Assessing meaning-dimension quality in consecutive interpreting training

ABSTRACT

This research aims to bring intertextual analysis under the framework of systemic functional linguistics (SFL) into the assessment of meaning transfer in classroom consecutive interpreting performance. An assessment model is constructed to investigate meaning transfer through both contextual-level register analysis and textual-level lexicogrammatical analysis by associating principal interpreting quality assessment criteria with respective meaning streams of SFL; namely, accuracy with ideational meaning, appropriateness with interpersonal meaning and coherence with textual meaning. To test the proposed model’s applicability and effectiveness, it was applied to assess 10 students’ interpretations between Chinese and English that were randomly selected from a corpus of interpretations collected in two quasi-exam sessions. The evidence collected from implementation of the model shows that the SFL-backed approach broadens the spectrum of meaning assessment in interpreting by highlighting the often-neglected interpersonal dynamics of language use in interpreting; the study yields objective and systematic assessment results supported by concrete evidence, and indicates sources of and reasons for interpreting problems, which provide useful insights for interpreter trainers when designing their courses.

KEYWORDS:

• meaning in interpreting
• quality assessment
• systemic functional linguistics

Acknowledgements

I would like to extend my thanks to the reviewers and the editors for their comments and suggestions, which were constructive for refining my paper for publication in this special issue.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributor

Dr Qianhua Ouyang is lecturer of English and interpreting working at the School of Interpreting and Translation Studies, Center for Translation Studies, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies. Her research interests include interpreting studies, discourse analysis, interpreting teaching and interpreting quality assessment.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Center for Translation Studies of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies and Academic Programmes Division of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies under Grant [GWJY2016028].