1887
Volume 67, Issue 2
  • ISSN 0521-9744
  • E-ISSN: 1569-9668
USD
Buy:$35.00 + Taxes

Abstract

Abstract

Interpreting is an activity embedded in a particular socio-cultural context that underpins norms of interpreting. Adopting the descriptive translation studies approach, this study aims to find out whether the interpretation for the Chinese government by institutional interpreters is becoming more target-oriented in the decade of the 2010s in comparison with the 1990s. Through both quantitative and qualitative analyses of the Corpus of Interpreted Chinese Government Press Conferences in the 1990s and that of the 2010s, the study reveals that there is a significant increase in the total number of target-oriented shifts in the 2010s, manifested predominantly in “inserting hedges before propositional statements” and “modality shifts to attenuate ST’s categorical force.” Only minimal differences are found for the number of shifts in “explicitation of emphatic meanings,” “specification of Chinese source deictic lexis,” and “explicitation of implicit logic relations” between the two periods. The results thus indicate a general trend of becoming more target-oriented in interpreting, particularly a tendency to mitigate ST’s illocutionary force to a greater extent in the 2010s. Such changes in China’s institutional interpreting are correlated with the evolving socio-political context and the norms of institutional interpreting.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/babel.00215.pan
2021-06-09
2025-04-19
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Beaton, Morven
    2007 “Interpreted Ideologies in Institutional Discourse: The Case of the European Parliament.” The Translator13 (2): 271–296. 10.1080/13556509.2007.10799241
    https://doi.org/10.1080/13556509.2007.10799241 [Google Scholar]
  2. 2010 “Negotiating Identities in the European Parliament: The Role of Simultaneous Interpreting.” InText and Context: Essays on Translation and Interpreting in Honor of Ian Mason, edited byMona Baker, Maeve Olohan, and Maria Calzada Perez, 117–138. Manchester: St. Jerome.
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Chang, Chia-chien, and Michelle Min-chia Wu
    2009 “Address Form Shifts in Interpreted Q&A Sessions.” Interpreting11 (2): 164–189. 10.1075/intp.11.2.04cha
    https://doi.org/10.1075/intp.11.2.04cha [Google Scholar]
  4. Chen, Mingming
    2014 “Zai dangzheng wenjian fanyi Zhong goujian rongtong Zhong Wai de xin gainian xin fanchou xin biaoshu” 在党政文件翻译中构建融通中外的新概念新范畴新表述 [Formulating new concepts, categories and expressions that are acceptable to both Chinese and foreign cultures in the translations of the Party’s and government’s documents]. Zhongguo fanyi中国翻译 [Chinese translators journal] 35 (3): 9–10.
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Diriker, Ebru
    2004De-/Re-Contextualizing Conference Interpreting. Interpreters in the Ivory Tower?Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 10.1075/btl.53
    https://doi.org/10.1075/btl.53 [Google Scholar]
  6. Duflou, Veerle
    2007 “Norm Research in Conference Interpreting: How can the Study of Documentary Sources Contribute to a Better Understanding of Norms?” MuTra 2007 – LSP Translation Scenarios: Conference Proceedings, edited byHeidrun Gerzymisch-Arbogast and Gerhard Budin. Accessed10 February 2021. hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-679867
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Feng, Qinghua, and Kefang Chen
    2008An Elementary Coursebook on Chinese-English Translation. Beijing: Gaodeng jiaoyu chubanshe.
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Fovo, Eugenia Dal
    2018 “European Union Politics Interpreted on Screen: A Corpus-based Investigation on the Interpretation of the Third 2014 EU Presidential Debate.” InMaking Way in Corpus-based Interpreting Studies, edited byMariachiara Russo, Claudio Bendazzoli, and Bart Defrancq, 157–184. Singapore: Springer. 10.1007/978‑981‑10‑6199‑8_9
    https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6199-8_9 [Google Scholar]
  9. Fu, Rongbo
    2016 “Comparing Modal Patterns in Chinese-English Interpreted and Translated Discourses in Diplomatic Setting: A Systemic Functional Approach.” Babel62 (1): 104–121. 10.1075/babel.62.1.06fu
    https://doi.org/10.1075/babel.62.1.06fu [Google Scholar]
  10. Fu, Rongbo, and Jing Chen
    2019 “Negotiating Interpersonal Relations in Chinese-English Diplomatic Interpreting Explicitation of Modality as a Case in Point.” Interpreting21(1): 12–35. 10.1075/intp.00018.fu
    https://doi.org/10.1075/intp.00018.fu [Google Scholar]
  11. Gile, Daniel
    1999 “Norms in Research on Conference Interpreting: A Response to Theo Hermans and Gideon Toury.” InTranslation and Norms, edited byChristina Schaffner, 98–105. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
    [Google Scholar]
  12. 2009Basic Concepts and Models for Interpreter and Translator Training. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 10.1075/btl.8
    https://doi.org/10.1075/btl.8 [Google Scholar]
  13. Guo, Jiading
    1984 “Guanyu zhengzhi huitan kouyi de diandi tihui” 关于政治会谈口译的点滴体会 [Bits of reflection on political conference interpreting]. Zhongguo fanyi中国翻译 [Chinese translators journal] 6 (11): 16–21.
    [Google Scholar]
  14. 2013 “Shiliu zi biaozhun xuanchu fanyi” 十六字标准选出翻译 [Filtering out interpreters by a 16-character criterion]. Jinan shibao济南时报 [Jinan times]. news.sina.com.cn/o/2013-03-18/042026560372.shtml
    [Google Scholar]
  15. 2004 “Zhou zongli yu ta shenbian de fanyi renyuan” 周总理与他身边的翻译人员 [Premier Zhou and the translators and interpreters working for him]. Shanghai keji fanyi上海科技翻译 [Shanghai journal of translators for science and technology] 19 (2): 1–2.
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Gumul, Ewa
    2006 “Explication in Simultaneous Interpreting: A Strategy or a By-product of Language Mediation?” Across Language and Cultures7 (2): 171–190. 10.1556/Acr.7.2006.2.2
    https://doi.org/10.1556/Acr.7.2006.2.2 [Google Scholar]
  17. 2017 “Explicitation and Directionality in Simultaneous Interpreting.” Linguistica Silesiana38: 311–329.
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Halliday, Michael Alexander Kirkwood
    2000An Introduction to Functional Grammar, 2nd ed. Beijing: Waiyu jiaoxue yu yanjiu chubanshe.
    [Google Scholar]
  19. Huang, Youyi, Changqi Huang, and Jie Ding
    2014 “Zhongshi dangzheng wenxian duiwai fanyi, jiaqiang duiwai huayu tixi jianshe” 重视党政文献对外翻译,加强对外话语体系建设 [Highlighting the translation into foreign languages of the Party’s and government’s documents, and promoting the construction of discourse system for international communication]. Zhongguo fanyi中国翻译 [Chinese translators journal] 35 (3): 5–7.
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Huang, Youyi
    2015 “Zhongguo zhandao le guoji wutai zhongyang, women ruhe fanyi” 中国站到了国际舞台中央, 我们如何翻译 [China has come to the fore at the world stage: how should we translate?]. Zhongguo fanyi中国翻译 [Chinese translators journal] 36 (5): 5–7.
    [Google Scholar]
  21. Hu, Guangwei, and Feng Cao
    2011 “Hedging and Boosting in Abstracts of Applied Linguistics Articles: A Comparative Study of English- and Chinese-Medium Journals.” Journal of Pragmatics43 (11): 2795–2809. 10.1016/j.pragma.2011.04.007
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2011.04.007 [Google Scholar]
  22. Hu, Kaibao, and Qing Tao
    2009 “Han Ying huiyi kouyi zhong yubian yiyi xianhua ji qi dongyin yanjiu” 汉英会议口译中语篇意义显化及其动因研究 [Explicitation in the Chinese-English conference interpreting and its motivation]. Jiefangjun waiguoyu xueyuan xuebao解放军外国语学院学报 [Journal of PLA university of foreign languages] 32 (4): 67–73.
    [Google Scholar]
  23. Hyland, Ken
    1996 “Talking to the Academy: Forms of Hedging in Science Research Articles.” Written Communication13 (2): 251–281. 10.1177/0741088396013002004
    https://doi.org/10.1177/0741088396013002004 [Google Scholar]
  24. Jia, Yuling
    2013 “Cong duanju tan ruhe tigao waixuan fanyi de keduxing” 从断句谈如何提高外宣翻译的可读性 [On how to increase the readability in diplomatic translation: sentence-segmentation as a case in point]. Zhongguo fanyi中国翻译 [Chinese translators journal] 34 (4): 110–112.
    [Google Scholar]
  25. Li, Jingjing, and Saihong Li
    2015 “New Trends of Chinese Political Translation in the Age of Globalization.” Perspectives23 (3): 424–439. 10.1080/0907676X.2014.983530
    https://doi.org/10.1080/0907676X.2014.983530 [Google Scholar]
  26. Li, Xin
    2018The Reconstruction of Modality in Chinese-English Government Press Conference Interpreting: A Corpus-based Study. Singapore: Springer. 10.1007/978‑981‑10‑5169‑2
    https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5169-2 [Google Scholar]
  27. Magnifico, Cédric, and Bart Defrancq
    2017 “Hedges in Conference Interpreting: The Role of Gender.” Interpreting19 (1): 21–46. 10.1075/intp.19.1.02mag
    https://doi.org/10.1075/intp.19.1.02mag [Google Scholar]
  28. Marzocchi, Carlo
    2005 “On Norms and Ethics in the Discourse on Interpreting.” The Interpreters’ Newsletter13: 87–107.
    [Google Scholar]
  29. Meyer, Bernd
    2008 “Interpreting Proper Names: Different Interventions in Simultaneous and Consecutive Interpreting?” Trans-kom1 (1): 105–122.
    [Google Scholar]
  30. Monacelli, Claudia
    2006 “Implications of Translational Shifts in Interpreter-Mediated Texts.” Pragmatics16 (4): 457–473. 10.1075/prag.16.4.03mon
    https://doi.org/10.1075/prag.16.4.03mon [Google Scholar]
  31. Munday, Jeremy
    1998 “A Computer-assisted Approach to the Analysis of Translation Shifts.” Meta43 (4): 542–556. 10.7202/003680ar
    https://doi.org/10.7202/003680ar [Google Scholar]
  32. Nisbett, Richard E., Kaiping Peng, Incheol Choi, and Ara Norenzayan
    2001 “Culture and Systems of Thought: Holistic Versus Analytic Cognition.” Psychological Review108: 291–310. 10.1037/0033‑295X.108.2.291
    https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.108.2.291 [Google Scholar]
  33. Pan, Feng, and Binghan Zheng
    2017 “Gender Difference of Hedging in Interpreting for Chinese Government Press Conferences: A Corpus-based Study.” Across Languages and Cultures18 (2): 171–193. 10.1556/084.2017.18.2.1
    https://doi.org/10.1556/084.2017.18.2.1 [Google Scholar]
  34. Pöchhacker, Franz
    1995 “Simultaneous Interpreting: A Functionalist Perspective.” Hermes14: 31–53.
    [Google Scholar]
  35. Ren, Xiaoping
    2004 “Waijiaobu gaoji fanyi peixun” 外交部高级翻译培训 [Introducing the training of advanced interpreters in the Foreign Ministry]. Zhongguo fanyi中国翻译 [Chinese translators journal] 25 (1): 61–62.
    [Google Scholar]
  36. Shlesinger, Miriam
    1989 “Extending the Theory of Translation to Interpretation: Norms as a Case in Point.” Target1: 111–115. 10.1075/target.1.1.09shl
    https://doi.org/10.1075/target.1.1.09shl [Google Scholar]
  37. 1999 “Norms, Strategies and Constraints: How do we Tell Them Apart?” InAnovar / anosar, estudios de traducción e interpretación [Anovar / anosar: Translation and interpreting studies], edited byAlberto Álvarez Lugrís, and Anxo Fernández Ocampo, 65–77. Vigo: Servicio de Publicacións da Universidade de Vigo.
    [Google Scholar]
  38. Shi, Yanhua
    2007 “Zenyang zuohao waijiao kouyi gongzuo” 怎样做好外交口译工作 [How to do a good Job in performing diplomatic interpreting]. Zhongguo fanyi中国翻译 [Chinese translators journal] 28 (3): 57–60.
    [Google Scholar]
  39. 2009 “Waijiao fanyi liushi nian” 外交翻译60年 [Diplomatic interpreting in the past six decades]. Zhongguo fanyi中国翻译 [Chinese translators journal] 30 (5): 9–12.
    [Google Scholar]
  40. Spinolo, Nicoletta
    2018 “Studying Figurative Language in Simultaneous Interpreting: The IMITES (Interpretación de la Metáfora Entre ITaliano y ESpañol) Corpus.” InMaking Way in Corpus-based Interpreting Studies, edited byMariachiara Russo, Claudio Bendazzoli, and Bart Defrancq, 133–155. Singapore: Springer. 10.1007/978‑981‑10‑6199‑8_8
    https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6199-8_8 [Google Scholar]
  41. Straniero Sergio, Francesco, and Caterina Falbo
    eds. 2012Breaking Ground in Corpus-based Interpreting Studies. Bern: Peter Lang. 10.3726/978‑3‑0351‑0377‑9
    https://doi.org/10.3726/978-3-0351-0377-9 [Google Scholar]
  42. Sun, Tingting
    2014Interpreting China: Interpreter’s Mediation of Government Press Conferences in China. Beijing: Waiyu jiaoxue yu yanjiu chubanshe.
    [Google Scholar]
  43. Toury, Gideon
    1995Descriptive Translation Studies and Beyond. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 10.1075/btl.4
    https://doi.org/10.1075/btl.4 [Google Scholar]
  44. Wang, Binhua
    2012 “A Descriptive Study of Norms in Interpreting: Based on the Chinese-English Consecutive Interpreting Corpus of Chinese Premier Press Conferences.” Meta57 (1): 198–212. 10.7202/1012749ar
    https://doi.org/10.7202/1012749ar [Google Scholar]
  45. Wang, Binhua, and Hongwu Qin
    2015 “Hang Ying kouyi mubiaoyu jiaoji kuifan de miaoxie yanjiu” 汉英口译目标语交际规范的描写研究 [Describing the target-language communication norms in Chinese-English interpreting]. Waiyu jiaoxue yu yanjiu外语教学与研究 [Foreign languages teaching and research] 47 (4): 597–610.
    [Google Scholar]
  46. Wu, Guangjun, and Huanyao Zhang
    2015 “Translating Political Ideology: A Case study of the Chinese Translations of the English News Headlines Concerning South China Sea Disputes on the Website of www.ftchinese.com.” Babel61 (3): 394–410. 10.1075/babel.61.3.05gua
    https://doi.org/10.1075/babel.61.3.05gua [Google Scholar]
  47. Zhang, Yuanyuan
    2004 “Tantan lingdaoren yanlun yingyi de jige wenti” 谈谈领导人言论英译的几个问题 [On problems in rendering Chinese government leaders’ remarks into English]. Zhongguo fanyi中国翻译 [Chinese translators journal] 25 (1): 55.
    [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1075/babel.00215.pan
Loading
/content/journals/10.1075/babel.00215.pan
Loading

Data & Media loading...

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error