Debra Russell, PhD
Consecutive means:
1. Using one language at a time; distinct pausing
2. May require interpreter to use mapping or note taking strategies
3. Interpreter will need to signals to ask people to pause
4. Needs to be negotiated effectively before use
Why more accurate?
1. Allows interpreters to work through ALL of the stages of a process model of
interpretation
2. Ex: Colonomos (CVR/P)
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Concentration
Visualization
Rehearsal/Planning
Where do we use CI?
1. One to One interviews (medical, legal, information exchange)
2. Small groups – teaching
3. Courts: Direct evidence- consecutive best choice, Expert testimony – combination
required
Understanding the Meaning
1. Must understand discourse analysis
2. Process of understanding all of parts of message to understand whole message
3. Context influences meaning
4. Context includes: participants, setting, purpose
Settings and Discourse Structure
1. No matter where we work, must recognize how the information is organized between
communicators
2. One way for us to increase accurate work – recognize GOALS of communicators and
recognize HOW they talk
Cokely: Structures
1. Inquiry: elicit a response, interviews
2. Narrative: recount a series of events more or less chronologically; informational;
expert testimony, teaching; instruct; charge to jury
3. Expository: explanatory; seeks to provide information required in a particular
circumstance; contrast perspective; victim impact statements
4. Persuasive: attempts to influence conduct of listener; opening remarks in court/sales
pitches/objections
Structures apply to many settings
1. Inquiry: job interviews, taking a complaint, applying for school
2. Narrative: counseling, courts-direct testimony, expert testimony, teaching
3. Expository: job conflict resolution sessions, victim impact statements
4. Persuasive: sales pitches/objections; medical – instructions, education
Cognitive Interpreting Processes
1. Identifies steps that we go through in order to produce accurate interpretation
2. Several models (Cokely, Colonomos, Gish, Russell) help us to understand the process
Meaning-Based Interpreting Model (Russell, 2000)
1. Assess contextual factors and monitor process
2. Comprehend Source Language Message
3. Apply contextual and linguistics frame
4. Formulate/rehearse Equivalent Message
5. Produce Target Language
6. Assess contextual factors and monitor process
Further Layers: Discourse Analysis (Isham)
1. Function
2. Content
3. Context
4. Register
5. Affect
6. Metanotative qualities
First Step: Predict (10 Step Model – Witter Merithew)
1. Brainstorm with a partner
2. Content – themes, topics, events
3. Context – register, speaker’s goals
4. Linguistic Form – discourse structures, transitions, vocabulary, etc.
Step 2 & 3: Watch/Recall, Map
1. Watch text
2. Map the ideas (WHAT was said/signed)
3. Web or tree
4. Themes, Main Ideas, Supporting Ideas
5. Breaks us away from SL form
6. Organizes information in visual/spatial manner
7. Reinforces your long-term memory
Why Map?
1. Build analysis skills
2. Heighten awareness of linguistic devices
3. Focus on meaning, not words or signs
4. Build information processing skills
5. Artificial at first, but later translates into generalizable skill in your daily practice
6. Self-study activity
Step 4: Important Features
1. Prosody: what is essential to convey mood, style and manner of message
2. How was message coherence achieved?
3. Affect, pacing, pausing, stress, emphasis, intonation, message coherence
4. Task: list features
Step 5: Abstraction
1. Focus on OVERALL point, principal, implied message in text
2. One line statement (Ex: Buyer Beware!)
3. Conveys underlying meaning
4. Helps us realize signer’s intent and select equivalent semantic choices
Step 6: ReTell in SL
Retell in your words
1. Confirms our understanding of message
2. Uses memory and paraphrasing skills
3. With partner, retell; give feedback on how close the retell is to original text
4. Strengthens our bilingual/bicultural skills
Step 7: Important Features in TL
Step 4 – SL features, now TL features
1. Prosody: what is essential to convey mood, style and manner of message
2. How was message coherence achieved?
3. Affect, pacing, pausing, stress, emphasis, intonation, message coherence
4. Task: list features
Step 8: Visualization Map
1. Wordless map
2. Pictures – like cartoon strip, no words
3. Allows us to restructure per TL; have the full picture
4. Sequences information
Step 9: Retell in TL
1. Integrates steps 6-8
2. Focuses on transferring meaning of SL to TL
3. Uses your memory, comprehension, SL competency to create accurate paraphrase
Meaning and Intent
1. Can not be captured without:
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placing discourse in a broader context of social relations like who, where,
power, when, context
recognizing that discourse is constructed as we interpret between parties
Consecutive Interpreting
1. Allows us to work through all three stages (6-8) to achieve the most accurate
interpreting possible
2. Consistent practice with consecutive will enhance simultaneous
3. Reminds us to slow down and use features of language that make sense
(pausing/phrasing)
4. Mapping forces us to use all 3 stages
Linking Theory & Practice
1. Practice builds your text analysis and memory skills
2. Mapping – individual in orientation – words, pictures, combinations, symbols
3. Can use mapping in real life – mental health, courtrooms, medical, prior to offering
consecutive interpretation
CI: Best Practices
1. Use discourse frames to shape decision to use CI or SI
2. Practice CI often enough to build memory
3. Apply text analysis strategies
4. Use Mapping as tool
5. Negotiate use of C/S
6. Indicate signals you will use
7. Prepare with agents of court – ask questions, ask for materials
8. Work as team, both responsible for success or failure assignment
9. Prepare Deaf consumers for “why CI”
10. Create appropriate signals for pausing
But, it is uncomfortable…
1. So is our work when we are making
2. prosody errors
3. omitting content
4. inaccurately analyzing the relationship in the text that create meaning
5. changing the intent of the message through our errors
Committed to Excellence!
1. Opportunity to repeat our history OR learn from our lessons
2. Strengthening our foundational skills critical at all stages of our development – even
old houses requires renovations and refurbishing!
3. Enhancing our work is the goal