On Information Reorganization In Consecutive Interpretation From The Perspective Of Schema Theory

According to schema theory, only when new information is related to the knowledge structure people have acquired can it be accepted. Schema refers to the knowledge structure on which people rely to know the world. It can be categorized into three types: language schema, content schema and structure schema. Language schema refers to those basic language elements, such as word, grammar, pronunciation, or sentence structure. Content schema means background and cultural knowledge. Structure schema refers to text structure, logic structure and rhetorical structure. It is quite important for interpreters to acquire all kinds of schema as they play a vital role in listening comprehension and language production.This paper, based on Gile’s multi-effort model, explores the application of schema in information reorganization in consecutive interpretation. It aims to help interpreters to solve the problems of effort allocation and coordination when carrying out multi-tasks in consecutive interpretation. For this research, national leaders’ speeches are used as linguistic data. Information reorganization includes listening comprehension and language production. Through scientific and practical research, it has been proven that schema theory plays an extremely important role in information reorganization.Firstly, schema promotes understanding and helps remembering during listening comprehension. The interpreters comprehend and remember the information they hear according to knowledge schema in their mind. In the process of remembering, the interpreter should be able to transform and reorganize the information into target language. Schema is the key to information recognition, retention and reorganization. Secondly, in the process of language production, remedial measures will be taken to deal with emergency situation according to schema the interpreters have built in their mind. Based on multi-effort model which emphasizes the interpreters’ coordination ability of recognition, note-taking, short-term memory at the same time, this paper examines the great influence of schema on listening comprehension, short-term memory and language production. This paper enriches the studies of the application of schema in information reorganization. It provides theoretical instruction for interpreters to solve the problems of effort allocation and coordination due to multi-tasks in consecutive interpretation. It also helps interpreters to carry out a high-quality interpretation by improving their ability in listening comprehension, short-term memory and language production.