On The Application Of The Cooperative Principle Toconsecutive Interpretation

As we all know, the Cooperative Principle’s theoretical source is based on thecommunication among people using the same language. That is to say, usually, theCooperative Principle describes how effective communication in conversation is achievedin common social situations where only one language is adopted by speakers and listeners.There are four maxims contained in the cooperative principle, namely, the maxim ofquantity, the maxim of quality, the maxim of manner and the maxim of relevance.When it comes to interpretation, in fact, it also belongs to a kind of verbalcommunication behavior. In this case, the cooperative principle can be applied tointerpretation. However, there still lie differences between common communication andthe activity of interpretation. Interpretation is a kind of communication among peopleusing dissimilar languages with the aid of interpreters. Therefore, differences betweencommon communication and interpretation can be concluded as this: speakers in commoncommunication using one language can have dialogues with each other directly while ininterpretation interpreters as a medium are necessary, for speakers using dissimilarlanguages can not communicate with each other directly. So in interpretation interpreters’role is vital for the whole conversation.In this paper, the author has mentioned that interpreters in consecutive interpretationshould obey the four maxims of the Cooperative Principle and just focuses on theapplication of the Cooperative Principle to consecutive interpretation. Features ofconsecutive interpretation and interpreters’ role in consecutive interpretation are introducedin the paper. Also, the Cooperative Principle and its four maxims are presented in detail.For further study, the author does researches on the four maxims’ application toconsecutive interpretation respectively and analyzes cases and examples to see how theCooperative Principle as a guideline works in consecutive interpretation. And at the end ofthe paper, the author sums up methods for interpreters’ training under the guide of theCooperative Principle.In a word, through obeying the four maxims of cooperative principle, the conversationbetween the speaker and the listener can be carried out smoothly and successfully. And inthis thesis, the author points out that through applying cooperative principle as a guideline into consecutive interpretation we can get a clear view about interpreters’ role ininterpretation. Also, the thesis tells what interpreters should do, what should not do andhow they work in interpretation.