The Roles Of Interpreters In Guide-Interpreting

Tourism has become a pillar industry of China's national economy.The rapid growth of tourism has boosted the development of tourism translation as well as guide-interpreting.Compared with other forms of interpreting,guide-interpreting displays richer national culture and more flexible forms in practice.Speeches of tour guides are culture-loaded and contain expressions about Chinese history,legends and poems.To create an inspiring environment and attract the attention of visitors,tour guides often deliver speeches offhand.Interpreters need to be flexible and adapt to the changing conditions.Over the past five decades,researches on the roles of interpreters have revealed that interpreters are more than simple information deliverer.They are not invisible but often play multiple roles including cultural mediator,active participant,and assistant.If interpreters are aware of their multiple roles in practice,they will complete their job more successfully.Jinan,the Spring City,is well-known in the world for its spring water resources and unique geographical condition.The World's Best Spring Scenic Area has become a popular tourist destination for international visitors to investigate the tourism resources of Jinan.In this trip,the interpreter does not perform multiple roles as cultural mediator,active participant and assistant at the beginning.However,the practice shows that only when the interpreter realizes the multiple roles in activities can she promote communication and interaction.In most cases,interpreters are compared to language converter,conveying messages and playing the role of information deliverer.Moreover,they are regarded as cultural mediator to bridge cultural gaps and advance mutual understanding between the two sides.Then,interpreters are supposed to participate in interaction to grapple with emergencies and lighten the mood.Eventually,due to the uncertainties in trips,interpreters should assist event organizers to ensure a pleasant visit.All roles mentioned above are what interpreters should be conscious of and perform earnestly in guide-interpreting.