A Study On Information Loss In Consecutive Interpreting From The Perspective Of Think-aloud Protocols

This thesis researches information loss in English to Chinese interpreting through qualitative and quantitative method.In this study,the author intends to answer four questions:1.What are the features of information loss for trainee interpreters in consecutive interpreting? 2.What are the major causes for the information loss? 3.What compensation do trainee interpreters make for their information loss? 4.What are the suggestions to help trainee interpreters avoid unnecessary information loss?To answer these four questions,the author invited ten MTI student to interpret a diplomatic speech delivered by Theresa May and give their immediate retrospection of reasons for their losses of information.By analyzing the transcripts of ten subjects’ interpreting,the author found that information loss for student interpreters can be categorized to the following five aspects---proper nouns,unfamiliar words,juxtapositions,parentheses and complex sentences.Then,by analyzing the immediate retrospection of subjects,the author concluded the reasons for information loss as follows: 1.incomplete cognitive structure about a specific topic;2.high information destiny of source language text;3.limited active words;4.uneven allocation of attention;5.omission as a strategy.Also,based on the transcripts of ten subjects’ interpreting and their immediate retrospection,the author summarized four kinds of compensation they made to reduce information loss.These four kinds of compensation are no compensation,wrong compensation,overt compensation and covert compensation.To avoid unnecessary information loss,the author gave her coping strategies.First,student interpreters are expected to have adequate long-term and short-term preparation before interpreting.Second,student interpreters should optimize allocation of interpreters’ total attention.