The Role Of The Interpreter As A Mediator From The Perspective Of Skopos Theory

This is a report of the interpreting task at the Symposium on Chinese and British Perspectives on Values.It aims to analyze the interpreter's role in a conference interpreting,provide the author's on-site solutions related to the role as a mediator,and suggest some possible coping tactics based on reflections on the task.The author chooses the Skopos Theory as an analytical framework to study the role of the interpreter because it regards translation as an action where the interpreter as a participant matters.Traditional theories believe that interpreters are invisible and neutral like translation machine that converts one language to another.But in the interpreting practice of this report,the author did not follow the speaker very closely in language but altered some information in order to gain better effect for the symposium.Skopos Theory provides a framework for the author to conduct analysis on the purpose of altering expressions of the source text in her interpreting.The author analyzes the interpreter's role as a mediator in two aspects:(1)mediating political or cultural elements,(2)mediating personal angles,and(3)mediating the interaction in the communication.By analyzing the role of the interpreter under the framework of the Skopos Theory,this report suggests that in order to achieve the expected purpose of the communication,i.e.to bridge cultural gaps,reduce possible confusions,and facilitate the interaction among different parties in the event,the interpreter usually plays the role as a mediator.