Conference Interpreting In Malaysia: A Study On Users, Interpreters, And Clients’ Quality Expectations
Loading...
Date
2016-03
Authors
Amini, Mansour
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
Conference interpreting needs to be explored thoughtfully to obtain optimum quality in
Malaysian setting. Expectations of users, interpreters, and clients are explored by a
questionnaire-based survey adapted from Zwischenberger & Pöchhacker (2010), Bühler (1986),
and Moser’s (1995) studies in this thesis. The objectives of the study are producing users,
interpreters, and clients’ profile; identifying their expectations of interpreting quality and any
significant difference between those expectations based on gender, conference typology, age,
experience, first-language, and educational level; determining the key problems that conference
interpreters encounter; and putting forward suggestions for improving quality. In line with
Translation theories that emphasise the function and purpose (Scopos) of translation, the core
of the study is the users’ data. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of questionnaires from 256
users, 42 clients and 11 interpreters suggest that different groups have different expectations,
and expectations of an individual from the same group might be different from the expectations
of the others. Interpreters attach the utmost importance to linguistic criteria. Users believe
knowledge and skills, adapting with the speaker’s speed, and time constraints are the most
problematic aspects in conference interpreting. Interpreters have higher expectations than
clients, and users have lower expectations than clients. Expectations of non-Malaysian, Englishspeaking
and older users are higher than expectations of Malaysian users, speakers of other
languages and younger users. Users, interpreters, and clients’ most important suggestions to
improve quality of interpreting are associated with the quality criteria. The researcher calls for
taking further notice of contextual features, in addition to the linguistic issues that have been
pursued in quality research.
Description
Keywords
Interpreters