Causes And Countermeasures Of Information Loss In Chinese - English Alternative Interpretation

This paper tries to explore the causes of information loss as well as their corresponding strategies in Chinese-English consecutive interpreting. As one of the beginners learning interpretation, based on personal audio recordings and notes of routine practice, the author found that information loss is a common problem for the beginners learning Chinese-English consecutive interpreting. There is much information loss in Chinese-English consecutive interpretation, partly because the distinguishing features of Chinese language. Another part of the problem is caused by the cognitive load of the interpreter, the differences in Chinese and English culture, and psychological factors in the process of consecutive interpretation. Basing on Daniel Gile’s “Cognitive Load Model” and Corder’s “Error Analysis Theory”, combined with the author’s nearly two years’ practical experience of Chinese-English consecutive interpreting, the causes of the information loss are analyzed step by step and tentative solutions are provided.