1887
  1. Home
  2. e-Journals
  3. Interpreting
  4. Volume 22, Issue 1
  5. Article
Volume 22, Issue 1
  • ISSN 1384-6647
  • E-ISSN: 1569-982X
USD
Buy:$35.00 + Taxes

Abstract

Abstract

This study examined the link between listeners’ perceptions of the quality of interpretation and their beliefs about the interpreter. Two groups of Mandarin-speaking participants were shown a video of a speech by President Obama being interpreted into Mandarin Chinese by a non-native Mandarin-speaking interpreter. The participants in one group were shown a photo of a Chinese-looking man alongside the video and those in the other group were shown a photo of a non-Chinese-looking man. The quantitative results showed that those who believed they were listening to a non-Chinese interpreter judged the interpretation more positively than those who believed they were listening to a Chinese interpreter. The qualitative results showed that the participants in the non-Chinese condition attributed the non-native features of the interpretation to the interpreter’s being a foreigner, and that they naturally used the language competence of non-native speakers as the standard of comparison. In this case, the participants’ perceptions of quality could also be explained by the interpreter’s perceived association with a highly esteemed group in China, and his ability to interpret into Chinese generated a sense of national self-esteem among the participants. Overall, the findings show that factors other than the features identifiable in an interpretation can influence the perception of quality of interpretation.

© John Benjamins Publishing Company
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/intp.00033.che
2020-04-10
2025-04-23

  • From This Site

    /content/journals/10.1075/intp.00033.che
    dcterms_title,dcterms_subject,pub_keyword
    -contentType:Journal -contentType:Contributor -contentType:Concept -contentType:Institution
    10
    5
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Ammon, U.
    (2000) Towards more fairness in international English: Linguistic rights of non-native speakers?InR. Phillipson (Ed.), Rights to language: Equity, power, and education. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 111–116.
     [Google Scholar]
  2. Anderson, R. B. W.
    (1976) Perspectives on the role of interpreter. InR. W. Brislin (Ed.), Translation: Applications and research. New York, NY: Gardner Press, 208–228.
     [Google Scholar]
  3. Babel, M.
    (2012) Evidence for phonetic and social selectivity in spontaneous phonetic imitation. Journal of Phonetics40 (1), 177–189. 10.1016/j.wocn.2011.09.001
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wocn.2011.09.001 [Google Scholar]
  4. Babel, M. & Russell, J.
    (2015) Expectations and speech intelligibility. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America137 (5), 2823–2833. 10.1121/1.4919317
     https://doi.org/10.1121/1.4919317 [Google Scholar]
  5. Barranco-Droege, R.
    (2015) Probing the perception of time-manipulated speech. InC. Zwischenberger & M. Behr (Eds.), Interpreting quality: A look around and ahead. Berlin: Frank & Timme, 89–121.
     [Google Scholar]
  6. Bless, H. & Schwarz, N.
    (2010) Mental construal and the emergence of assimilation and contrast effects: The inclusion/exclusion model. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology42, 319–373. 10.1016/S0065‑2601(10)42006‑7
     https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(10)42006-7 [Google Scholar]
  7. Bühler, H.
    (1986) Linguistic (semantic) and extra-linguistic (pragmatic) criteria for the evaluation of conference interpretation and interpreters. Multilingua5 (4), 231–235.
     [Google Scholar]
  8. Cargile, A. C. & Giles, H.
    (1998) Language attitudes toward varieties of English: An American Japanese context. Journal of Applied Communication Research26 (3), 338–356. 10.1080/00909889809365511
     https://doi.org/10.1080/00909889809365511 [Google Scholar]
  9. Chang, P. L.
    (2014) Interpreters/ translators in colonial Taiwan. InF. Federici & D. Tessicini (Eds.), Translators, interpreters, and cultural negotiators. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 136–154.
     [Google Scholar]
  10. Chebat, J. C., Filiatrault, P., Gelinas-Chebat, C. & Vaninsky, A.
    (1995) Impact of waiting attribution and consumer’s mood on perceived quality. Journal of Business Research34 (3), 191–196. 10.1016/0148‑2963(95)98346‑4
     https://doi.org/10.1016/0148-2963(95)98346-4 [Google Scholar]
  11. Cheung, A. K.
    (2003) Does accent matter? The impact of accent in simultaneous interpretation into Mandarin and Cantonese on perceived performance quality and listener satisfaction level. InA. Collados Aís, M. Fernández Sanchez & D. Gile (Eds.), La evaluación de la calidad en interpretación: investigación. Granada: Editorial Comares, 85–96.
     [Google Scholar]
  12. (2013) Non-native accents and simultaneous interpreting quality perceptions. Interpreting15 (1), 25–47. 10.1075/intp.15.1.02che
     https://doi.org/10.1075/intp.15.1.02che [Google Scholar]
  13. (2015) Scapegoating the interpreter for listeners’ dissatisfaction with their level of understanding: An experimental study. Interpreting17 (1), 46–63. 10.1075/intp.17.1.03che
     https://doi.org/10.1075/intp.17.1.03che [Google Scholar]
  14. Chiaro, D. & Nocella, G.
    (2004) Interpreters’ perception of linguistic and non-linguistic factors affecting quality: A survey through the World Wide Web. Meta29 (2), 278–293. 10.7202/009351ar
     https://doi.org/10.7202/009351ar [Google Scholar]
  15. Collados Aís, A.
    (1998/2002) Quality assessment in simultaneous interpreting: The importance of nonverbal communication. InF. Pöchhacker & M. Shlesinger (Eds.), The interpreting studies reader. London: Routledge, 327–336.
     [Google Scholar]
  16. Conceison, C.
    (2004) Significant other: Staging the American in China. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaii Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  17. Cronin, M.
    (2002) The empire talks back: Orality, heteronomy and the cultural turn in interpreting studies. InM. Tymoczko & E. Gentzler (Eds.), Translation and power. London: Routledge, 393–397.
     [Google Scholar]
  18. Diriker, E.
    (2008) Exploring conference interpreting as a social practice. InA. Pym, M. Shlesinger & D. Simeoni (Eds.), Beyond descriptive translation studies: Investigations in homage to Gideon Toury. Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 209–221. 10.1075/btl.75.17dir
     https://doi.org/10.1075/btl.75.17dir [Google Scholar]
  19. Fallon, T.
    (2014) Chinese fever and cool heads: Confucius institutes and China’s national identities. China Media Research10 (1), 35–47.
     [Google Scholar]
  20. Fischer, R. & Derham, C.
    (2016) Is in-group bias culture-dependent? A meta-analysis across 18 societies. SpringerPlus5 (1), 1–9. 10.1186/s40064‑015‑1663‑6
     https://doi.org/10.1186/s40064-015-1663-6 [Google Scholar]
  21. García Becerra, O.
    (2015) Order effect, impression formation and their impact on the evaluation of interpreting quality. InC. Zwischenberger & M. Behr (Eds.), Interpreting quality: A look around and ahead. Berlin: Frank & Timme, 123–146.
     [Google Scholar]
  22. Garzone, G.
    (2003) Reliability of quality criteria evaluation in survey research. InA. Collados Aís, M. Fernández Sanchez & D. Gile (Eds.), La evaluación de la calidad en interpretación: investigación. Granada: Editorial Comares, 23–30.
     [Google Scholar]
  23. Gao, Y.
    (2009) Sociocultural contexts and English in China: Retaining and reforming the cultural habitus. InJ. Lo Bianco, J. Onton & Y. Gao (Eds.), China and English: Globalisation and the dilemmas of identity. Toronto: Multilingual Matters, 56–78.
     [Google Scholar]
  24. Gile, D.
    (2003) Quality assessment in conference interpreting: Methodological issues. InA. Collados Aís, M. Fernández Sánchez & D. Gile (Eds.), La evaluación de la calidad en interpretación: Investigación. Granada: Editorial Comares, 109–123.
     [Google Scholar]
  25. Golombek, P. & Jordan, S. R.
    (2005) Becoming “black lambs” not “parrots”: A poststructuralist orientation to intelligibility and identity. Tesol Quarterly39 (3), 513–533. 10.2307/3588492
     https://doi.org/10.2307/3588492 [Google Scholar]
  26. Gries, P. H.
    (2005) China’s new nationalism: Pride, politics, and diplomacy. Berkley, CA: University of California Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  27. Hadziabdic, E. & Hjelm, K.
    (2013) Working with interpreters: Practical advice for use of an interpreter in healthcare. International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare11 (1), 69–76. 10.1111/1744‑1609.12005
     https://doi.org/10.1111/1744-1609.12005 [Google Scholar]
  28. Hale, S. B., Bond, N. & Sutton, J.
    (2011) Interpreting accent in the courtroom. Target23 (1), 48–61. 10.1075/target.23.1.03hal
     https://doi.org/10.1075/target.23.1.03hal [Google Scholar]
  29. Hay, J., Warren, P. & Drager, K.
    (2006) Factors influencing speech perception in the context of a merger-in-progress. Journal of Phonetics34 (4), 458–484. 10.1016/j.wocn.2005.10.001
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wocn.2005.10.001 [Google Scholar]
  30. Holub, E.
    (2010) Does intonation matter? The impact of monotony on listener comprehension. The Interpreters’ Newsletter15, 117–126.
     [Google Scholar]
  31. Hong, Y. Y.
    (2013) A dynamic constructivist approach to culture: Moving from describing culture to explaining culture. InR. S. Wyer, C. Y. Chiu & Y. Y. Hong (Eds.), Understanding culture: Theory, research, and application. New York, NY: Psychology Press, 18–38.
     [Google Scholar]
  32. Hruschka, D. J. & Henrich, J.
    (2013) Institutions, parasites and the persistence of in-group preferences. PLoS One8 (5), e63642. 10.1371/journal.pone.0063642
     https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0063642 [Google Scholar]
  33. Kang, O. & Rubin, D. L.
    (2009) Reverse linguistic stereotyping: Measuring the effect of listener expectations on speech evaluation. Journal of Language and Social Psychology28 (4), 441–456. 10.1177/0261927X09341950
     https://doi.org/10.1177/0261927X09341950 [Google Scholar]
  34. Kang, O. & Rubin, D.
    (2014) Listener expectations, reverse linguistic stereotyping, and individual background factors in social judgments and oral performance assessment. InJ. Levis & A. Moyer (Eds.), Social dynamics in second language accent. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 239–253. 10.1515/9781614511762.239
     https://doi.org/10.1515/9781614511762.239 [Google Scholar]
  35. Kasper, G. & Zhang, Y.
    (1995) “It’s good to be a bit Chinese”: Foreign students’ experience of Chinese pragmatics. InG. Kasper (Ed.), Pragmatics of Chinese as native and target language. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaii Press, 1–22.
     [Google Scholar]
  36. Kelley, H.
    (1967) Attribution theory in social psychology. InD. Levine (Ed.), Nebraska Symposium on Motivation 15. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 192–238.
     [Google Scholar]
  37. Kinzler, K. D., Shutts, K., DeJesus, J. & Spelke, E. S.
    (2009) Accent trumps race in guiding children’s social preferences. Social Cognition27 (4), 623–634. 10.1521/soco.2009.27.4.623
     https://doi.org/10.1521/soco.2009.27.4.623 [Google Scholar]
  38. Kurz, I.
    (2001) Conference interpreting: Quality in the ears of the user. Meta46 (2), 394–409. 10.7202/003364ar
     https://doi.org/10.7202/003364ar [Google Scholar]
  39. Li, C. W. C.
    (2004) Conflicting notions of language purity: The interplay of archaising, ethnographic, reformist, elitist and xenophobic purism in the perception of standard Chinese. Language & Communication24 (2), 97–133. 10.1016/j.langcom.2003.09.002
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.langcom.2003.09.002 [Google Scholar]
  40. Li, M.
    (2014) Nationalism and imperialism. InR. S. Fortner & P. M. Fackler (Eds.), The handbook of media and mass communication theory, volume I. London: John Wiley and Sons, 667–689. 10.1002/9781118591178.ch36
     https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118591178.ch36 [Google Scholar]
  41. Lippi-Green, R.
    (1997) English with an accent: Language, ideology and discrimination in the United States. New York, NY: Routledge.
     [Google Scholar]
  42. Liu, J. & Tao, H.
    (2012) Negotiating linguistic identities under globalization: Language use in contemporary China. InJ. Liu & H. Tao (Eds.), Chinese under globalization: Emerging trends in language use in China. Hackensack, NJ: World Scientific, 203–212. 10.1142/9789814350709_0010
     https://doi.org/10.1142/9789814350709_0010 [Google Scholar]
  43. Lung, R.
    (2005) On the history of interpreting in China. Perspectives13 (2), 143–150. 10.1080/09076760508668983
     https://doi.org/10.1080/09076760508668983 [Google Scholar]
  44. McGowan, K. B.
    (2015) Social expectation improves speech perception in noise. Language and Speech58 (4), 502–521. 10.1177/0023830914565191
     https://doi.org/10.1177/0023830914565191 [Google Scholar]
  45. Mikkelson, H.
    (2000) Introduction to court interpreting. Manchester: St. Jerome.
     [Google Scholar]
  46. Miller, N. J.
    (2010) Pragmatic nationalism and Confucianism: The new ideology of the CCP. Inquiries Journal2 (4).
     [Google Scholar]
  47. Moser, P.
    (1996): Expectations of users of conference interpretation. Interpreting1/2, 145–178. 10.1075/intp.1.2.01mos
     https://doi.org/10.1075/intp.1.2.01mos [Google Scholar]
  48. Niedzielski, N.
    (1999) The effect of social information on the perception of sociolinguistic variables. Journal of Language and Social Psychology18 (1), 62–85. 10.1177/0261927X99018001005
     https://doi.org/10.1177/0261927X99018001005 [Google Scholar]
  49. Obasi, C.
    (2013) Race and ethnicity in sign language interpreter education, training and practice. Race Ethnicity and Education16 (1), 103–120. 10.1080/13613324.2012.733686
     https://doi.org/10.1080/13613324.2012.733686 [Google Scholar]
  50. Park, K.
    (2014) The interpreter’s delivery: A spotlight on user perceptions. Lebende Sprachen59 (2), 276–330. 10.1515/les‑2014‑0010
     https://doi.org/10.1515/les-2014-0010 [Google Scholar]
  51. Papademetre, L.
    (1994) Self-defined, other-defined cultural identity: Logogenesis and multiple-group membership in a Greek Australian sociolinguistic community. Journal of Multilingual & Multicultural Development15 (6), 507–525. 10.1080/01434632.1994.9994587
     https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.1994.9994587 [Google Scholar]
  52. Pilus, Z., Zakaria, N. S., Zakaria, M. K. & Wahid, R.
    (2019) Stretching the boundaries: Malaysian ESL learners’ evaluative reactions to inner circle English accents. Journal of Asian Pacific Communication29 (2), 300–321. 10.1075/japc.00035.pil
     https://doi.org/10.1075/japc.00035.pil [Google Scholar]
  53. Pöchhacker, F.
    (2008) The turns of interpreting studies. InG. Hansen, A. Chesterman & H. Gerzymisch-Arbogast (Eds.), Efforts and models in interpreting and translation research. Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 25–46.
     [Google Scholar]
  54. Pradas Macías, M.
    (2006) Probing quality criteria in simultaneous interpreting: The role of silent pauses in fluency. Interpreting, 8 (1), 25–43. 10.1075/intp.8.1.03pra
     https://doi.org/10.1075/intp.8.1.03pra [Google Scholar]
  55. Rennert, S.
    (2010) The impact of fluency on the subjective assessment of interpreting quality. The Interpreters’ Newsletter15, 101–105.
     [Google Scholar]
  56. Richardson, G.
    (2010) The China threat: Myths, realities, and implications for US foreign policy. Potentia2, 55–67.
     [Google Scholar]
  57. Rubin, D.
    (2012) The power of prejudice in accent perception: Reverse linguistic stereotyping and its impact on listener judgments and decisions. In. J. Levis & K. LeVelle (Eds.), Proceedings of the 3rd Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching Conference, Sept. 2011. Ames, IA: Iowa State University, 11–17.
     [Google Scholar]
  58. Rubin, D. L., Coles, V. B. & Barnett, J. T.
    (2015) Linguistic stereotyping in older adults’ perceptions of health care aides. Health Communication31 (7), 911–916. 10.1080/10410236.2015.1007549
     https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2015.1007549 [Google Scholar]
  59. Rubin, D., deHart, J. & Heintzman, M.
    (1991) Effects of accented speech and culture-typical compliance-gaining style on subordinates’ impressions of managers. International Journal of Intercultural Relations15 (3), 267–283. 10.1016/0147‑1767(91)90002‑X
     https://doi.org/10.1016/0147-1767(91)90002-X [Google Scholar]
  60. Rubin, D. L., Healy, P., Gardiner, T. C., Zath, R. C. & Moore, C. P.
    (1997) Nonnative physicians as message sources: Effects of accent and ethnicity on patients’ responses to AIDS prevention counseling. Health Communication9 (4), 351–368. 10.1207/s15327027hc0904_4
     https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327027hc0904_4 [Google Scholar]
  61. Rudvin, M.
    (2004) Cross-cultural dynamics in community interpreting. Troubleshooting. InG. Hansen, K. Malmkjær & D. Gile (Eds.), Claims, changes and challenges in translation studies: Selected contributions from the EST Congress, Copenhagen 2001. Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 271–284. 10.1075/btl.50.23rud
     https://doi.org/10.1075/btl.50.23rud [Google Scholar]
  62. Schmitt, D. P. & Allik, J.
    (2005) Simultaneous administration of the Rosenberg self-esteem scale in 53 nations: Exploring the universal and culture-specific features of global self-esteem. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology89, 623–642. 10.1037/0022‑3514.89.4.623
     https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.89.4.623 [Google Scholar]
  63. Schwarz, N. & Bless, H.
    (1992) Constructing reality and its alternatives: Assimilation and contrast effects in social judgment. InL. L. Martin & A. Tesser (Eds.), The construction of social judgments. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum, 217–245.
     [Google Scholar]
  64. Si, J.
    (2019) English as a native language, World Englishes and English as a lingua franca-informed materials: Acceptance, perceptions and attitudes of Chinese English learners. Asian Englishes21 (2), 190–206. 10.1080/13488678.2018.1544700
     https://doi.org/10.1080/13488678.2018.1544700 [Google Scholar]
  65. Sklair, L.
    (2001) The transnational capitalist class. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.
     [Google Scholar]
  66. Staum Casasanto, L.
    (2008) Does social information influence sentence processing?Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society30 (30) 799–804.
     [Google Scholar]
  67. (2009) How Do Listeners Represent Sociolinguistic Knowledge?Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society31 (31), 3241–2346.
     [Google Scholar]
  68. (2010) What do listeners know about sociolinguistic variation?University of Pennsylvania Working Papers in Linguistics15 (2), Art. 6.
     [Google Scholar]
  69. Stévaux, E.
    (2011) Akzent. InA. Collados Aís, E. M. Pradas Macías, E. Stévaux & O. García Becerra (Eds.), Qualitätsparameter beim Simultandohnetschen: Interdisziplinäre Perspektiven. Tübingen: Gunter Narr, 141–172.
     [Google Scholar]
  70. Strand, E.
    (1999) Uncovering the role of gender stereotypes in speech perception. Journal of Language and Social Psychology18 (1), 86–100. 10.1177/0261927X99018001006
     https://doi.org/10.1177/0261927X99018001006 [Google Scholar]
  71. Takeda, K.
    (2009) War and interpreters. Across Languages and Cultures10 (1), 49–62. 10.1556/Acr.10.2009.1.3
     https://doi.org/10.1556/Acr.10.2009.1.3 [Google Scholar]
  72. (2010) Interpreting the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal: A sociopolitical analysis. University of Ottawa Press. 10.1075/bct.26.03tak
     https://doi.org/10.1075/bct.26.03tak [Google Scholar]
  73. Weiner, B.
    (1985) An attributional theory of achievement motivation and emotion. Psychological Review92 (4), 548–573. 10.1037/0033‑295X.92.4.548
     https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.92.4.548 [Google Scholar]
  74. Wong, P. T. P. & Weiner, B.
    (1981) When people ask “why” questions and the heuristics of attributional search. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology40 (4), 650–663. 10.1037/0022‑3514.40.4.650
     https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.40.4.650 [Google Scholar]
  75. Yu, M.
    (2015) Revisiting gender and class in urban China: Undervalued work of migrant teachers and their resistance. Diaspora, Indigenous, and Minority Education9 (2), 124–139. 10.1080/15595692.2015.1011781
     https://doi.org/10.1080/15595692.2015.1011781 [Google Scholar]
  76. Zhao, S.
    (2015) Rethinking the Chinese world order: The imperial cycle and the rise of China. Journal of Contemporary China24 (96), 961–982. 10.1080/10670564.2015.1030913
     https://doi.org/10.1080/10670564.2015.1030913 [Google Scholar]
  77. Zwischenberger, C. & Pöchhacker, F.
    (2010) Survey on quality and role: Conference interpreters’ expectations and self-perceptions. Communicate! AIIC Webzine (March15 2010) aiic.net/p/3405 (accessed14 October 2019).
     [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1075/intp.00033.che
Loading
Interpreters’ perceived characteristics and perception of quality in interpreting
Interpreting 22, 35 (2020); https://doi.org/10.1075/intp.00033.che
/content/journals/10.1075/intp.00033.che
/content/journals/10.1075/intp.00033.che
Loading

Data & Media loading...

  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): consecutive interpretation; non-native accents; perceptions of quality; reverse linguistic stereotyping

Most Cited

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