A Practice Report On Shaanxi Local Cuisines In Banquet Interpreting For Shaanxi Foreign Affrairs Office

With the ever-growing economic development and the deepening of reform and opening up, China’s diplomatic exchanges keep expanding as well. Foreign receptions at all governmental levels become more and more frequent. Banquet is an indispensable component in diplomatic activities. Consecutive interpreting often serves as the boost of communication in such events. Therefore, banquet interpreting study has become a necessary topic for researchers and scholars.This report, based on the author’s internship in the Foreign Affairs Office(FAO) of Shaanxi Provincial People’s Government, takes Translation Compensation Theory and Interpretive Theory as the theoretical support to solvethe problems encountered in interpreting, such as dealing with information deficiency of Shaanxi local cuisine names and the translation of related Chinese-featured expressions. The author first summarizes his problems in the practice from recordings, then takes references from previous studies to seek for solutions and finally comes up with coping strategies and tactics. Through Translation Compensation Theory, the author finds ways to complementthe information needed to help audienceunderstand the source text. With strong footings offered by the Interpretive Theory, the author explores strategies to interpret Chinese-featured expressions which cannot be interpreted directly in English through three steps: preparation, de-verbalization and re-expression. It is the author’s sincere hope that this report could provide references for young and inexperienced interpreters in their future interpreting practice.