An Analysis Of Trainee Interpreters' Dialogue Coordinating Role In Exhibition Interpreting From The Perspective Of The Interactional Power

Exhibition interpreting is a kind of interpreting practice that trainee interpreters often have.It is highly interactional with its dialogue features.The author found two “abnormal” phenomena when she coordinated exhibition exchanges in her interpreting practice.One was that she hampered exhibition exchanges sometimes by depriving the exhibitor of his right to speak with his customers,and the other was that the exhibitor's customers ignored her interpreting and assistance occasionally,making her embarrassed.The author was confused with her dialogue coordinating role in this context and later found some trainee interpreters had similar experience and doubt.Based on the interactional power,the study conducts a case analysis and survey,aiming at explaining the reasons for the “abnormal” situations and exploring the way for trainee interpreters to play a better coordinating role in exhibition dialogues.The case analysis investigates the author's practice based on turn-taking,and the survey gathers opinions from trainee interpreters and professional ones.Based on previous studies,the paper finds that the dialogue coordination by trainee interpreters in exhibitions relates to dialogue contexts,and that the in-depth reason for the coordination is that trainee interpreters are endowed with the “restricted” interactional power in exhibition dialogues.If they fail to understand that the power is limited,trainee interpreters may encounter the “abnormal” circumstances the author had,i.e.depriving speakers' right to speak and feeling embarrassed when she was disregarded.Whether trainee interpreters will play well the dialogue coordinating role to facilitate exhibition exchanges is grounded in their understandings of the contexts,their “restricted” interactional power and speakers' institutional power and needs and in their interpreting and social skills.With opinions from professional interpreters,the paper gives suggestions in four aspects,i.e.obtaining a right perception of an interpreter's power and role,enhancing interpreting skills and emphasizing interpreting preparation,mastering social skills and building strong psychological quality,and keeping communications with exhibitors and being sensitive to exhibition contexts.