Variation Tactic In Chinese-English Consecutive Interpretation At Press Conferences

Press conferences in China usually come in two parts: prepared speeches and Q&As.These are formal occasions where people speak with high register.Both prepared speeches and Q&As pose a challenge to consecutive interpreters working from Chinese to English.In the cases where interpreters are truly unable to deliver correct,comprehensive and smooth interpretation,slight variation based on where they are,who the speaker is and who the audience is could be considered an acceptable coping tactic.Using the press conference for the 4th World Internet Conference as a case study,the thesis discusses some coping methods that derived from the variation tactic,for Chinese to English consecutive interpretation at most press conferences.Based on the author's performance at the press conference,the thesis first analyses the causes for the inadequate delivery,which are: buzzwords that require background knowledge to fully understand;sentences that lack subjects;sentences that are long and complex;sentences that are grammatically incorrect.Drawing inspiration from the variation tactic,the thesis later discusses four coping methods targeted at the four causes respectively,which are: explanatory interpretation;supplementary interpretation;optimum interpretation;transformative interpretation.The thesis also proposes several reasons for the use of the variation tactic.There are objective and subjective reasons.Objective reasons include the speaker's speaking style,the audience's needs and the time limit.Subjective reasons include the limitation on the interpreter's short-term memory,notetaking skills and background knowledge.The thesis draws lessons from the author's own experience and discusses potential coping methods for several scenarios.The aim is to provide practical advice for consecutive interpreters working from Chinese to English at press conferences.