Franz Pöchhacker
Center for Translation Studies, University of Vienna
Interpreting Studies:
Round-Trip from Practice to Theory
“Translation in the University and the Workplace” Thessaloniki, 3-4 November 2006
Outline
Definitions
Relations
Practice >> Theory
Theory >> Practice
?
A long-standing concern
C. Stenzl (Trieste Symposium, Nov. 1986):
“there must be genuine interaction between theory and practice if we want to see sound and constructive developments in both areas.”
“interpreting studies” ?
“field of academic study” ?
(sub)discipline of TS course at University
IS as a discipline
sociological
phenomenon
researchers, departments,
conferences, chairs, PhD
programs …
theoretical
construct
‘literature’ = published
theories, models, empirical
findings, scholarly debate …
Theory is…
… anything that is not practice
… non-empirical enquiry
… part of research (“theory vs. data”)
“what comes out of people doing research”
Practice Theory ?
Relations over time
Practice Theory ?
Relations over time
Practice Theory ?
Relations over time
Practice Theory ?
Relations over time
Practice Theory ?
Relations over time
Practice ‘Theory’
METHOD
QUALITY
CONDITIONS
TEACHING
Method
note-taking (e.g. J. Herbert)
‘true’ simultaneous (G. Rabinovitch)
SimConsec (M. Ferrari)
Practice
‘Theory’
Quality
standards – e.g. Herbert (1952):
“to enable his audience to know accurately
what the speaker intended to convey, and
to make on the audience the impression
which the speaker wishes to be made.”
Practice
‘Theory’
Working conditions
input rate turn length text in booth visual access
Practice
‘Theory’
Teaching
e.g. Herbert, Dostert, Rozan,
Seleskovitch, Ilg, Gile, etc.
Practice
‘Theory’
Research Practice
METHOD
QUALITY
CONDITIONS
TEACHING
Research
Practice
Method
language of note-taking(e.g. Dam 2004, Szabo 2006)
‘one ear better than two?’(e.g. Lambert 1994)
SimConsec
(e.g. Hamidi & Pöchhacker, in press)
Research
Practice
Quality
Research
Practice
criteria and user expectations(e.g. Bühler 1986, Kurz 1993, Moser 1995)
perception / judgment
(e.g. Collados Aís 1998, Garzone 2003)
assessment(e.g. Barik 1975, Mackintosh 1983, Tommola & Lindholm 1995, Soler 2006)
Working conditions
Research
Practice
input rate(e.g. Gerver 1969)
intonation(e.g. Gerver 1971, Déjean Le Féal 1978)
booth temperature & ventilation(e.g. Kurz & Kolmer 1984, AIIC 2002)
extended turns(Moser-Mercer et al. 1998)
Teaching
Research
Practice
dual-task exercises(e.g. Moser 1978)
shadowing(e.g. Lambert 1991, Moser-Mercer et al.
2000)
Theory Practice
MODELS
aptitude and skill components
comprehension processes
processing capacity andattention management
Theory
Practice
Theory Practice
‘SEEING THINGS’
documenting problems of practice
Identifying social/institutional needs
Theory
Practice
Theory Practice
Theory
Practice
SEEING THINGS critically / differently
professional ideology (e.g. Diriker 2004)
codes of ethics (e.g. Angelelli 2006)
setting standards (e.g. ÖNORM D 1202 02)
A sociological view
practitioner
(e.g. Mantoux)
A sociological view
trainer
practitioner
(e.g. Herbert)
A sociological view
trainer
practitioner
prof. repr.
(e.g. Seleskovitch)
A sociological view
(e.g. Seleskovitch) practitioner
trainer scholar
prof. repr.
A sociological view
scientist
(e.g. Barik)
A sociological view
trainer
scie
ntis
t (e.g. Lambert)
A sociological view
practitioner scie
ntis
t(e.g. Moser-Mercer)
A sociological view
trainer
practitioner scie
ntis
t(e.g. Moser-Mercer,Gile, Kurz, Liu, etc.)
A sociological view
(e.g. Schjoldager,Diriker, Kalina, etc.)
practitioner
trainer scholar
A sociological view
scie
ntis
t
scholartrainer
practitioner
A sociological view
scie
ntis
t
scholar
prof. repr.
trainer
practitioner
the trainer/scholar’s /practisearcher’s Workplace
trainer scholar
practitioner scie
ntis
t
prof. repr.
The University:
A healthy pursuit?
J. Herbert (1952: 94; “last word”):
“the interpreter who devotes himself exclusively to his profession may suffer gravely from the resultant strain.”
A healthy pursuit!(Herbert 1952 cont’d.)
“He should therefore indulge in other occupations and interests which he may find (...) in intellectual work which can be carried on at a slower tempo, such as writing, teaching, research”!
Thank You
for your attention!
Franz Pöchhacker
Center for Translation Studies, University of Vienna
Interpreting Studies:
Round-Trip from Practice to Theory
“Translation in the University and the Workplace” Thessaloniki, 3-4 November 2006