreting is decided by the characteristics of interpreting such as being transient etc. The three memory systems, including sensory stores, short-term memory (STM) and long-term memory (LTM), are inter-related with each other. Improvement of short-term memory contributes a lot to the improvement of interpreting quality. This essay is a tentative study of factors affecting short-term memory. Some methods and strategies are provided based on psychology, linguistic psychology and cognitive psychology etc. to enhance understanding of short-term memory in interpreting.This essay consists of the following sections:Introduction is a narration about the importance of memory in interpreting. Studies and achievements in short-term memory are briefly listed, and it points out the feasibility of this essay.In Chapter I, the three memory systems (sensory stores, short-term memory and long-term memory) are introduced, including their capacity, information retention and features etc.In Chapter II, after a brief introduction of the history of interpreting, a detailed description of interpreting in three popular models are provided, that is the Effort Models developed by Daniel Gile, the Triangle Model based on the Theory of Sense proposed by Danica Seleskovitch & Marianne Lederer and the Interpreting Process Model by the joint efforts of the Xiamen University and the University of Westminster in the Great Britain.Chapter III is related to the significant role short-term memory plays in interpreting. Factors affecting short-term memory are listed on the basis of the three interpreting models and relevant disciplines. Those factors include attention, comprehension, emotion (motivation, target, anxiety, and active/passive situation), and forgetting.Chapter IV: methods and strategies are provided in a tentative way, including proper attention allocation, pressure release, note-taking, extra-linguistic knowledge, chunking, mnemonics etc In addition, several exercise methods are proposed.The last part is a conclusion of this essay. As a complex information processing process, both linguistic and extra-linguistic knowledge are indispensable to improve short-term memory, besides, good psychological quality is also essential. Short-term memory should be trained and improved to improve interpreting quality. Satisfactory interpreting quality can promote multi-lateral communication in the global community, and advance the common development and progress of all the human beings.