Construction Of Idealized Cognitive Models In Simultaneous Interpreting

Simultaneous Interpreting is a rather tough cognitive job forsimultaneous interpreters orally interpreting one language to another atalmost the same time with the speech of the speaker. With regard to theresearch on it, most scholars have studied such aspects as technique,teaching and leaming, interpreting quality and evaluation, etc. In thisthesis, we try to investigate idealized cognitive models construction insimultaneous interpreting from the perspectives of cognitive semanticsand cognitive psychology. Taking George Lakoff's Idealized CognitiveModels, Daniel Gile's Effort Models and Andrew Ellis and AndrewYoung's Auditory Cognitive Model as our theoretical foundation, weexplore idealized cognitive models construction in such procedures as"before and within simultaneous interpreting" including "listening,memorizing, thinking and interpreting". As this thesis suggests, CulturalModel, Comparison Model and Mental Model that are as important asPropositional Model, Image Schema Model, Metaphorical Model andMetonymic Model that are put forward by George Lakoff, arefundamental cognitive models based on human experience and bodilyexperiences. After probing into the construction of these seven models,we find that meaning guided by their construction and knowledge play akey role in raising speed and quality of interpreting.Research materials are mainly speeches and live simultaneousinterpreting documents and records of political, economic, trade,educational and cultural foreign exchange activities in recent years byhigh-ranking officials. Taking quantitative and qualitative analysis asinvestigating methods, the thesis makes empirical studies on speeches andsimultaneous interpreting records of the International UniversityPresident Forum hosted by Beijing Normal University on September 7 to 8 in 2002. It discusses idealized cognitive models construction in allstages of simultaneous interpreting and its influence on as well as itssignificance to the interpreting of interpreters, taking into considerationthe background of the speaking speed of speakers and interpreters, thetime lag between speakers and interpreters, etc. An experiment ofsimultaneous interpreting performance is also carried out. Moreover, theway of integrating meaning and concept constructed by idealizedcognitive models into simultaneous interpreting teaching, learning andtraining is advanced.The significance of this research lies in the following three points.First, the cognitive activity, simultaneous interpreting is investigated onthe theoretical basis of Idealized Cognitive Models from the perspectivesof cognitive semantics and cognitive psychology and idealized cognitivemodels construction in simultaneous interpreting is also studied, on whichno one has made any research before. This interdisciplinary investigationis of great help to enriching and developing of Idealized CognitiveModels Theory as well as the expansion of its application. Second, wehave analyzed the advantages of idealized cognitive models and thedisadvantages of their research in hope of having a better understandingof simultaneous interpreting, a relatively difficult and mysteriouscognitive activity, summarizing its rules in a scientific way so as torelieve interpreters' pressures and improve their interpreting skills andquality. Third, simultaneous interpreting is a complicated cognitiveactivity which is a challengeable test to mankind's cognitive competence.The brain is the physiological basis for simultaneous interpreting, so it isof great significance for us to study the interpreters' brain systemoperation while doing interpreting and to know more about ourselves aswell as our cognitive activities.From this research, we find: firstly, Cultural Model, ComparisonModel and Mental Model are as important as George Lakoff's four models, and they are all basic cognitive models; the integration of thesemodels determines our way of perceiving the world and our cognitivecompetence; secondly, simultaneous interpreting, a complicated cognitivelinguistic activity based on the human brain physiologically, is closelyrelated to cognition, language and culture. It is carded out in guidance ofidealized cognitive models construction; thirdly, meaning, concept andknowledge, formed by and integrated with idealized cognitive models,are paramount to cognitive competence of languages that interpretersmaster, and to knowledge, speed and quality of interpreting; fourthly, thefaster interpreters construct the idealized cognitive models, the quickerthe multi-tasks are processed to avoid effort overload and to relievepressure and fatigue, which enlightens teaching, learning and training ofsimultaneous interpreting.All the above shows that as basic cognitive models of human-beings,idealized cognitive models are of great significance and have a good andpractical effect on the construction of meaning, concept and knowledgewhich is the top priority for simultaneous interpreters. Therefore,construction of idealized cognitive models in all procedures is helpful toraising simultaneous interpreting quality.