Abstracts
Abstract
This paper will present and discuss the results of an empirical study on perception of quality in interpretation carried out on a sample of 286 interpreters across five continents.
Since the 1980’s the field of Interpreting Studies has been witnessing an ever growing interest in the issue of quality in interpretation both in academia and in professional circles, but research undertaken so far is surprisingly lacking in methodological rigour. This survey is an attempt to revise previous studies on interpreters’ perception of quality through the implementation of new Information Technology which allowed us to administer a traditional research tool such as a questionnaire, in a highly innovative way; i.e., through the World Wide Web. Using multidimensional scaling, a perceptual map based upon the results of the manner in which interpreters ranked a list of linguistic and non-linguistic criteria according to their perception of importance in the interpretative process, was devised.
Keywords/Mots-clés:
- interpreter’s perception,
- quality of interpretation,
- information technology,
- World Wide Web
Résumé
Cette étude présente et examine les résultats d’une enquête sur la qualité en interprétation auprès d’un échantillon de 286 interprètes distribués à travers cinq continents. Depuis les années 1980, l’étude de la qualité en interprétation soulève de plus en plus d’intérêt, aussi bien dans la recherche universitaire que sur le plan professionnel. Toutefois, cette recherche manque encore de rigueur méthodologique. La présente enquête représente une mise à jour des études précédentes sur la perception de la qualité, grâce à l’apport innovateur de l’informatique. L’Internet rend plus efficace un instrument traditionnel comme le questionnaire, dont il permet la distribution et la restitution sous forme de fichier électronique. Les échelles à plusieurs dimensions, utilisées pour décrire la perception de la qualité dans notre questionnaire, ont permis d’examiner l’ordre des priorités en matière de critères linguistiques et non linguistiques.
Appendices
References
- Aaker, D.A., Kumar, V. and G.S. Day (1995): Marketing Research, New York: John Wiley.
- Altman, J. (1994): “Error analysis in the teaching of simultaneous interpreting: a pilot study,” S. Lambert and B. Moser-Mercer (eds.), pp. 25-48.
- Barik, H.C. (1971): “A description of various types of omissions, additions and errors of translation encountered in simultaneous interpretation,” Meta 16-4, pp. 199-210.
- Barik, H.C. (1994): “A description of various types of omissions, additions and errors of translation encountered in simultaneous interpretation,” S. Lambert and B. Moser-Mercer (eds.), pp. 121-137.
- Bühler, H. (1986): “Linguistic (semantic) and extra-linguistic (pragmatic) criteria for the evaluation of conference interpretation and interpreters,” Multilingua 5 (4) pp.231-235.
- Chiaro, D. and G. Nocella (2000): “Impresa e Servizi Linguistici: un’indagine conoscitiva in Emilia-Romagna,” (Giuliana Garzone ed.) Quale curriculum linguistico per l’azienda? Linguisti ed Aziendalisti a confronto, CLUEB, Bologna, pp. 87-197.
- Chiaro, D. and G. Nocella (1999): “Language Management in Italy: a Survey of the Translation Market in Emilia-Romagna,” Basnett S., Bosinelli R.M.& Ulrych M.(eds). Textus, XII pp. 351-368.
- Collados Ais, A. (1998): La evaluación de la calidad en interpretación simultánea. La importancia de la comunicación no verbal, Granata, Editorial Comares.
- Flanagan, D. (1998): Java Script: la guida, Milano, Apogeo.
- Flores d’Arcais, G.B. (1978): “The Contribution of Cognitive Psychology in the Study of Interpretation,” D. Gerver and W. H. Sinaiko (eds.) Language Interpretation and Communication. New York, Plenum, pp. 385-402.
- Gile, D. (1990): “L’évaluation de la qualité de l’interprétation par les délégués: une étude de cas,” The Interpreters’ Newsletter, 3, pp. 66-71.
- Gile, D. (1994): “Methodological Aspects of Interpretation and Translation Research,” Sylvie Lambert and Barbara Moser-Mercer (eds.) Bridging the Gap. Empirical Research in Simultaneous Interpretation, Amsterdam, John Benjamins.
- Gile, D. (1999): “Variability in the perception of fidelity in simultaneous interpretation” Hermes, Journal of Linguistics, 22, pp. 51-79.
- Hair, J. F., Anderson, R. E., Tatham, R. L., and W. C. Black (1995): Multivariate Data Analysis with Readings, New Jersey, Prentice Hall.
- Hermans, T. and J. Lambert (1998): “From Translation Markets to Language Management, the Implications of Translation Services,” Target 10/1, pp. 113-133.
- Jones, R. (1998): Conference Interpreting Explained, Manchester, St. Jerome.
- Kurz, I. (1988): “Conference Interpreting: User Expectations,” in ATA Proceedings of the 30th Annual Conference, pp. 143-148.
- Kurz, I. (1993): “Conference interpretation: expectations in different user groups,” The Interpreters’ Newsletter, 5, pp. 13-21.
- Kopezynski, A. (1994): “Quality in conference interpreting: some pragmatic problems,” Sylvie Lambert and Barbara Moser-Mercer (eds.).
- Lambert, S. and B. Moser-Mercer (eds.) (1994): Bridging the Gap. Empirical Research in Simultaneous Interpretation, Amsterdam, John Benjamins.
- Mack, G. and L. Cattaruzza (1995): “User surveys in SI: a means of learning about quality and/or raising some reasonable doubts,” Tommola, pp. 37-49.
- Meak, L. (1990): “Interprétation et congrès medical: attentes et commentaires,” The Interpreters’ Newsletter, 3 pp. 8-13.
- Oliver, D. (1999): Teach Yourself HTML 4 in 24 Hours, Indianapolis, Sams Publishing.
- Russell Jones, A. (2000): Mastering Active Server Page 3, San Francisco, Sybex.
- Schiffman, S. S., Reynolds, M. L. and F. W. Young (1981): Introduction to multidimensional scaling: Theory, methods and applications, New York, Academic Press.
- Viezzi, M, (1999): Quality Forum 199 Esperienze, Problemi, Prospettive, Trieste, Scuola Superiore di Lingue Moderne per Interpreti e Traduttori.