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Consecutive Interpreting
A Practice Book
Farzaneh Farahzad, PhD
Mir Saeed Mousavi Razavi, PhD
Parina Ghomi
Consecutive Interpreting
A Practice Book
Farzaneh Farahzad
Professor of Translation Studies
Allameh Tabataba’i University
Mir Saeed Mousavi Razavi
Assistant Professor of Translation Studies
Allameh Tabataba’i University
Parina Ghomi
Lecturer of Translation Studies
Alborz University
The present book is the outcome of a project which was funded by the Iranian Ministry of
Science, Research, and Technology through the Iranian Translation Studies Center of Excellence
(Scientific Pole).
Contents
Preface ..................................................................................................... iii
Chapter 1: Theoretical Considerations....................................................... 1
Lesson 1: A Historical Overview of Interpreting ....................................... 2
1. The concept of interpreting ........................................................... 2
2. A brief history of interpreting ........................................................ 3
Lesson 2: Interpreting Modes and Settings .............................................. 6
1. Interpreting modes .......................................................................... 6
2. Interpreting settings ....................................................................... 16
Lesson 3: Gile’s Effort Model of CI.......................................................... 18
Chapter 2: Consecutive Interpreting ........................................................ 24
Section One: Preparatory Exercises ......................................................... 25
Lesson 4: Memory Enhancement (I) ....................................................... 26
Lesson 5: Memory Enhancement (II) ...................................................... 34
Lesson 6: Improvisation ......................................................................... 44
Lesson 7: Note-taking (I) ........................................................................ 48
Lesson 8: Note-taking (II) ....................................................................... 59
Lesson 9: Note-taking (III) ...................................................................... 72
Lesson 10: Sight Translation ................................................................... 84
i
Section Two: CI Exercises....................................................................... 100
Lesson 11: Consecutive Interpreting (I) ................................................ 101
Lesson 12: Consecutive Interpreting (II) ............................................... 108
Lesson 13: Consecutive Interpreting (III) .............................................. 114
Works Cited .......................................................................................... 119
ii
Preface
The present textbook is the outcome of several years of practical experience in
interpreter training in Iranian academia intertwined with a number of relevant
research projects. It adopts a ‘cognitive’ approach to interpreting and interpreting
competence and, by taking recourse to a special version of task-based learning
which rests on communicative and social constructivist approaches to education,
presents and works within a specific ‘model for interpreter training’ to develop the
trainees’ consecutive interpreting competence. The theoretical underpinnings of
this approach may be best summarized in the following statement: interpreting
competence is translation competence plus a cognitive competence, i.e. a set of
cognitive sub-competences, unique to interpreting (Mousavi Razavi, 2015).
Despite the fact that there have been a number of efforts to prepare material
for interpreting classes, one can dare say that the present book is one of the first
attempts in the local context, systematically and specifically devised to be used as
a ‘textbook’ on consecutive interpreting in Iran. That said, there is undoubtedly
plenty of room for improvement once it is tested and tried in the actual classroom.
As stated before, and within the cognitive framework adopted, the exercises
are designed to develop the trainees’ interpreting competence and not their
linguistic competence –which is only one of the sub-competences of translation
competence. This, most probably, is the major difference between this book and its
few predecessors in Iran, which were mostly geared toward developing the
trainees’ mastery of English language (as their L2), perhaps as a prerequisite to the
practice of interpreting.
The fact that mastery over L2 has not received attention here does not mean
that linguistic competence is not of significance; rather, the idea we are trying to
iii
advocate within this cognitive framework is that although linguistic competence
(both in L1 and L2) plays a vital role in interpreting, it scarcely suffices to turn a
trainee into an interpreter. Linguistic competence, when combined with other sub-
competences such as cultural, textual, subject matter, and transfer, makes for
translation competence. Translation competence, when combined with certain
cognitive competences such as stress management, makes for interpreting
competence. Indeed, language proficiency is seen here as a necessary prerequisite
to starting an interpreting course, not as its aim. In other words, trainees are
expected to have a reasonable mastery over both English and Persian in order to be
suited for enrolment in an interpreting course.
Thus, the present textbook does not attempt to teach the students words,
expressions, and structures in English or Persian although this may come as a
natural result of all language-related learning experiences. At the same time, the
trainees are expected to develop their linguistic competence by resorting to
numerous other sources available to them. Textbooks, dictionaries, glossaries to
name but a few. What we ultimately expect the present textbook, and in fact the
approach on which it is based, to help achieve is filling the existing gap in the
Iranian academia between the objectives of interpreting courses and the actual
performance of interpreting trainers. In other words, it seeks to develop the
‘cognitive competence’ necessary to turn a competent translator into a competent
interpreter. This ‘mental preparedness’ can hopefully be built through application
of the techniques and exercises introduced here.
The present textbook comprises two main chapters: 1) Theoretical
Considerations, and 2) Consecutive Interpreting, which are further divided into
separate lessons to suit class sessions. Chapter one, as the title suggests, deals with
certain theoretical information and discussions and provides a brief theoretical
iv
background for the trainees. It contains three lessons, each presenting some
interpreting concepts the knowledge of which is indispensable for any interpreting
student. Chapter two is itself divided into two separate sections: 1) Preparatory
Exercises, and 2) CI Exercises. Preparatory exercises are not necessarily concerned
with translation; rather, they are designed to ‘train the brain’ and prepare it for the
task of interpreting. The lessons in the second section contain exercises that require
the trainees to perform the task of consecutive interpreting in quasi-real life
situations. The exercises will involve interpreting in both directions, i.e. from and
into English and Persian. The book is accompanied by a DVD containing all the
audio and video files for the exercises.
A final note to make is that although this book is written in English and
deals with a specific language pair (i.e. English-Persian), when it comes to the
exercises devised, it may, of course with certain modifications, be of use to
students of interpreting working with other language pairs as well. The macro-
structure of the book needs no change; the instructor, however, will need to be
reasonably familiar with English language and will have to replace the audio and
video files in the second chapter of the book with corresponding files in the
languages concerned. Ideally, it is hoped that similar textbooks and teaching
materials within the same approach will be written to suit the needs of trainee
interpreters with different language pairs.
v
To the Trainer
Lessons are divided based on two criteria: the topic(s) to be discussed and/or
practiced, and the amount of material or number of exercises that can be covered
within the limited time of a class session. This division, however, is but tentative.
That is to say, the instructor may decide to merge two lessons into one class
session or opt for splitting the material in one lesson to be covered in more than
one class session as s/he sees fit. The former case is particularly likely for the
lessons in Chapter One while the latter is more probable in the case of Chapter
Two.
The instructor is strongly recommended to carefully read, plan, and prepare
for the lessons in advance. This is of vital importance particularly in Chapter Two
of the book where the lessons contain exercises that need to be done in class. There
are clear, detailed instructions provided for each exercise and it is a must that the
exercises be administered in precisely the same manner as advised or, otherwise,
they may not lead to the desirable results.
In order for the recordings and passages to be manageable for the trainees, it
is suggested that they be divided into some meaningful parts. These meaningful
parts are referred to as units in the present book. Units are not of fixed size and
their size varies according to such factors as trainees’ language proficiency, the
subject matter of the lectures and interviews, the timing of exercises with regard to
the trainees’ level of competence, etc. The size of a unit might vary from a single
phrase or clause to longer texts. It is recommended that the instructor begin
training with small units and proceed to longer units as texts. Therefore, it is
strongly advised that the instructor watch all the videos beforehand and divide it
into some units.
vi
Last but not least, it should be remembered that the materials used in the
exercises, i.e. texts as well as audio/video files, are not the only ones that can be
used in class. Indeed, one of the problems with most textbooks written for practical
translation/interpreting courses is that the material to be used for translation
outdates quickly and the textbook loses its initial appeal. Since our focus is on the
types of exercises in general, and the way they should be done in particular, it is
perfectly fine, even advisable, for the trainer to decide to replace the materials in
the book or on the DVD with more recent materials provided that the material
selected meets the required standards in connection with that exercise.
To the Trainee
The trainees must not read, listen to, or watch the material to be covered in
class beforehand as this will totally spoil the exercise. On the other hand, once a
certain type of exercise is performed in class, the trainees have an example as to
how they can do it on their own. It is necessary that the tasks and exercises
introduced in class be reinforced through further practice outside the classroom.
Needless to say that One cannot simply become an interpreter by merely trying
each exercises once or twice.
What is more, the trainees can adjust the difficulty of the texts they work
with to suit their level. For instance, if they work with a five-minute long text in
class, they may want to work with a longer text as they make progress. One last
helpful tip is to work with (audio/video) texts containing non-standard English
accents. With English being spoken by an increasingly varied range of people
across the globe, interpreters find themselves, more often than not, working with
speakers of English who speak it with an accent.
vii
Chapter 1: Theoretical Considerations
This chapter, as the title explicitly suggests, is primarily theory-oriented and
provides a brief, general background for the trainees. It consists of three lessons
each presenting certain basic concepts and issues relating to the field of
interpreting the knowledge of which is indispensable for an average interpreting
student. The first lesson will provide an overview of the concept and history of
interpreting while lesson two presents the various modes and settings associated
with the task of interpreting. The concluding lesson in this chapter presents and
explains one of the most prominent models presented so far to capture the process
of consecutive interpreting, i.e. Gile’s effort model of consecutive interpreting.
