Topic 17: basic types of professional two-way interpretation (pti)

17.1. Dialogue Translation

Dialogue translation (абзацно-фразовий переклад) is the type of interpretation, when information is received in small portions. The peculiarities of dialogue translation of the informal/formal conversation are comparatively short sentences (statements, propositions) in different languages.

The task of interpreter: quick reaction, understanding fluent speech, free, correct native language, conveyance of humor, irony, other shades of speech, correct interpretation of allusions, understanding quotations with basing oneself on basic knowledge (erudition). If necessary, recording of precision information only is made.

Factors which complicate the interpretation process:

• careless, casual language of the speaker, elliptical constructions used by him, abundance of terms, omissions, innuendos and allusions, hints, meant for special knowledge of an interlocutor;

• incapability of a speaker to “speak for interpretation”, to take into consideration the peculiarities of inter-lingual and intercultural communication;

• maladapted, badly accommodated circum-stances, distracting moments, noise, strangers (outsiders, unauthorized persons) are included into conversation, etc.;

• individual peculiarities of the speaker’s language.

Factors which facilitate the interpretation process:

• Direct participation of the interpreter in communication, possibility to establish a good personal contact and even sometimes clarify the unclear things and ask to repeat (justified, reasonable asking for repeating);

• Fewness of audience, unofficial circumstances and friendly atmosphere, not demanding the skills of public speaking from the interpreter;

• Possibility to get acquainted with the topic in advance and preliminary materials;

• Absence of overload (overwork) of operational memory and stress.

17.2. Informal Two-way Interpretation Without Note-making

This is the interpretation (sometimes called “informal liaison interpreting”) of conversations, interviews, remark exchange in two-way communication, where the situation allows doing without note-taking (or restricts oneself to minimum notes).

From paragraph-phrase interpretation this type of two-way interpretation differs by a big volume of information at a time, more formal circumstances and higher demands to interpretation adequacy.

The interpreter has full right to chose the type of two-way interpretation depending on the demands of circumstances and first of all in order to achieve maximum adequacy with maximum time saving. In some cases this may be PPI or two-way translation without note-taking or with using note-taking, and sometimes combination of both for achieving the highest effect (with functional advantage of each type in the given context taken into account).

Sometimes it might be half-synchronous translation, when interpreter translates almost simultaneously with a speaker, moreover if the interpreter well acquainted with topic, is in excellent professional shape, and the situation of communication allows the appliance of such type of interpretation. Half-synchronous interpretation is resorted to when translating from native language, when there is no difficulty in comprehending language.