With complex structure, long sentences always have several clauses and multiple semantic meaning, which challenge the working memory of interpreters. Differences in ways of thinking of people contribute to the differences in the structure of sentences, as well as language usage and expressions between Chinese and English speakers. All those elements are barriers in the process of interpretation. Interpretative Theory is the classic theoretical system for interpretation practice. It proposes that interpretation is an act of communication with the focus of translation of sense, as well as "deverbalization". Thus, it serves a great guidance for exploring the strategies toward long sentences interpretation. This paper is based on the author’s practice of the interpretation of the first press conference of the18th National Party Congress. By comparing with the official interpretation, the author’s intention is to find some common rules in dealing with interpretation of long sentences. Five practical strategies have been explored under the guidance of the Interpretive Theory, that is, cutting of sentences, recasting of sense, explicitation of logic relations, equivalent pathetically and semantically, and adding or deducting of words or phrases. The cutting of sentences is a commonly used method, which is on the basis of sense. The recasting of sense requires interpreters to extract the meaning firstly and reorganize them in the targeted language. The explicitation of logic relations refers to alter the implicit relations between sentences into explicit one by adding cohesive words or relatives. The equivalent pathetically and semantically emphasizes the interpretation process as a communicative activity, during which not only the sense, but the tone or emotion was conveyed, so that auditors of the targeted language may have a similar emotionally experience as those of the original language. As the adding or deducting of words or phrases, it is a kind of modification of the expression, which is on the detailed level. Through my practice, I find that the reason we fail to produce well-spoken interpretation is mostly the negative interference of the original language. The right way for us is to get rid of the constraints of language structure, and our special attention need to be on the textual equivalent, not just on the word to word, or phrase to phrase.This paper is made up of four major parts. The first one is about the description and background of the task, choice of the interpretation text and its features. The second part is the preparation and implementation of it. The third part is the case study, with an introduction to the Interpretive Theory, and then the definition and characteristics of the long sentences, finally the case study based on personal practice. The fourth part is about what the author has learned from this task, with a hope to be useful in long sentences interpretation from Chinese to English. |