Simultaneous Interpreting Strategies For Consumer Electronics Launches

With the popularization of mobile phones and computers, Consumer Electronic (CE)launches have grown to become the technology events of the year that attract worldwideattention. However, due to the absence of real-time Simultaneous Interpreting (SI) for CElaunches, there has been some delay in accessing related information in China. This thesischooses Apple’s product launch in2007as the studying case to facilitate the research onthe SI strategies for CE launches.Combining technology and entertainment, CE launch differs from traditional productlaunches and brings new challenges for simultaneous interpreters. These include thetranslation of1) product names and technical terms,2) new product concepts,3) multi-media presentation and4) rhetorically diverse expressions.This thesis delves the SI strategies for the task from the perspective of Skopos Theory,which focuses on translation as an activity with an aim or purpose. Therefore, SI strategiesin question must serve the translation purposes. Providing the target audiences withaccurate, complete and fluent renditions is the core mission of the simultaneousinterpreting for CE launches. In this light, the author offers four solutions:1) conditional“zero translation” for product names and technical terms so as to strike a balance betweeninformation integrity and SI efficiency;2) complementary translation for new productconcepts that reflect the product features and operating functions;3)“summarytranslation” for multimedia presentation with minimum influence on the audiovisualeffects and4) adaptive translation strategy for rhetorically diverse expressions to ensurethe SI efficiency and accuracy, which consists of complementary translation, liberaltranslation and omission. It is hoped that this case study would provide referableexperience for the simultaneous interpreting for CE launches.