Case-based Analysis Of Simplification In Simultaneous Interpretation

Skills of simultaneous interpretation (SI) have been widely discussed bynumerous scholars at home. However, studies on simplification are still lackingcomparing with other strategies. For example, Complementary of LinearInterpretation, Transformation, Repeat and Generalization in E-C SI (Zhang,2008),The Characteristics and Processing of Long Sentence in C-E Interpretation (Feng,2008), Analysis of Techniques in C-E SI (Yuan,2012). This paper, on the basis of thepractices in the class and recording transcripts in simulation training of simultaneousinterpretation (SI), conducts relevant studies on this issue through enumerative andcomparative method.This research is going to illustrate the necessity and effectiveness ofsimplification strategy by elaborating Gile’s Effort Model (Gile,1995) insimultaneous interpretation. Reasonable simplification is a necessary means of SI,mainly for the purpose of facilitating the conversation and helping the audience tounderstand. Meanwhile, based on the practical cases in the class and a large mount ofcorpus from the textbook, specific tactics of simplification strategy will bedemonstrated in detail. These tactics include omission, summarization and reference.Omission means that the dispensable part of the content or the expressions that arenot conform with the habit of target language can be omitted, therefore, moreprecious time can be saved and the target language can be more smooth and natural.Summarization means that the interpreter can summarize the secondary information and grasp the main message when time constraints and the spokesman is fast-talking.Reference means that there is no need to interpret the entire message repeated in thesource language. The adoption of reference can save more valuable time. Furthermore, omission can be subdivided into five: omission of rhetorical expression,omission of number, omission of secondary information, omission of repeatedinformation and omission of enumerative items. Reference can be demonstrated byanalyzing pronouns, such as which, the, it and so on. In the end, a comparativeanalysis will be conducted between simplification and other type of strategies. Theusing frequency of simplification in some certain type of text can be illustratedthrough forms. The difference in selecting SI coping strategies for different textsdemonstrates that simultaneous interpreting not only requires interpreters to mastervarious strategies proficiently, but also to make flexible and proper adjustments ofcoping strategies for tackling texts of different functions.Simplification strategy is not a simple opportunistic way, nor does the interpreterblindly throw the information that he does not understand. Even though theinterpreter possesses a superb language skills and extensive knowledge of the topic,the nature of SI has decided certain degree loss of information. The judgment ofinterpreters in determining what information should be retained or omitted is essential.Only if through a lot of practice, especially a combination of translation andinterpretation, can they learn to tell the primary and secondary information.