Optimal Relevance In Interpretation Anticipation

This thesis analyzes the anticipation strategy in interpretation from the perspective of optimal relevance. According to Relevance Theory, communicators can understand each other’s communicative purposes by contextual assumptions and seek optimal relevance through an ostensive-inferential process. In fact, anticipation is a process of using inference and making assumptions before the interpretation. This thesis discusses how interpreters make anticipations through making assumptions and inferences so as to know the speaker’s intention in advance and achieve optimal relevance. It will focus on the following two aspects:pre-interpretation anticipation under the guidance of contextual assumptions and while-interpretation anticipation under the guidance of ostension and inference. By anticipation, interpreters can get prepared for the interpretation and improve the interpretation with less stress. However, the results of anticipation and inference may agree with the speaker’s intentions, and that’s achieving optimal relevance. Otherwise, there may be anticipation failures. And then this thesis shows ways to deal with the anticipation failures in the framework of optimal relevance. Mastering the skills of anticipation, making good preparations for the interpretation and dealing with anticipation failures well are necessary for a qualified interpreter.