A Survey On A Correlational Study Between Personality Facts And Interpreting Levels Of English Majors

Nowadays English has been used as one of the most important method ofcommunication all around the world. English learning is attracting more and moreattention from researchers and scholars. Studies have shown that there are many factorsthat influence English learning, such as learners’ cognitive variations, individualdifferences and so on. Personality, as one of the most important individual differences, isplaying a very important role in English learning. As far as English-Chinese interpretingis concerned, interpreters should not only have a good command of all the languageskills including listening, speaking, reading, writing, interpreting and translating, but alsopay attention to the personality factors that directly influence the quality and outcome ofinterpreting.This survey by using Cattell’s16Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF), attemptsto provide a sound explanation on the relationship between personality factors andEnglish interpreting levels of English majors. The survey result is meant to be helpfulfor students to adjust themselves in their studies and interpreting activities according tothe personality factors and improve their interpreting levels accordingly.The structure of this survey includes three parts, an introduction, the main body anda conclusion.The introduction mainly concentrates on the purpose, significance and the domesticand overseas status of the subject.The main body consists of three chapters. Chapter One presents a literature reviewon personality. In Chapter Two, Cattell’s16PF is introduced. And this chapter drawsforth its subjects, research questions and research procedures.Chapter Three deals withthe research findings and discussions. By describing the interpreting features and thequalities of interpreters, this part focuses on the influences of personality on theinterpreting levels.The third part makes a concise conclusion, Group A students who have passed theCATTI tend to be attentive, thoughtful, open to change, imaginary, radical and moreperfectionistic. Group A are more cautious, calm more trusting, confident, relaxed.Conversely,Group B members that score low in the CATTI are relatively lively,enthusiastic,talkative, socially bold, aggressive, more vigilance and suspicious, depressed and anxious, self-reliant and easily getting nervous,conservative. Therefore, learners ofinterpreting practice should learn about the relationship between personality factors andtheir influences on learners of interpreting activities, and adjust themselves according totheir own personality characteristics in order to be able to fulfill the interpreting tasksefficiently and in high quality.