TrIn 3101: Introduction to Interpreting

Unit 5: Part A. Preparation and Protocol Part B. Core Competencies and Types of Errors

10/20/04

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Assignments due today 10/20/04

1. Reading thought questions: González pp. 210-220, 221-232 and Garber pp. 267-273

2. Weekly Assignment #1: Message Analysis (30 pts) Listen to your recorded live oral dialogue or conversation

from a TV show/news broadcast/radio talk show/lecture. Analyze on paper (2 paragraphs – double space) the

message based on the aspects we have discussed in class.

2. Weekly Assignment #2: Dated journal summarizing the completed exercises #1,5,6,7 found on text page 96 in section 3.1. (25 pts.)

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Practice note-taking with numbers (Unit 4)

• Pair activity: One student of each pair will be given a set of practice sentences.

• As each sentence is pronounced by the instructor, take-notes and repeat the information as accurately as possible.

• Your partner will circle those parts of each sentence that you missed.

• Discussion: What information was difficult for you to remember and why? What techniques could you use to improve your recall?

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Practice: note-taking (groups of 4)

• Context: discrimination and housing• As you actively listen to the text and

using abbreviations, symbols, lines, etc., take quick notes to help you recall the messages.

• Based on your notes and any visualization techniques you may have used, attempt to piece together the content of the text.

• Discuss the notations that seemed to stimulate your memory and why?

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Practice Text: AFP testing

• Silent reading, then discuss in pairs• Determine from the text the following

aspects: – Context: setting– Content: summarize the information – Function: for whom was the article written or

why was it written?– Register: high, technical, low– Affect: emotion (serious, comical, neutral,

angry, etc.) and tone (volume, pitch, intonation)

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Practice in prediction #1Practice in prediction #1

• Context of reading text given Context of reading text given • Students have 2 minutes to write Students have 2 minutes to write

possible topics and key words that are possible topics and key words that are expected to be heardexpected to be heard

• Which of your predictions were relevant Which of your predictions were relevant to the text and why?to the text and why?

• How does prior knowledge and How does prior knowledge and experience influence ease of experience influence ease of understanding, especially understanding, especially comprehension and memory?comprehension and memory?

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Practice in prediction #2Practice in prediction #2

• Context givenContext given• What is the speaker’s goal?What is the speaker’s goal?• What topics will come up?What topics will come up?• List 3 possible questions you may List 3 possible questions you may

expect to hear from the nurse.expect to hear from the nurse.• Which of your questions were Which of your questions were

relevant to the text and why?relevant to the text and why?

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Shadowing

• Purpose: to increase speed of thought processes and to increase vocabulary

• Individual activity (2 minutes): As you listen to the discourse, simply repeat simultaneously with the speaker. If you happen to have a voice recorder with you, you may record the exercise in language A or B.

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Unit 5 Part A: Preparation and Protocol

By the end of Part A, students should be able to:

• Introduce themselves as the interpreter appropriate to a given context

• List all possible information that would be appropriate to include in an introduction in an “ideal” situation

• List “real-world” constraints that limit the time an interpreter has to make an introduction

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Unit 5 Part A: Preparation and Protocol

• Describe how an effective introduction facilitates communication during the interpreted interview

• Discuss cultural and linguistic considerations for meeting clients and providers

• Critically review a video tape of their own introduction in a role-play situation (in November)

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Unit 5 Part B: Core Competencies/Types of Errors

At the end of Part B, students should be able to:

• Identify the core competencies expected of a medical interpreter

• Identify common errors (with cause and effect) made by interpreters

• Give concrete examples of interpreter error

• Describe activities to improve skills and avoid errors

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Discussion Questions

1. How and why are introductions made to the parties involved?

2. What factors does an interpreter need to consider when entering a situation?

3. How is rapport established?4. List possible discourse rules.5. What group dynamics should be

considered?6. What cultural factors and expectations

should be considered in introductions?

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General Guidelines for Introductions

1. Give your name and language.2. Ask whether the provider/client has worked with a

professional interpreter before and tailor information to that answer.

3. Explain the role, including the goal of facilitating communication, confidentiality, accuracy, and completeness, and use of the first-person form.

4. Find out the goal of the encounter—for both the provider and the client.

5. Ask if there are any questions about the interpreter’s role.

6. Answer questions about interpreting, not about the particular provider/client.

7. Include any necessary cultural information.

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Discussion Questions

1. How may introductions to patients and providers differ?

2. How are introductions made when both parties are present in the room compared to meeting each party separately?

3. How should an introduction be tailored to best fit the situation?

4. How might the concerns of the provider differ from the concerns of the patient?

5. How can an effective introduction save time in the long run?

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Introductions and Protocol

• Application Activity 5-2: Eight situations for class discussion and role-playing

• Groups of 3-4: Take turns role-playing one of the situations. Students rotate playing interpreter and provider or client. The fourth student is an observer.

• Each group discusses what happened.

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Core Competencies (primarily for the medical field)

The interpreter . . . • Introduces self and explains role2. Positions self to facilitate

communication3. Reflects the style and vocabulary

of the speaker4. Uses consecutive interpretation

mode and speaks in first person

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Core Competencies

5. Accurately and completely relays the message between patient and provider

6. Ensures that the interpreter understands the message to be transmitted

7. Remains neutral8. Identifies and separates personal beliefs

from those of the other parties9. Identifies and corrects own mistakes10. Addresses culturally-based

miscommunication when necessary

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Group activity

• Each pair of student will briefly summarize at least one standard associated with the eight principles found in the textbook on pp. 269-272.

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Categories of Interpreter Error

1) Literal Translation2) Inadequate Language Proficiency3) Grammatical Errors4) Lexical Errors5) Register Conservation

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Categories of Interpreter Error

6) Distortion, Substitution, Condensation

7) Omission8) Addition9) Protocol, Procedure and Ethics 10) Conservation of Paralinguistic

Elements, Hedges, Fillers

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1. Literal Translation

• The language-deficient interpreter focuses on the exchange of words, rather than the essential ideas, conserving the source language message.– Example: Es una inválida.– Error: She is an invalid person.– Correct: She is an invalid.

• Your example:

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2. Inadequate Language Proficiency

• Lack of proficiency and language fluency• Predicting skills absent• Cognitive and linguistic association for

processing is restricted by wrong choices• Limited attention span in least

developed language• Interference present from one language

to another at all levels• Speed and accuracy compromised

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3. Grammatical Errors

• Grammar errors include verb tenses, gender and number agreement, syntax, etc.– Example: Si hubiera tenido un familiar – Error: Maybe I had a relative there– Correct: Maybe if I had had a relative

there• Your example:

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4. Lexical Errors

• Lack of generalized and specialized vocabulary

• Language-deficient interpreters rely on false cognates, and tend to paraphrase, define, invent, omit, guess.– Example: actualmente– Error: actually– Correct: currently

• Your example:

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5. Register Conservation

• Interpreters have trouble preserving the frozen, formal register of court and the informal, casual register of idioms and slang.– Example: Había muchas orejas.– Error: People talked among each other.– Correct: There were many informants.

• Your example:

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6. Distortion: Substitution, Condensation

• Mistranslation errors distort the overall or partial meaning of the original message.– Substitution: the tendency to replace concepts– Condensation: the tendency to simplify and explain

• Causes include deficient language skills, memory or interpreting skills

• Lack of understanding of the interpreter’s role which includes preservation of profanity and sexually explicit language

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6. Distortion: Substitution, Condensation

• Lengthy (more than 35 words in one response) and short discourse (less than 15 words) can cause problems.

• False starts, emotional intensity, hedges, unfinished sentences and incoherent language may be involved.

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6. Distortion

– Example: Perdí un ojo.– Error: I lost my eyesight.– Correct: I lost an eye.

• Your example:

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7. Omission

• The interpreter partially or completely deletes a message sent by the speaker

• Omits words from articles to portions of discourse because of fatigue, little knowledge of technical terms, regional variants, and information overload.– Example: Pues no lo mataron, sino vivo lo echaron allí.

– Error: Well, they didn’t kill him, they threw him in there.

– Correct: Well, they didn’t kill him, they threw him in there alive.

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8. Addition

• Includes information not expressed by the speaker

• The unskilled interpreter cannot retain the contextual ideas of the source message so he uses synonyms and “thinks aloud”.– Example: No lo sé.– Error: I have no idea. [this is not faithful to the

speaker’s intention or style]

– Correct: I don’t know.

• Your example:

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9. Protocol, Procedures and Ethics

• Interpreters do not understand their role as an objective medium of communication:– Role exchange: the interpreter assumes the

role of the interviewer– Lack of self-correction– Initiates conversations with witnesses or uses

inappropriate tone, summarizes, guesses and does not take notes when necessary

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10. Non-conservation of Paralinguistic Elements, Hedgers, Fillers

• Interpreters do not conserve hesitation words, fillers, interrupted and incomplete sentences, etc.– Example: Este, pues, no sé decirle. Es que

cuando . . . A ver, a ver, vamos a ponerle que . . – Error: Well, uh, because it is that way. Let’s put

it this way . . .– Correct: Well, uh, I don’t know how to say it. It’s

that when . . . Let’s see, let’s see, let’s put it this way. . .

• Your example:

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Vocabulary for midterm exam (10/27/04)

1. Polyglot (128)2. Register (192-93)3. Ad hoc or lay

interpreter (128)4. Relay interpreting5. Verbatim or literal

interpretation6. Sensory/short and

long term memory7. Shadowing (185)

8. Courtroom, medical and conference interpreting

9. Decalage (64)10. Queuing (65)11. Self-monitoring (65-

66)

12. Prediction (79-80)13. A/B languages and

source/target language14. Affect (193)

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Upcoming Assignments

Midterm Exam (for 10/27/04 - 100 pts.): A. Matching vocabulary B. Short essay answers.

Bring ALL of your materials to class!

Assignments (due 11/3/04):

• Weekly assignment #3: Transcript & Error Summary – see instruction sheet (30 pts.)

• Thought questions for readings: Jackson pp. 158-164 and Haffner pp. 150-154

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¿Qué cosa será y es de entender que cuanto más le quita más grande

es? [oyoh le]

¡Hasta la próxima!¡Hasta la próxima!