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Univerzita Komenského Bratislava

2008, assistant professor

Andreas S. ©
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Text linguistic approach in analyzing equivalence and interference in simultaneously interpreted German text corpora

Author: , assistant professor

Affiliation: Comenius University in Bratislava, Chair of German, Scandinavian and Dutch studies at the Faculty of Arts – Filozofická fakulta, Slovak Republic

Mail: PhDr. , PhD., Sibirska 63, 83102 Bratislava, Slovakia, stahlj@computel.sk

Biography: Assistant professor at the Comenius University in Bratislava, teaching interpreting and translation (German-Slovak), research in the field of translatology, focusing on personality traits of the interpreter (STAI, Kolb test), text linguistic analysis (topic of Ph.D. thesis, defended 2004) chiefly coherence and interference phenomena, presently research in cognitive / pragmatic aspects of processes in SI, research and conference papers in the above field.

Conference interpreter and translator.


Text linguistic approach in analyzing equivalence and interference in simultaneously interpreted German text corpora

Introduction

Subject of the paper is an analysis of equivalence and interference phenomena in text corpora, produced in simultaneous interpreting of texts from Slovak into German language from a text linguistic point of view. Hereby, the performance of 10 university interpreter students of the final year and 10 professional interpreters were compared.

The analysis comprised 2 types of text, one oralized and one written speech with diagrams and statistics. The focal points of the paper are to show the impact of read out source texts upon the performance of interpreters, whether student or professional. In this context it is the first comparative text linguistic study conducted in the direction Slovak-German.

Key words: Text linguistics, simultaneous interpreting, equivalence, interference, German, Slovak


Theoretical background

Many of the previous papers and monographs on interpreting are especially devoted to process aspects of simultaneous interpreting while text linguistic approaches have not been employed frequently yet. Some authors apply that principle, however, hence we would like to refer to them as theoretical basis.

In his study “Simultandolmetschen als komplexes Handeln”, A. Pöchhacker, for example, states the following: Der Text als Ausgangspunkt und Resultat der Dolmetschleistung wurde in der Literatur zum (Simultan-) Dolmetschen bisher nur vereinzelt diskutiert; anstelle einer text- bzw. produktbezogenen Sichtweise wird meist einer verarbeitungs- bzw. prozessbezogenen Sichtweise der Vorzug gegeben1.The reason is the effort in obtaining a concrete text and its processing by transcription.

This inevitably leads to deviations in its interpretation – understanding. Pöchhacker further writes that audio recorded texts are more difficult to process than originally written texts, hence a transcription is inevitable and the texts are thus even more “denaturated”. These are objective obstacles which apply to this paper, too.

Several authors point out the duality of text as product and process, from Heinemann and Viehweger to Suchsland, who is rather an advocate of a clear attitude to the text as a result of a certain activity.

Beaugrande and Dressler prefer another major aspect of communicativeness of TT, while defining the text as: kommunikative Okkurrenz, die sieben Kriterien der Textualität erfüllt 2. meaning cohesion, coherence, intentionality and acceptability, informativeness, situativeness and intertextuality. Should any of the above criteria not be present, the text does not fulfill the requirement of communicativeness.

Hence we can say that in an analysis of a spoken text it cannot be reduced to its static dimension, given e.g. by a transcription of an audio record but the context of its origin has to be taken into account or recorded precisely. Otherwise, even this paper would be of no actual meaning. The circumstances of the text origin also substantially affect specific qualities of TT, i.e. the text of interpretation, in which it differs from a TT of a written translation.

This is the reason why we present exact circumstances, conditions and context of the origin of TT despite the fact we consider the text proper primarily as a product, originated under the above conditions since parallel processes in the time of origin cannot still be made accessible and measured. Although Beaugrande and Dressler only states possible application in the theory and practice of translation, they still deal with general problems of defining texts and conditions of its existence, validity and quality and give a sufficient basis for stating criteria we apply in our analysis of TT compared to ST in SI.

Many other authors concentrate rather on the process aspects in interpreting, for example H. Salevsky: . Die Textlinguistik verfolgt das Ziel, . allgemeine Textualitätsbedingungen wie syntaktische, semantische und pragmatische Textdimension, Textexpansion, Textdelimination und Textkohärenz zu untersuchen und sucht nach Möglichkeiten der Entwicklung von Texterzeugungsalgorithme. S. Kalina gives a detailed definition: Die Textlinguistik . befaßt sich aus kommunikationsorientierter Sicht damit, wie syntaktisch-semantische Struktur und kommunikative Funktion eines Textes miteinander interagieren3. Our goal is not only to compare both qualities but to compare them in ST and TT with applying research methods of text linguistics in analyzing the above text types.

Nearly every author of a monograph on interpreting or translation considers text linguistic aspects, urging the need for research, but there are still few empirical studies. Comparisons of surface and in-depth structures of individual languages, including analyses of interpreted texts had been undertaken by D. Gile in the early eighties, where he maintained that differences among languages play their role in interpreting, supporting a wide empirical research of differences and similarities in the grammar of the interpreters‘ working language pairs.

A milestone in interpreting theory had been posted by D. Seleskovitch. To her theory, the interpreter works with contents, ideas and intentions of the speaker. Her comparison of interpreting to painting is indeed truthful: . Das Dolmetschen ist eher mit der Malerei als mit der Fotografie vergleichbar. Die Fotografie lässt nicht das geringste Detail aus; .

Die Malerei wiederum lässt einen Sinn, eine Aussage entstehen .4 As regards interpreting, however, D. Seleskovitch confines the validity of her theory to spontaneously produced texts and does not take into account the mass of prepared and read texts that must be processed by interpreters, often without any preparation. It is mainly these types of texts where the influence of the ST cannot be ignored.

It is not proved that the identification – understanding of the source text in SI of complicated texts is possibly only by entirely ignoring the concrete source language text. The interference of the source texts in Slovak is presented in our analysis and is obvious in spontaneously produced texts, too. As regards terminology and methodology, our approach resembles the one of T. Nováková.

T. Nováková conducted the first empirical study of texts interpreted from German into Slovak by a group of interpreter students, concentrating on equivalence and concrete solutions in the TT of students tested. A similar study, only in the opposite direction and with a different emphasis, is presented in this paper.


Source texts and goals of analysis

The above mentioned 2 texts, named A and B were presented to 10 students in an interpreting lab, with the first orally delivered one and the second recorded on tape. Among linguistic criteria in both texts, the equivalence of ST and TT as well as the interference of the source language in SI, i.e. disturbing effect on simultaneous interpreting were analyzed and compared to the performance of professional interpreters with identical text corpora.

Text A is a spontaneous speech of an anonymous speaker without any written notes on the presence and development of the European Union and the membership perspective of Slovakia.

Text B is a written lecture of the Slovak minister of foreign affairs E. Kukan, delivered at the Slovak foreign policy association with direct simultaneous interpreting into English. Students and professional interpreters had a written copy of the speech at disposal. All target texts of tested persons (students and interpreters) were recorded on standard cassettes with a subsequent transcription, inevitable for analysis and the text quotations contain all mistakes made by the tested persons.

The goal of the analysis is not only to analyze equivalence and interference in various text types but also to prove that SI is not a process with an exclusive and ideal transfer of meaning but one with an apparent impact of the ST-structures (lexis and syntax) on TT. This applies mainly to read out texts with complex structures and is called interference for our purposes. Also the selection of texts serves the set goals.


Analysis of equivalence

The semantic equivalence states the fundamental condition of successful interpreting. To achieve that goal the interpreter first has to understand the content of the speaker’s text. With interpreting from Slovak by native Slovak interpreters you can assume a very good knowledge of the SL, perhaps except highly professional texts. Upon classification of possible shifts criteria of the level of achieved equivalence as follows were created:

  • Relative equivalence (RE) – transfer of the meaning of text without some parts with no vital meaning or without meaning, contained in the context.

  • Heterovalent transfer (HT) – partial transfer of the meaning of the source text, with omission of substantial parts due to some reason.

    The above classification relates to some extent to the classification of T. Nováková5 and is completed by statistical data of all target texts.

    In this part of the analysis also the possible reasons of negative shifts of meaning in the target texts of students are discussed, divided into two subchapters for text A and text B. In the beginning some examples of ST and TT comparison:

    Text A


    ďalším spoločným menovateľom boli aj spoločné hodnoty slobody … vtedajšej západnej Európy, ktorá stála vlastne na obrane týchto hodnôt .

    . Der nächste gemeinsame Nenner waren die gemeinsamen Werte der Freiheit . im damaligen Westeuropa, die versucht hatte, diese Werte zu schützen .


    The above target text is more than an emergency solution and features a clear semantic shift, i.e. a heterovalent transfer, caused probably by ignoring the full reception of the source text as a consequence of a concentration on the TT production. This is a symptom of insufficient skill and experience and a result of failing split of the interpreter’s attention.

  • ST: . to sa týka predovšetkým vlád, obyvateľstvo EU má jasný názor .

    TT: . das bezieht sich vor allem auf die Regierungen und die Bevölkerung von Staaten der EU, .

    The solution which we strongly recommend is to use shorter sentences in the TT, that do not pose such a short memory load, especially when interpreting into a non-native language, which is here the case. However, no such grave semantic shift was ever found in texts of professional interpreters.


    A statistical evaluation of equivalence in target texts of text A of interpreting students and professional interpreters is given in tables as follows:


    Tab. 1a – Evaluation of equivalence of student TT

    student

    1

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    7

    8

    9

    10

    Relative equivalence RE

    3

    5

    7

    8

    4

    6

    5

    5

    9

    4

    Heterovalent transfer HT

    7

    10

    6

    8

    12

    7

    8

    11

    8

    10

    Tab. 1b – Evaluation of equivalence of interpreter TT

    interpreter

    1

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    7

    8

    9

    10

    Relative equivalence RE

    4

    4

    3

    5

    4

    2

    1

    1

    2

    3

    Heterovalent transfer HT

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    To professional interpreters, text A did not pose any complex task to handle, as is seen from table 1b. Mistakes made by interpreter students were rather a consequence of lacking experience or insufficient active vocabulary.

    Since the text was produced spontaneously, professional interpreters had no problems with anticipating the ST or handling complex syntactical structures. Problems of that sort interpreter students had encountered arose due to lack of practice, chiefly in the analysis of the SR and the absence of “text making”patterns on the sentence and syntagmatic level.


    As for interference of ST to TT we paid attention to copying the word order, positioning the verb and the production of calques. In spite of the simplicity of the spontaneously rendered text, some cases of copying the Slovak word order in complex sentences:


    ST: . Jedným zo zmyslov EÚ bolo zabrániť aj budúcim konfliktom na tomto kontinente .

    TT: . einer der . der EU war es, die zukúnftigen Konflikten vorbeugen auf diesem Kontinent .


    Another example of a word order interference includes a wrong choice of collocation and tense>


    ST: . Prvými zmluvami, ktoré položili základ inštitúcií, boli takzvané Rímske zmluvy .

    TT: . Die ersten Verträge, die zugrunde liegen dieser Institution, waren die . Römischen .


    Those examples point at the fact that interpreter students keep a minimum distance from the speaker, a distance which does not allow any good interpreting. With a spontaneously rendered text it is a beginner mistake. Also students very often repeated parts of sentences as a result of looking for the correct lexical equivalent in the target language.




    With text B - a read out speech, the presumptions of results were different with the group of interpreting students. The classification of equivalence types was made according to the same criteria of communicative equivalence, relative equivalence (RE) and heterovalent transfer (HS). Equally as with text A, no ST sentence vs. TT sentence was compared but always a semantic equivalent of ST, regardless of lexical and syntactical structure.


    Moreover, we added statistical table showing results of both students and professionals when interpreting 3 specifically selected text parts.

    The following tables present data on relative equivalence or heterovalent transfer, respectively, with interpreting students and professional interpreters.


    Tab. 2a – Evaluation of equivalence of student TT

    student

    1

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    7

    8

    9

    10

    Relative equivalence RE

    2

    5

    1

    6

    1

    1

    4

    5

    2

    4

    Heterovalent transfer HT

    4

    4

    9

    2

    1

    3

    3

    2

    5

    8

    Tab. 2b – Evaluation of equivalence of interpreter TT

    interpreter

    1

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    7

    8

    9

    10

    Relative equivalence RE

    5

    1

    2

    3

    4

    1

    2

    4

    3

    1

    Heterovalent transfer HT

    1

    1

    0

    0

    1

    0

    0

    1

    1

    0

    In the statistical evaluation, the quality of the text of professional interpreters was proved. Despite that fact, heterovalent transfer occurred with a half of the tested group of professionals while there was no HT with target text A in the same group. The average values of RE and HT were balanced in the group of students, with interpreters the major shifts occurring in the form of RE.


    ST: „ . dokonca aj osobitná medzinárodná konferencia v Ríme .“

    TT: „ . auch die besondere internationale Konferenz in Rom .“

    The correct solution on CE (communicative equivalence) would be: . die Sonderkonferenz in Rom .


    Or:


    ST: „ . prvé výročie ratifikácie .“

    TT: „ . das erste Jahr des Existierens der Ratifizierung .“

    That solution was a result of time pressure, it is incongruous and shows a lack of interpreting experience. A proposed solution: . das erste Jahr nach der Ratifizierung .


    Another example:

    ST: „ . nie ste zavalení množstvom . otázok . „

    TT: „ . Sie sind nicht durch eine Menge . Fragen . gequält . „


    That underlined word sounds awkwardly, although it does not affect the semantic structure of TT and is still an acceptable solution within RE limits.

    An example of RE on syntactical level:


    VT: „ … Hodnotíme výsledky dosiahnuté doma, ale zároveň sme aj pod drobnohľadom našich partnerov a inštitúcií, o členstvo v ktorých sa uchádzame, čo je pochopiteľné. …“

    CT: „ … Wir bewerten die zu Hause erreichten Ergebnisse, aber gleichzeitig sind wir auch unter der Lupe unserer ausländischen Partner und Institutionen, deren Mitgliedschaft wir anstreben ganz selbstverständlich ist .“


    Frequent heterovalent transfer in the group of interpreter students is due to lack of experience which is obvious and insufficient vocabulary. In that group, the overall language performance always deteriorates in interpretation, a typical phenomenon with beginners.

    Example of HT:


    VT: „ . Vykonali sme mnoho práce, aby sme zlepšili naše pozície v prístupovom procese.“

    CT: „ . wir haben viel Arbeit geleistet, um unsere Positionen zu vertreten.


    This is a typical shift on a level of heterovalent transfer – a negative shift of meaning. In the group of interpreter students, HT most often occurred on syntactical level as omission of sentence elements, interrupted sentences which immediately meant the loss of logical cohesion of the TT. That type of HT caused 50% of the students to produce more HT than RE.

    The difficulty of text B is best seen in the statistical table showing the solutions of 3 text parts by students and interpreters.

    For better illustration, we quote all 3 texts:


    1. Ešte pred tým, než sa dostanem k predmetu môjho dnešného vystúpenia, rád využívam túto príležitosť, aby som sa vám čo najúprimnejšie poďakoval za to, že na pôde SFPA, ktorej medzinárodné renomé i domáce aktivity sú také pozoruhodné, nepretržite vystupujú prominenti svetovej politiky – z posledným k nim nesporne patrili izraelský minister zahraničných vecí Šimon Perés či portugalský premiér Gutteres – dávate tiež priestor veľvyslancom akreditovaným na Slovensku …“

  • Vystúpenie u Vás som zámerne načasoval do dní, keď takúto bilanciu možno predsa len oprieť aj o bezprostredné osobné dojmy a poznatky.“


    Tab. 2c – Comparison of TT solutions (CE – communicative equivalence, RE – relative equivalence, HT – heterovalent transfer)


    Tested persons Texts No.

    1

    2

    3

    Student 1

    HT

    HT

    KE

    2

    KE

    KE

    HT

    3

    HT

    KE

    HT

    4

    HT

    KE

    RE

    5

    HT

    KE

    KE

    6

    KE

    KE

    KE

    7

    HT

    KE

    RE

    8

    HT

    RE

    KE

    9

    RE

    RE

    KE

    10

    HT

    HT

    RE

    Interpreter 1

    HT

    RE

    CE

    2

    HT

    CE

    CE

    3

    CE

    CE

    CE

    4

    RE

    CE

    CE

    5

    RE

    CE

    CE

    6

    CE

    CE

    CE

    7

    RE

    RE

    CE

    8

    HT

    CE

    CE

    9

    HT

    CE

    CE

    10

    CE

    RE

    CE

    The results in the group of interpreter students with only 2 cases of CE upon interpretation of text 1 as well as in the group of professional interpreters (4 cases of HT in text 1) were unexpected. A prepared source text of the speaker in writing is an inhibiting factor to interpreters, too (see text No.1). The other two chosen text parts did not result into any surprising results, the relative equivalence accomplished by interpreters is still an acceptable solution.

    For better illustration we give you now some good TT of ST No. 2 and other texts, created by professional interpreters:


    ST: . Ako člen vlády sa nemôžem vyhnúť úvahám, ktoré zohľadňujú celospoločenské hľadisko .

    TT: . und als Mitglied der Regierung kann ich hier die Überlegungen, die die gesamtgesellschaftlichen Standpunkte berücksichtigen, nicht vergessen .


  • CT: Wir nähern uns dem Ende des ersten Jahres des dritten Jahrtausends und das führt uns zum Nachdenken über einen breiteren Zeithorizont der sich vor uns öffnet und auch über viele Herausforderungen, die immer wieder auftauchen um uns auf den Prüfstand zu stellen. .


    With students and the equivalence of their B texts, the employment of correct lexis and valence upon using attributes and text creating templates on sentence and syntagmatic level. If there are none, with text B it always results in relative equivalence and heterovalent transfer.


    With interference of the ST on TT of students in German we concentrated on copying the Slovak word order, placing the verb in the sentence syntax and creation of ad hoc calques. However, examples of interference were found in TT of professional interpreters, which supports our suggestion that in SI, contents and ideas cannot be fully separated from the text corpora that express them.

    Interference of the ST in the TT occurs on lexical, syntactic and textual level, similarly as in text type A. A high tempo of the speaker increases the level of interference of the syntactic structure and the position of the verb.


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