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How Interpreters’ Attitude to Accented Speech Affects Listening Comprehension

Author: TangLiLi
Tutor: ZhangYan
School: Shanghai International Studies University
Course: English Language and Literature
Keywords: interpreting listening accent attitude
CLC: H059
Type: Master's thesis
Year: 2009
Downloads: 321
Quote: 2
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Abstract

Interpreter’s problems in listening comprehension which facilitate or hinder listening are delivery rate, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Among the factors that facilitate or hinder listening comprehension, accent is one that plays an important role in this regard. In the past research, accents in interpreting has been studied mostly from the point of view of semantic quality and segmental and prosodic deviations– but not so much from the point of view of the interpreter’s attitudes to the accented speech. However, the attitude may have strong influences on listening comprehension. These attitudes are in most cases cause by stereotypes based solely on the speakers’accents. This research suggests that the problem can be solved based on Gestalt theory which says an adequate inference can be determined drawn from "parts," and language redundancy theory which says in an interpreting context, interpreters are often faced with oral texts, which are, in most cases, of greater redundancy rate than written texts. Therefore, interpreters are able to have more chances to use their‘Gestalt’to comprehend more. This research has provided some possible ways to avoid interpreters’negative attitudes towards accented speeches, including offering proper cross culture training and back ground knowledge, which will help interpreters better comprehend the text as they process it.

How Interpreters’ Attitude to Accented Speech Affects Listening Comprehension

Abstract

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