Oral Translation. Its main problems

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The Republic of Kazakhstan Ministry of Education and Science

Suleyman Demirel University

COURSE PAPER

Topic: “Oral Translation. Its main problems”

Specialty: B5020700 - “Translation Studies”

Done by A. Beisembiyev

Advisor L.Y. Chernikova

Senior Instructor

Kaskelen 2013



Content

Introduction

1. Peculiarities of oral translation

1.1 Peculiarities of oral translation

1.2 Problems of oral translation

1.3 Difference between oral and written translation

1.4 Translation Tips

2. Types Of Interpretation

2.1 Simultaneous interpreting

2.1.1 Linguistic peculiarities of simultaneous translation

2.1.2 Whispered interpretation

2.2 Sight language interpretation

2.3 Consecutive interpretation

2.3.1 Note-taking in consecutive interpretation

2.4 The specifics of interpretation

Conclusion

References



Introduction

Throughout the time translation from one language into another has become

the very need and the only way to have inter-lingual communication between people who do not know of one another`s language. In recent years, we can observe such phenomena in the world that one half of people translate what say another half. The people who obey this function are called translator or interpreter, it depends on what kind of translation he performs oral or written, and their role in developing world have risen heavily due to different cultures communicate with each other very intensively but not knowing languages are the main barrier to have business, trading, exchanging etc. Translators are the people who can go over and solve this sort of issue. Consequently, requirements for them have become higher than it was before. In today`s world communication between people is feasible through translation.

When you stop and think about it, everything in life is translation. We translate our feelings into actions. When we put anything into words, we translate our thoughts. Every physical action is a translation from one state to another. Translating from one language into another is only the most obvious form of an activity which is perhaps the most common of all human activities. This maybe the reason people usually take translation for granted, as something that does not require any special effort, and at the same time, why translation is so challenging and full of possibilities.

There is nothing easy or simple about translation, even as there is nothing easy or simple about any human activity. It only looks easy because you are used to doing it. Anyone who is good at a certain activity can make it appear easy, even though, when we pause to think, we realize there is nothing easy about it.

Translation in the formal sense deals with human language, the most common yet the most complex and hallowed of human functions. Language is what makes us who we are. Language can work miracles. Language can kill, and language can heal. Transmitting meaning from one language to another brings people together, helps them share each other's culture, benefit from each other's experience, and makes them aware of how much they all have in common. /tr.handbook/ translation interpretation simultaneous consecutive

The conditions of oral translation impose a number of important restrictions on the translator's performance. Here the interpreter receives a fragment of the original only once and for a short period of time. His translation is also a one-time act with no possibility of any return to the original or any subsequent corrections. This creates additional problems and the users have sometimes to be content with a lower level of equivalence.

Topicality of our research is that one think of translation as a science, another one consider it as a part of art, but practically it is reasonable to consider it as art. Despite giving different notion on the term of translation, one should take into account the most important is transfer the idea as original did and using identified types of translation properly.

Is translation a scientific study or artistic endeavor, is it possible to research it or is it technical craft, a branch of linguistics or of literature?

Novelty in this research is using utilization as a means to act as a bridge between two cultures, translation turns to a uncomplicated and multi-faceted activity or phenomenon.

Goal of this research to reveal different types of translation in contemporary world and show ho to use them in the right way without mixing them up.

According to Benjamin (1923), the twentieth century has been called the age of 'reproduction' or, as Jumplet (1923) points out the age of translation; however, the constant debate as to whether translation is an art or science has a long history. Some scholars may argue that translation is a process of creative thinking; consequently, it is subjective and cannot be systematized by laws.

As our theme is the main types of translation.

Object of research is sort of translation with correct using them during translation process.

In spite of the fact that translation currently plays a crucial role in the world's affair, it has always been considered as second-hand art. In this regard, however, translation has never been granted the dignity of the original work, and has suffered too much on the general judgment of letters.

The material is based on variable researches which have been done by different acclaimed translator across the globe. Before encountering with the source text any translator should be familiar with the main types of translation, as this factor differs him from people who speak foreign language.

The structure of our work is distinguished by ever changing approaches in translation and novel methods in this field.

Our research consists of introduction, types of translations, strategies, methods, characteristics and problems of contemporary translation field.

It would almost be true to say that there are no universally accepted principles of translation, because the only people qualified to formulate them have never agreed among themselves"; therefore, he does not tend to consider translation as a science.

However, applied translation studies focus on the application of translation theories to such aspects of translation as translation practice, the teaching and learning of translation. Translation, as a cognitive science, has to reach beyond linguistics, and calls it "interdisciplinary"; consequently, it seems that he considers translation a science. This science seems to be warmly welcomed by some scholars in the form of 'word for word.' For instance, Norton quotes Horace 65-8 B.C to state that, "it is the duty of a faithful interpreter to translate what he undertakes word for word."

Translation studies can be regarded as a science. However, if we take the product of translation into account, it seems rational to think of it as a craft or art. Whether translation is regarded as a science, art, or craft, it seems significant to note that a good translation should play the same role in the TL as the original did in the SL

Major concepts and models of translation studies are realizing that translation is subliminal process and to perform translation properly, psychological aspect also should be taken into consideration. Because of the rapid growth in the area, particularly over the last decade, difficult decisions have had to be taken regarding the selection of material. It has been decided, for reasons of space and consistency of approach, to focus on written translation rather than oral translation (the latter is commonly known as interpreting or interpretation). The term translation itself has several meanings: it can refer to the general subject field, the product (the text that has been translated) or the process.(the act of producing the translation, otherwise known as translating). The process of translation between two different written languages involves the translator changing an original written text (the source text or ST) in the original verbal language (the source language or SL) into a written text (the target text or TT) in a different verbal language (the target language or TL). This type corresponds to `interlingual translation' and is one of the three categories of translation described by the Czech structuralist Roman Jakobson in his seminal paper.

The purpose of the present work is to study the problems of oral translation and the way these problems may be solved. We have done it by finding salvation to the following tasks:

1) We found out the difference between written and oral translation;

2) We gave the definition to the notion “translation”;

3) We characterized the types of oral translation;

4) We defined the problems of oral translation;

5) We found various ways and translating devices for solving those problems.

6) To give the definition to the notion “translation”;

7) To find out the difference between written and oral translation;

8) To characterize the types of oral translation;

This paper consists of two chapters. The first chapter describes the translation itself, its development and types. In the second chapter there are the problems of translation and the ways of its salvation.

Throughout history, written and spoken translations have played a crucial role in inter human communication, not least in providing access to important texts for scholarship and religious purposes.

Writings on the subject of translation go far back in recorded history. The practice of translation was discussed by, for example, Cicero and Horace (first century BC) and St Jerome (fourth century AD); their writings were to exert an important influence up until the twentieth century.



1. Peculiarities of oral translation

1.1 Translation is a means of interlingual communication

In developing a theory of translation there are so often a number of wrong concepts that constitute problems for the study of interlingual communication: first, the idea that translation is a science and second, the assumption that translating depends on a theory of language that includes all classes of texts, audiences, and circumstances of use.

Translating is not a separate science, but it often does represent specialized skills and can also require aesthetic sensitivity. Skilled translators must have a special capacity for sensing the closest natural equivalent of a text, whether oral or written. But translating is essentially a skill and depends largely on a series of disciplines, for example, linguistics, cultural anthropology, philology, psychology, and theories of communication. In contrast with the various sciences, such as physics, chemistry, and biology, translation is an activity that all bilingual people can engage in without special studies of technical procedures. As efficient bilinguals they quickly sense the degrees of equivalence in comparable texts.

The Role of Translation Theory

To define translation is rather simple; to explain what translation entails is quite another matter. Explaining this phenomenon has been the subject matter of translation theory throughout history.

SIL's commitment to scholarship in language development includes research in translation theory and practice in order to promote greater understanding of the process of translation. This research then informs the practical work of translation teams. In many places, SIL works in partnership with language communities to facilitate the translation of books and booklets for educational programs, stories related to culture and folklore, health and community development resources and Scripture texts.

Quality translation of these important materials should be:

accurate: representing the meaning of the source text as faithfully as possible;

natural: using the receptor language in ways appropriate to the text being translated; and, communicative: expressing the meaning in an understandable way to the intended audience.

SIL's approach to translation theory is multidisciplinary, involving Translation Studies, Cognitive Linguistics, Relevance Theory, Discourse Studies, and other related fields.

In mid-fifties of the last century conference interpreter was still in its infancy with the first simultaneous interpretation having been used after World War II at the Nuremburg Trials (English, French, Russian and German).

In the interwar years consecutive interpretation alone was provided at international gatherings, such as at meetings of the League of Nations in Geneva where English and French were used.

The first interpreters were not trained but entered the profession on the strength of their mastery of languages, prodigious memory, and their impressively broad cultural background. Some of the legendary figures of interpreting include Jean Herbert, Andre Kaminker and Prince Constantin Andronikof, who were personal interpreter to General de Gaulle and one of the founders of AIIC, which was established in 1953.

With the setting up of international and European organizations (United Nations, Council of Europe, European Community) there was a growing need for a much larger number of trained professionals. To meet this continuing challenge, the course has expanded and now encompasses the languages of the European Union and the UN family.

The situation in the early 20 century was totally different from what is known now as conference interpreting - a highly professional field requiring advanced learning and special training. Conference interpreting actually started during World War I, and until then all international meetings of any importance had been held in French for that was language of the 19^th century diplomacy.

After the Armistice had been signed on November 11^th, 1918, interpreters were invited to work for the Armistice Commissions and later at the Conference on the Preliminaries of Peace. This was the period when conference interpreting techniques to be developed. According to the conference interpreter and author Jean Herbert, they interpreted in consecutive in teams of two, each into his mother tongue.

So conference interpreting was becoming a profession, assuming certain standards in the period between the two World Wars. It started as a non-professional skill, developed from sentence-by-sentence interpreting into consecutive proper and involved special techniques of taking notes as well as many others.

This interpreting process required special qualities on top of an excellent command of two languages, among others tact and diplomacy; above average physical endurance and good “nerves”.

All this applies to both consecutive and simultaneous interpreting and interpreters.

Simultaneous interpreting came into life much later although first attempts to initiate this new conference interpreting procedure were occasionally made at multilingual gathering in the late twenties and the early thirties. In the USSR simultaneous interpreting was first introduced at the VI Congress of the Communist International in 1928 with interpreters sitting in the front row of the conference hall trying hard to catch the words of speakers, coming from the rostrum, and taking into heavy microphones hanging on strings of their necks. Isolated booths for interpreters started to be used five years later, in 1933. Attempts to introduce simultaneous interpreting in the International Labour Organization were made a few years before the Second World War. Interpreters there were seated in somewhat like an orchestra pit just below the rostrum. They had no earphone to facilitate listening and had to do their best to understand what came over the loudspeakers. They whispered their translations into a sort of box called a Hushaphone.

With the establishment of the United Nations Organization which opened up an era of multilateral diplomacy, and the development of multilateral economic relations a new era for conference interpreting also began. Simultaneous interpreting gained ground, particularly as Russian, Spanish and Chinese languages were introduced as UN working languages.

Translation is a means of interlingual communication. The translator makes possible an exchange of information between the users of different languages by producing in the target language (TL or the translating language) a text which has an identical communicative value with the source (or original) text (ST).

As a kind of practical activities translation (or the practice of translation) is a set of actions performed by the translator while rendering ST into another language. These actions are largely intuitive and the best results are naturally achieved by translators who are best suited for the job, who are well-trained or have a special aptitude, a talent for it. Masterpieces in translation are created by the past masters of the art, true artists in their profession. At its best translation is an art, a creation of a talented, high-skilled professional.

The theory of translation provides the translator with the appropriate tools of analysis and synthesis, makes him aware of what he is to look for in the original text, what type of information he must convey in TT and how he should act to achieve his goal. In the final analysis, however, his trade remains an art. For science gives the translator the tools, but it takes brains, intuition and talent to handle the tools with great proficiency. Translation is a complicated phenomenon involving linguistic, psychological, cultural, literary and other factors.

The core of the translation theory is the general theory of translation which is concerned with the fundamental aspects of translation inherent in the nature of bilingual communication and therefore common to all translation events, irrespective of what languages are involved or what kind of text and under what circumstances was translated. Basically, replacement of ST by TT of the same communicative value is possible because both texts are produced in human speech governed by the same rules and implying the same relationships between language, reality and the human mind. All languages are means of communication, each language is used to externalize and shape human thinking, all language units are meaningful entities related to non-linguistic realities, all speech units convey information to the communicants. In any language communication is made possible through a complicated logical interpretation by the users of the speech units, involving an assessment of the meaning of the language signs against the information derived from the contextual situation, general knowledge, previous experience, various associations and other factors. The general theory of translation deals, so to speak, with translation universals and is the basis for all other theoretical study in this area, since it describes what translation is and what makes it possible.

The general theory of translation describes the basic principles which bold good for each and every translation event. In each particular case, however, the translating process is influenced both by the common basic factors and by a number of specific variables which stem from the actual conditions and modes of the translator's work: the type of original texts he has to cope with, the form in which ST is presented to him and the form in which he is supposed to submit his translation, the specific requirements he may be called upon to meet in his work, etc.

Contemporary translation activities are characterized by a great variety of types, forms and levels of responsibility. The translator has to deal with works of the great authors of the past and of the leading authors of today, with intricacies of science fiction and the accepted stereotypes of detective stories. He must be able to cope with the elegancy of expression of the best masters of literary style and with the tricks and formalistic experiments of modern avant-gardists. The translator has to preserve and fit into a different linguistic and social context a gamut of shades of meaning and stylistic nuances expressed in the original text by a great variety of language devices: neutral and emotional words, archaic words and new coinages, metaphors and similes, foreign borrowings, dialectal, jargon and slang expressions, stilted phrases and obscenities, proverbs and quotations, illiterate or inaccurate speech, and so on and so forth.

The original text may deal with any subject from general philosophical principles or postulates to minute technicalities in some obscure field of human endeavour. The translator has to tackle complicated specialized descriptions and reports on new discoveries in science or technology for which appropriate terms have not yet been invented. His duty is to translate diplomatic representations and policy statements, scientific dissertations and brilliant satires, maintenance instructions and after-dinner speeches, etc.

Translating a play the translator must bear in mind the requirements of theatrical presentation, and dubbing a film he must see to it that his translation fits the movement of the speakers' lips. The translator may be called upon to make his translation in the shortest possible time, while taking a meal or against the background noise of loud voices or rattling type-writers. In simultaneous interpretation the translator is expected to keep pace with the fastest speakers, to understand all kinds of foreign accents and defective pronunciation, to guess what the speaker meant to say but failed to express due to his inadequate proficiency in the language he speaks.

In consecutive interpretation he is expected to listen to long speeches, taking the necessary notes, and then to produce his translation in full or compressed form, giving all the details or only the main ideas.In some cases the users will be satisfied even with the most general idea of the meaning of the original, in other cases the translator may be taken to task for the slightest omission or minor error.

1.2 Problems of Oral Translation

Consecutive translation is not full by definition. Firstly, even unique memory of some legendary interpreters is hardly able to keep all the details of a long speech, let alone the memory of mere mortals. Secondly, the consecutive translation is fulfilled basically denotatively, i.e. this is not a word-for-word translation of source text but its more or less free interpretation. This either suggests differences and incompleteness.

In consecutive translation the interpreter should rely on as much as possible set of wide and universal equivalents, on the context and on maximally full common and special knowledge base. Context plays the most important role in consecutive translation in contrast to simultaneous translation where the wide context practically absent and the choice of equivalents given by the dictionary is to be made according to the situation and background knowledge.

Professional simultaneous translation is the type of oral translation at international conferences which is realized at the same time with the perception of the message by ear given instantaneously at the source language. The interpreter is at the booth which isolates him from the audience. During the simultaneous translation the information of a strictly limited volume is being processed in the extreme conditions at any space of time.

The extreme conditions of professional simultaneous translation sometimes lead to the statement of a question about appearing the condition of stress at the simultaneous interpreter.

Simultaneous translation is always connected with huge psychological works and often with stress and it is quite natural, because to listen and to speak simultaneously is impossible for a usual man it is a psychological anomaly. It is impossible to translate simultaneously without special equipment. The translator needs earphones, a special booth and most of all he needs skills and translation devices. During the translation the reporter speaks or reads his text to the microphone in one language and the interpreter hears it from the ear-phones and translates it into another language simultaneously with the speaker. When the interpreter speaks to his microphone the audience, which hears his translation from the ear-phones, must gain an impression that the speaker reporter speaks in their language.

The specialists pay special attention to the following factors which determine the difficulty of simultaneous translation:

- Psycho physiological discomfort caused by the necessity to listen and to speak simultaneously;

- Psycho physiological strain connected with irreversibility of that the reporter has said into the microphone. The reporter won't be stopped and asked to repeat;

- Psychological strain connected with big audience and irreversibility of the translation. It is impossible to excuse and to correct;

- Psycho physiological strain caused by quick speech. The simultaneous interpreter must always speak quickly without pauses otherwise he will be left behind. But the pauses in speech bring not only semantic but psycho physiological work: to take breath, to collect one's thoughts.

- Difficult linguistic task of tying up the utterances in the languages which have different structure during the simultaneous translation, when the context is extremely limited and there is lack of time for translation;

- A difficult linguistic task of speech compression which helps to compensate the translation into the language which has long words and verbose rhetoric. These factors work in the ideal case when the reporter speaks in a usual speed in a clear literal language, when his pronunciation is standard and he understands that he is being translated and he is interested in that the audience to understand him. But this happens rarely.

The simultaneous interpreter must always be ready morally and professionally that:

the reporter will speak very fast or will read the text of his speech;

the reporter's pronunciation will be indistinct or nonstandard;

the reporter will use nonstandard abbreviations in his speech, which weren't entered beforehand, or professional jargon words or expressions.

All these difficulties may undoubtedly present at consecutive translation but there always exist a feed-back with the reporter. The interpreter may ask again, ask to repeat and there is always a contact of the interpreter with the audience where is surely someone who knows the language and subject of the speech and he will always prompt and correct benevolently, as a rule, if the translation is well in general.

Oral literature translation

Stories that are or have been transmitted in spoken form, such as public recitation, rather than through writing or printing.

Most pre-literate societies have had a tradition of oral literature, including short folk tales, legends, myths, proverbs, and riddles, as well as longer narrative works; and most of the ancient epics - such as the Greek Odyssey and the Mesopotamian Gilgamesh - seem to have been composed and added to over many centuries before they were committed to writing.

Some ancient stories from oral traditions were not written down as literary works until the 19th century, such as the Finnish Kalevala ; many fairy tales, such as those collected in Germany by the Grimm brothers, also come into this category. Much of this sort of folk literature may have been consciously embellished and altered, as happened in 19th-century Europe for nationalistic purposes.

Oral literatures have continued to influence the development of national written literatures in the 20th century, particularly in Africa, central Asia, and Australia. Russian investigations and studies of oral literature in the Balkans, originally undertaken to illuminate the oral basis of Homeric narrative, have prompted collections and scientific studies in many other parts of the world.

Oral poetry, poetry composed and transmitted without the aid of writing. The term is usually applied to narrative poetry composed in pre-literate societies, since there is very little evidence for other kinds of poetry. The Greek epic poems of Homer, the Iliad and Odyssey, are generally believed to be in origin oral compositions. It is characteristic of oral poetry that it contains `formulae', repeated words, especially `stock' epithets and phrases, even whole lines and paragraphs describing typical scenes, which enable the poet who has already committed them to memory to deliver a poem extempore when required. It is generally felt that if a poem is the product of oral composition, disproportionate significance should not be given to, for example, epithets which fit the metre but not the context, or slight discrepancies between one typical scene and another.

1.3 Difference between oral and written translation

Many people have bad imagine the difference between the work of translation and interpreter. It seems that the two translators, important to know the language, either orally or on paper - it tenth. In fact, interpretation and translation services - these are two very different lessons in effect, requiring different skills, and even different knowledge. To explain the difference between translation and interpretation, we present the main differences between these two types of translation work. After reading this article, you can click on the link for further study issues relating to professional translation work.

Translation of strife. No wonder the English translators and interpreters are called in different words: «interpreter», and «translator». A person unfamiliar with the subject it seems that there is minimal difference between spoken and written translations. Just one word translates orally, while the other they just wrote. In fact, between them there is a huge difference in the translation process, the difficulties that must be overcome by the one and other, used their professional skills and techniques and, finally, just in the required talents.

Translator must have good written style, should be able to use the expressive words, phrases, allusions, reservations, and other linguistic nuances that exist in different languages, on paper. Translator is usually enough time to think (which is a luxury for an interpreter), it also has at its disposal printed resources (dictionaries, materials, and so on), and is free to take a break in his work when he want. Thus, the translator usually works under relatively low pressure.

Translator must possess their own language so as to accurately convey it to the linguistic and semantic nuances of the translated text. This means that the translator did not even have to be in the full sense of the word bilingual. He must have skills to work effectively with a written source in another language, but when it goes to the interpretation, the skills of an interpreter should be substantially different. Translator, thus, works as it were in a monospaced aspect: its source - the words on paper, and the end result of his work - the words on paper.

A very different picture holds for the interpretation. An interpreter must be able to translate spoken language in two ways. But he usually has no opportunity to take advantage of any supporting materials - dictionaries, reference materials, or expertise. From the interpreter is required to find the solution of linguistic problems immediately, here and now. Psychological pressure when such work is immeasurably higher.

In addition to the actual translation of an interpreter should also serve as a bridge between people, conveying their tone, hints and emotions. Especially hard work of an interpreter in the case of tense and conflict negotiation. In this case, the translator must possess not only great professionalism, but also diplomacy. Thus, the role of an interpreter for interpretation is much more complicated rather than the written. As an interpreter must simultaneously deal with language and with people.

For some reason, most laypeople refer to both translation and interpretation as "translation." Although translation and interpretation share the common goal of taking information that is available in one language and converting it to another, they are in fact two separate processes. So what is the difference between translation and interpretation? It's very simple.

Translation is written - it involves taking a written text (such as a book or an article) and translating it in writing into the target language.

Interpretation is oral - it refers to listening to something spoken (a speech or phone conversation) and interpreting it orally into the target language. (Incidentally, those who facilitate communicate between hearing persons and deaf/hard-of-hearing persons are also known as interpreters - learn more.)

So you can see that the main difference is in how the information is presented - orally in interpretation and written in translation. This might seem like a subtle distinction, but if you consider your own language skills, the odds are that your ability to read/write and listen/speak are not identical - you are probably more skilled at one pair or the other. So translators are excellent writers, while interpreters have superior oral communication skills. In addition, spoken language is quite different from written, which adds a further dimension to the distinction. Then there's the fact that translators work alone to produce a translation, while interpreters work with two or more people/groups to provide an interpretation on the spot during negotiations, seminars, phone conversations.

1.4 Translation Tips

Many people believe that translation is an easy thing and all you have to do is to change words from the source text into the equivalent words of a target text. However, this is not true since some phrases, if translated literaly, would make no sense. Translation is a very complicated process which has to consider many factors - the genre and the style of the original text, the translator's competence, the timeline allocated to the project and many more. There is a great number of useful translation tips available online and offline, yet every translator has their own reliable methods and techniques, built on expertise and time. Here, we summarized the most essential translation tips that can come in handy both for the oral translation and the written translation.

Oral Translation Tips

Interpreting - simultaneous, consecutive and whispering - is considered to be the most difficult type of translation. To achieve great results in this domain, an interpreter is expected to (a) have a high level of competence in different areas, (b) understand and critically analyze the translated information, (c) know how to highlight the key elements in the text, (d) constantly enrich their professional vocabulary, etc. The personal features of an interpreter - such as a quick reaction, clear articulation, and bright mind - are also of great importance.

The most essential interpretation tips are as follows:

In advance familiarize yourself with the topic of the speech

Note down main points of the speech - it'll help you when interpreting

Translate and clarify the meaning of special terms and key words prior to interpreting

Establish friendly relations between you and the speaker at a consecutive translation

Remember to pronounce words distinctly and clearly

Produce a brief summary at the end of the speech - it helps to clarify conclusions

React quickly and be ready to work under pressure

Enjoy what you are doing ..:-) there won't be a second chance

Transmit a clear message to the target audience

Written Translation Tips

Written translation is completely different from any other type of translation. As a rule, there is no need to react instantly - you can take your time, think, choose a better variant, use a dictionary, consult a specialist, etc. Like any other translation it should convey the meaning and the music of the source language. Also, you need to be very accurate with the language and give proper weigh to stylistic features.

The most important translation tips are as follows

Rely on your wits and savvy - it can prove to be helpful when translating a difficult text

Ask a specialist or a native speaker to proofread your translation so that it sounds natural

Never accept a project which you know is not within your abilities

Skills and translation expertise come with time - remember it!

Language nuances do matter when making a professional translation

A good translation is worth taking time for!

The way documents are organized in one country may not be understood in another

Emulate the original style of the author, be it humorous, wordy, with colloquial or scientific language, etc.

2. Types of interpritation

Interpretation consists of two phases - 1) perception, 2) speaking, which occur in rapid succession, so that if a segment was not perceived in a distorted form, you must provide the basic semantic units to be converted. The quality of translation can often affect both physical factors (extraneous conversations, building, buzz, transport ...), and linguistic factors (translator unknown words, abbreviations, terms). All this we must learn to overcome, highlighting meaningful units based on previous context. To do this, in addition to language training, a general erudition, country preparedness, knowledge of common phrases, grammar and intonation communications offerings. Should be considered gestures of speakers, as well as the situation in which the transfer takes place. For interpretation, the term of the choice of lexical items from the language of the translation is minimal, and this requires the ability to quickly find the closest match to the word, refractory translation, but keeping its basic value. You must learn the rules more complex transformation of a simple but synonymous. Consecutive two-way translation is sketchy, and sometimes requires the translation speed. This leads to the fact that the mind as it develops, the need to listen and take notes. It also requires the ability of the interpreter to act "on stage" at the center of attention.

In consecutive interpreting dialogue speech are transferred to a small volume of the utterance. In consecutive interpreting speech monologue the length of intervals ranging from two up to 7-8 minutes, more time is boredom, distraction. If possible and time-saving performance is sometimes translated in advance.

Two-way translation can be of two types: 1) the indention-phrase - (amount of information relatively large), is used for communication in the home, at work, at social events, shopping, at a party - requires the interpreter the ability to navigate the environment, rapid reactions, knowledge of speech etiquette, as well as general knowledge.

Consecutive interpreting with a record - is used during official meetings in charge of negotiations, lectures, seminars, this translation requires considerable precision, as the correct interpretation of what has been said often determine the fate not only talks, but also countries. This is the most complex form of interpreting, which requires high professionalism, deep knowledge of subject, self-confidence.

Also, the type of interpretation is a movie / video transfer, which is more opportunity for creativity.

The main task of film / video transfer - do not distort the author's intention, the quality of the dialogue, to preserve the style, to bring individual age. One of the difficulties of film / video transfer is that the characters in movies do not tell "on a translation." Lexicon of film / video transfer is the lexicon, as close to the lexicon of everyday speech, it's slang, archaisms, vulgarisms, dialects. Transfer film / video combines features of serial and translation; this is an extremely complex process that requires extensive experience and knowledge.

Oral translation is included in the services of almost every translation agency. Interpretation is required at conferences, meetings and in any event involving people that speak different languages. Interpretation is often put in the context of conference interpreting as it is most often used at conferences. It must be remembered that oral translation is provided by an interpreter and written translation by a translator.

When ordering interpretation services one must always take into account that for a successful performance at least a three-week prior notice, preferably even a month's advance notice, of the event is required. Client should be as dutiful as possible in ensuring that the authors of presentations would send their reports by a given deadline and provide interpreters with necessary materials at least five days before the event is due. In case of easier speeches or texts, two-three days will also be sufficient. In that way the interpreter can ensure best results, for there is enough time to go through the subject of presentations, the terms used, the speaker's language use and other relevant details. With the lack of presentation related information provided in advance, interpreters may ask a higher price for the simultaneous interpretation.

Types of interpretation

Simultaneous interpreting

Interpretation is performed at interpreter's booth simultaneously with the speaker's presentation and the text in the target language reaches the listeners through special headphones. There are normally at least two interpreters in the interpreter's booth since one interpreter cannot interpret for more than half an hour on a continuous basis.

Whispered interpreting

Similar to simultaneous interpretation in that the interpretation takes place simultaneously with the speaking, but is characterized by no requirement of special equipment and the interpretation is whispered to only a few people.

Written text interpreting

In this case not spoken text is interpreted, instead, the source-language text is read from sheet and interpretation is given orally.

Sign language interpreting

As the name says the text is either interpreted into or from sign language in order to ensure the linguistic equality of all parties involved. In Estonia, this type of interpreting is provided by Estonian Association of Sign Language Interpreters.

Consecutive interpreting

Speaker's text is interpreted usually by time slots of 5 to 15 minutes, depending on the difficulty of the text, interpreting by shorter phases is also called parroting. Consecutive interpretation requires no special equipment; interpreters use their notes taken during the speech.

2.1 Simultaneous translation

Simultaneous interpretation is the ability to listen to a message delivered in a language while interpreting those words into another language, all in real time. This demanding, highly-skilled craft is used for industry conferences, sales meetings, international seminars and training seminars, governmental meetings, legal settings and trade shows, among many other instances. In every case, the use of simultaneous interpreters is pivotal to the success of the event, since among all the specific goals on the agenda, one of the prime objectives is to achieve an effective and accurate communication. This modality of interpretation generally requires the use of equipment, thus enabling transmission to audiences, large or small. For the most part, skilled simultaneous interpreters work in pairs, in order to be able to maintain the concentration required to perform the task at hand.

In (extempore) simultaneous interpretation (SI), the interpreter renders the message in the target-language as quickly as he or she can formulate it from the source language, while the source-language speaker continuously speaks; a spoken language SI interpreter, sitting in a sound-proof booth, speaks into a microphone, while clearly seeing and hearing the source-language speaker via earphones. The simultaneous interpretation is rendered to the target-language listeners via their earphones. Moreover, SI is the common mode used by sign language interpreters, although the person using the source language, the interpreter and the target language recipient (since either the hearing person or the deaf person may be delivering the message) must necessarily be in close proximity.

A simultaneous interpreter is someone who interprets a speaker in another language in real time without interruption. For you to get a clearer picture, a comparison with the more common consecutive interpreting is merited here. A consecutive interpreter does not start interpreting the speaker unless the speaker allows him to do so. He waits for his cue to start speaking, hence the interruption. As you can see, while simultaneous interpreting maybe the more fluid and less time-consuming method between the two, it is by far the most difficult interpreting method. Few translators can do it and even fewer simultaneous interpreters can do it well.

This type of interpretation features a high level of training and skill and is the most demanding method. Simultaneous interpreters directly repeat what the speaker is saying with no pauses. The interpreter does not have the time to understand the speaker's complete message before repeating it, so a healthy knowledge of the subject matter beforehand is critical. This method is used for conferences, seminars, political events, and on guided tours.

Simultaneous interpretation is a highly specialized area of translations, which requires accurate and complete translation, orally and at the same rate of speech as the speaker, with only a few seconds of lag time. Simultaneous interpreters must have, not only complete mastery of the languages, but also of their cultures. In addition they must have technical knowledge of the subject to be discussed, as well as the required simultaneous interpretation training, skill, and experience

2.1.1 Linguistic peculiarities of simultaneous translation

During the translation the simultaneous interpreter chooses equivalents on basis of:

- common linguistic knowledge;

- microcontext;

- common background information;

- special information.

Here is the example of choosing the equivalents in translating the fragment of the report “Patents and other industrial property titles and their licensing.”

“When technology is to be used in cooperation with a third party, whether in the form of a license, as it is the main aspect of this paper, or by merger or by taking capital investment of a third party into the company owning the technology, it is of tremendous importance to determine the value of patents and other intangible assets, in the following designated as intellectual property rights (IPR), belonging to the respective entity”.

Simultaneous translation of the fragment:

“Когда технология применяется совместно с третьей стороной, либо в форме лицензии, как в этом докладе, либо путем слияния или же вложения капитала третьей стороны в фирму, владеющую технологией, чрезвычайно важно определить стоимость патентов и прочих нематериальных активов, что в дальнейшем мы будем называть Правами на интеллектуальную собственность, принадлежащими данному субъекту”.

At first we should note that the interpreter didn't choose the equivalents during the translation as he had chosen and remembered them earlier. These terms are “merger” - “слияние”, “intangible assets” - “нематериальные активы”, “entity” - “субъект (права)”.

At the same time there was a different interpretation and exchanging of some usual equivalents with those which do structurally and stylistically. They are “capital investment” - “инвестиция” was exchanged for “вложение капитала”, “in cooperation” - “в сотрудничестве” was exchanged for “совместно”.

There are main devices which were formed during the long development of oral translation and they are used in the work of simultaneous interpreter. They are speech compression, omission and addition of the material.

During the oral translation from Russian into English the compression is required when there are repetitions, words of little importance or when the speaker is too fast. In order not to be behind the speaker and not to miss important segments of his speech the interpreter has to choose between lexical and syntactical equivalents which must be compressed. e.g. “На международном, национальном и местном уровнях” can be translated as “on all levels” or “on several levels”.

The ability to abridge and to condense oral speech is one of the most important abilities in the art of simultaneous translation. But, in order not to misrepresent the speaker's idea using short words or omitting unnecessary words he is forced to decide each time what is superfluous and should be omitted.

“Госсекретарь предложил созвать конференцию”

“The secretary of state proposed a conference”

“Просмотр состоится 22 сентября”

“The showing is on September 22”

“Это было опубликовано в газете Нью-Йорк Таймс”

“This appeared in the New York Times”

Though during the translation from Russian into English the text is usually becomes shorter sometimes there are the opposite cases. It happens when the rules

of English grammar and the structure of the language require addition of the article or when the complex type of tense is used. e.g. “We shall have been doing this”

The time is spending on the translation increases if the interpreter has to define more precisely or explain Russian realias.

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