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English Language Needs of Chinese/English Interpreting Students: an Error Analysis of the Chinese-to-English Short Consecutive Interpreting Test

中英口譯學習者英語能力需求分析:以中英翻譯能力檢定考試短逐步口譯中譯英樣本為例

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Abstract

Interpreting is a complex cognitive activity that demands a high level of linguistic competence. To help students achieve proficiency in interpreting, some interpreting programs have started to offer language enhancement courses. However, more research is needed to determine the specific needs of interpreting students and develop suitable teaching methods and materials. This study examines the linguistic features of 146 short consecutive interpreting samples from the Chinese-English Translation and Interpretation Competency Examinations. All samples have passed the accuracy scale. The samples are divided into rating units that received a score of four or five on the delivery scale and those that only received a score of three. The results show the samples that did not pass the delivery scale showed slower rate of speech, contained more disfluency markers and incomprehensible utterances. However, the types of grammatical and lexical errors made did not differ much between samples that passed the delivery scale and those that did not. The pedagogical implications of the results for language enhancement courses for Chinese-English interpreting students are discussed.

摘要

口譯為複雜之心智活動,口譯員的語言能力至關重要。有鑑於語言能力對於口譯學習成效的影響,針對口譯學生需求設計的高階英語學習課程逐漸增加,但在教材與教法上仍多有不足,亟需相關研究提供更多理論與實證依據。本研究收集146份中英文翻譯能力檢定考試短逐步口譯考生中譯英考試之錄音樣本,分析考生的英語表現,以期找出與口譯表現相關的英語學習需求。所分析語料之「訊息準確」量表評分皆達及格標準,但在「表達能力」量表評分則可分為達及格標準的四級分與五級分樣本與未達及格標準的三級分樣本。研究結果發現,低分譯文之語速低於高分譯文,重複、修正、有聲停頓等現象較多,所犯可能影響理解之錯誤也較多,但整體而言,高低分樣本常見之英文文法與用字錯誤頗為類似。本文最後針對適合口譯學生的英語教學教材與教法提出建議。

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Notes

  1. In 2017, the LTTC announced that the test will stop being held annually and will only be held based on the demand from groups or institutions.

  2. This study reports on research using materials and examination data from the Language Training and Testing Center (LTTC). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this study are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the LTTC or its related entities and partners.

  3. This study does not distinguish between “error” and “mistake” because it is difficult to ascertain the source of a test taker’s error.

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  1. Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Chia-chien Chang

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Chang, Cc. English Language Needs of Chinese/English Interpreting Students: an Error Analysis of the Chinese-to-English Short Consecutive Interpreting Test. English Teaching & Learning 42, 207–225 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42321-018-0011-7

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