A Study On Preparation For Simultaneous Interpretation From The Perspective Of Cognitive Psychology

Conference preparation is considered an indispensable component in the professional practice of simultaneous interpretation, and the quality of interpretation largely depends on the interpreter’s level of preparedness. But until now, few studies have been conducted on this topic.This research aims to study the difference of opinions between professional interpreters and students in relation to conference preparation. Two surveys were conducted:one was distributed to professional interpreters, the other to students of interpretation at GSTI. Results of both surveys are discussed, and comparisons made between practitioners and students, staff and freelance interpreters, and interpreters with different years of working experience. These findings should contribute to a better understanding of how professional interpreters prepare for conference interpretation tasks. The study could also have useful implications for training.In the literature review, this article introduces the interpretive theory and the cognitive theory of interpretation. This is followed by a review of the studies carried out by Daniel Gile, Jiang Hong and the International Association of Conference Interpreters. Their results provide a good summary of the characteristics, content, methods and useful resources of conference preparation.In conclusion, this article maintains that the preparation of linguistic and extra-linguistic knowledge are inseparable, and that background knowledge is the fundamental guarantee of interpretation quality. It is also observed that professional interpreters value the process of preparation over its results, while most students of interpretation rely too much on ready-made materials provided by professors.