Segmentation Unit And Its Reformulation Tactics In English-Chinese Simultaneous Interpreting

Simultaneous interpreting is characterized by the integration of multiple tactics. In English-Chinese simultaneous interpreting, segmentation is a frequently used tactic, which refers to segmenting English sentences into units, and then reformulate into Chinese piece by piece. This thesis aims at defining segmentation unit in E-C SI as well as its features, and explores its reformulation tactics in target language. The author holds that segmentation units, in most cases, are verbal structure or modifiers such as subordinate clause, prepositional phrase, or participle, and it is featured by semantic nature, temporal nature and uneven importance nature. In reformulating segmentation units, interpreters should give priority to syntactic linearity tactic, which is stringing segmentation units through repetition or conversion. When syntactic linearity is not feasible, interpreters can employ moderate adjustment tactic, which is proactively adjusting through anticipation or delaying, or flexibly conveying the meaning through simplification or summarization. This thesis consists of six chapters:Chapter1introduces the research background of this thesis and puts forward research question, i.e. defining segmentation unit in E-C SI and exploring its reformulation tactics. In addition, the author introduces the approach of empirical study with interpreting corpus, and illustrates the significance of this thesis to E-C SI practices and studies.Chapter2is a literature review. The author firstly introduces two factors affecting the working mechanism of E-C SI, i.e. the differences between English and Chinese and features of spoken language. Subsequently, the author reviews the studies on segmentation skill and reformulation tactics, with the former including the necessity and feasibility of segmentation, definition of segmentation unit, position for segmenting, and the latter including syntactic linearity and tactics other than syntactic linearity. Finally, the author reviews the studies on interpreting corpus, mainly including the challenges of building interpreting corpus, and the significance of DIY corpus.Chapter3defines segmentation unit, including comparative analysis of Goldman and Seleskovitch’s view, the illustration of the syntactic nature, semantic nature, temporal nature and uneven importance nature of segmentation unit. Subsequently, the author combines the Effort Model of simultaneous interpretation by Gile, and expounds the working mechanism of E-C SI from the perspective of segmentation unit, analyzing the process of recognition, production, coordination and reformulation. Finally, the author briefs the principles and tactics of reformulation.Chapter4is a corpus-based empirical study in which bilingual corpus material of Davos simultaneous interpretation is selected. The author illustrates the process of selecting material, compiling corpus, statistical indexes and data, and holistic analysis.Chapter5is the analysis of specific cases in the corpus in which repetition and conversion in syntactic linearity are analyzed, and anticipation, delaying, simplification and summarization in moderate adjustment are anatomized.Chapter6is the summary of major findings in this thesis, and suggestions for future work.