Franz P

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Franz PöchhackerCenter for Translation Studies,
University of Vienna

• Interpreting Studies
• Round-Trip from Practice to Theory

Translation in the University and the Workplace
Thessaloniki, 3-4 November 2006
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Outline

• Definitions
• Relations
• Practice gtgt Theory
• Theory gtgt Practice
• ??

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A long-standing concern

• C. Stenzl (Trieste Symposium, Nov. 1986)

there must be genuine interaction between
theory and practice if we want to see sound and
constructive developments in both areas.
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interpreting studies ?

• field of academic study ?

(sub)discipline of TS
course at University
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IS as a discipline

• sociological
• phenomenon
• researchers, departments, conferences, chairs,
  PhD programs

theoretical construct literature published
theories, models, empirical findings, scholarly
debate
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Theory is

• anything that is not practice
• non-empirical enquiry
• part of research (theory vs. data)
• ? what comes out of people doing research

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Practice ?Theory ?

• Relations over time

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Practice ?Theory ?

• Relations over time

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Practice ?Theory ?

• Relations over time

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Practice ?Theory ?

• Relations over time

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Practice ?Theory ?

• Relations over time

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Practice ? Theory

• METHOD
• QUALITY
• CONDITIONS
• TEACHING

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Method

• note-taking (e.g. J. Herbert)
• true simultaneous (G. Rabinovitch)
• SimConsec (M. Ferrari)

Practice ? Theory
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Quality

• standards e.g. Herbert (1952)

to enable his audience to know accurately what
the speaker intended to convey, and to make on
the audience the impression which the speaker
wishes to be made.
Practice ? Theory
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Working conditions

• input rate
• turn length
• text in booth
• visual access

Practice ? Theory
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Teaching

• e.g. Herbert, Dostert, Rozan, Seleskovitch, Ilg,
  Gile, etc.

Practice ? Theory
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Research ? Practice

• METHOD
• QUALITY
• CONDITIONS
• TEACHING

Research ? Practice
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Method

• language of note-taking
• (e.g. Dam 2004, Szabo 2006)
• one ear better than two?
• (e.g. Lambert 1994)
• SimConsec
• (e.g. Hamidi Pöchhacker, in press)

Research ? Practice
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Quality

• criteria and user expectations
• (e.g. Bühler 1986, Kurz 1993, Moser 1995)
• perception / judgment
• (e.g. Collados Aís 1998, Garzone 2003)
• assessment
• (e.g. Barik 1975, Mackintosh 1983, Tommola
  Lindholm 1995, Soler 2006)

Research ? Practice
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Working conditions

• input rate
• (e.g. Gerver 1969)
• intonation
• (e.g. Gerver 1971, Déjean Le Féal 1978)
• booth temperature ventilation
• (e.g. Kurz Kolmer 1984, AIIC 2002)
• extended turns
• (Moser-Mercer et al. 1998)

Research ? Practice
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Teaching

• dual-task exercises
• (e.g. Moser 1978)
• shadowing
• (e.g. Lambert 1991, Moser-Mercer et al. 2000)

Research ? Practice
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Theory ? Practice

• MODELS
• aptitude and skill components
• comprehension processes
• processing capacity and
• attention management

Theory ? Practice
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Theory ? Practice

• SEEING THINGS
• documenting problems of practice
• Identifying social/institutional needs

Theory ? Practice
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Theory ? Practice

• SEEING THINGS critically / differently
• professional ideology (e.g. Diriker 2004)
• codes of ethics (e.g. Angelelli 2006)
• setting standards (e.g. ÖNORM D 1202 02)

Theory ? Practice
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A sociological view
(e.g. Mantoux)
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A sociological view
(e.g. Herbert)
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A sociological view
(e.g. Seleskovitch)
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A sociological view
(e.g. Seleskovitch)
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A sociological view
(e.g. Barik)
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A sociological view
(e.g. Lambert)
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A sociological view
(e.g. Moser-Mercer)
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A sociological view
(e.g. Moser-Mercer, Gile, Kurz, Liu, etc.)
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A sociological view
(e.g. Schjoldager, Diriker, Kalina, etc.)
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A sociological view
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A sociological view
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the trainer/scholars /practisearchers Workplace
The University
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A healthy pursuit?

• J. Herbert (1952 94 last word)

the interpreter who devotes himself exclusively
to his profession may suffer gravely from the
resultant strain.
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A healthy pursuit!

• (Herbert 1952 contd.)

He should therefore indulge in other
occupations and interests which he may find (...)
in intellectual work which can be carried on at a
slower tempo, such as writing, teaching,
research!
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• Thank You
• for your attention!

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Franz PöchhackerCenter for Translation Studies,
University of Vienna

• Interpreting Studies
• Round-Trip from Practice to Theory

Translation in the University and the Workplace
Thessaloniki, 3-4 November 2006