Improper Pauses In Chinese-to-english Consecutive Interpreting: An Analysis

Improper pauses in Chinese-to-English consecutive interpreting reduce language fluency at the very least and undermine information integrity even.They must be minimized,so the causes are worth studying.This thesis is a case study on the causes,based on the author’s own performance in mock conference ‘Impacts of Habitat Characteristics of Urban Parks on Bird Community’.Improper pauses were defined,categorized and counted.Causes were analyzed and possible coping strategies proposed.Although pauses occur in delivery,they are results of errors earlier,namely during listening,analysis,comprehension,note-taking and note-reading.The underlying causes include unbalanced mental energy distribution,inefficient and misleading note-taking,lack of background knowledge and insufficient English language skill.Accordingly,to avoid pauses,interpreters should hone listening and analyzing skill,improve note-taking efficiency and automatize note symbols,learn more in a wide variety of domains,enhance English skill and optimize coordination.This study might inspire Chinese-English interpreters in practice and supplement to the empirical study in the field.