On China’s MTI Interpreter Training From Functionalist Perspective

MTI (Master of Translation and Interpreting), as a newly emerged educationalprogram, has received great attention from people of various sectors, includingscholars, educators, administrators and so on. This thesis investigates the currenttraining situation in11universities (with MTI programs on interpreter training)through questionnaires and interviews designed on the basis of the functionalisttranslation theory across the spectrum of classroom teaching, teaching materials,teaching staff, extracurricular activities and internship bases. The data is analyzed inboth quantitative and qualitative ways.The purpose of this study is three-fold：1) to analyze the feasibility of whetherfunctionalist translation theory can be applied to interpreting study and how.2) toinvestigate the current situation of interpreter training in China’s MTI education onthe basis of the broadened functionalist framework.3) to discuss the implications offunctionalism on interpreter training in China’s MTI education.Through theoretical analysis and practical investigation, the present study findsthat the functionalist translation theory can be well applied to interpreting study andthe feasibility can be reflected from three dimensions: skopos in interpreting,coherence in interpreting and interpreting brief. It is also found that functionalistnotions such as translation purpose, situation and target audience are given differentlevels of emphasis in different universities according to their program features,teaching conditions and resources, quality of applicants and geographical locations.Suggestions are given from eight aspects to improve China’s MTI interpreter training.