MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING PHENIKAA UNIVERSITY GRADUATION PAPER A STUDY ON THE ROLE OF LISTENING AND WORKING MEMORY IN CONSECUTIVE INTERPRETING Nghiên cứu về vai trò của kỹ năng nghe và trí nhớ trong phiên dịch nối tiếp Student: Nguyen My Hao Student ID No: 19010405 Course: 2019-2023 Field: English Language Mode of study: Full-time Supervisor: Hoang Van Hoat, M.A Hanoi – 2024 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING PHENIKAA UNIVERSITY GRADUATION PAPER A STUDY ON THE ROLE OF LISTENING AND WORKING MEMORY IN CONSECUTIVE INTERPRETING Nghiên cứu về vai trò của kỹ năng nghe và trí nhớ trong phiên dịch nối tiếp Student: Nguyen My Hao Student ID No: 19010405 Course: 2019-2023 Field: English Language Mode of study: Full-time Supervisor: Hoang Van Hoat, M.A Hanoi – 2024 I ABSTRACT This study explores the roles of listening and working memory in consecutive interpreting, focusing on third-year and final-year Translation students at Phenikaa University. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the research integrates quantitative data from a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire, encompassing 25 statements across five sections, was designed to assess interpreters' listening skills, working memory capacity, interpreting performance, self-efficacy, and multitasking abilities. Participants' responses were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.
Findings reveal that both listening skills and working memory significantly impact the accuracy and coherence of consecutive interpretations. High working memory capacity and effective note-taking were linked to better performance, suggesting that cognitive load management is crucial in interpretation tasks. Participants reported that focused listening, active memory retention, and strategic note-taking are vital for overcoming challenges such as mental fatigue and handling complex or technical language. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of tailored training programs aimed at enhancing listening and working memory skills to improve interpreting outcomes.
By examining the cognitive processes underlying consecutive interpreting, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of the factors influencing interpreter performance. The insights gained have practical implications for interpreter training, emphasizing the need for comprehensive strategies to bolster II listening and memory capabilities. This study lays the groundwork for further exploration into cognitive load management in interpreting, offering recommendations for future research and training methodologies to enhance the efficacy of consecutive interpreters. III DECLARATION I, Nguyen My Hao - Student ID No 19010405, certificate that no part of the above report has been copied or reproduced by me from any other person’s work without acknowledgements and that the report is originally written by me under strict guidance of my supervisor.
Hanoi, 1st July, 2024 Supervisor Student Hoang Van Hoat, M.A Nguyen My Hao IV ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I extend my deepest gratitude to all those who have supported and guided me throughout the completion of this thesis, which explores the pivotal Role of Listening skills and Working Memory in Consecutive Interpretation for two main research subjects including third-year and fourth-year students at Phenikaa University. I am deeply thankful to my thesis supervisor, Mr. Hoang Van Hoat, M.A, for his invaluable guidance, and for his scholarly advice, constructive feedback, and academic mentorship throughout this endeavor. His expertise has been indispensable in shaping the methodology and analysis of this research.
I am also indebted to the faculty members of the Faculty of English, Phenikaa University for their support and encouragement. Their academic rigor and commitment to excellence have provided me with a stimulating environment in which to pursue my research. Lastly, my sincere appreciation goes to the participants of this research, whose willingness to engage and share their experiences has been pivotal to the insights gained. Their contributions have enhanced the relevance and applicability of this thesis in the field of Translation and Interpreting.
V TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION. Background of consecutive interpreting. Statement of the problem. Research Objectives and Research Questions.
Specific aims of the Study. Significance of the study. Scope and Limitation of the study. 4 CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW.
The Nature of Consecutive Interpreting. Definition and characteristics. Cognitive and linguistic demands. Listening in Consecutive Interpreting.
Importance of listening. Listening models and their relevance to interpreting. Challenges in listening for interpreters. Working Memory in Consecutive Interpreting.
Definition and components of working memory. Role of working memory in language processing. Working memory training and its effects on interpreting performance. Training and Development.
Technology and Cognitive Support. Gap in the Literature. 26 VI CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY. Export and clean survey data.
35 CHAPTER 3: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION. Comparison with Previous Research. Theoretical and Practical Implications. Suggestions for Future Research .59 APPENDIX 1: SURVEY ON THE ROLE OF LISTENING AND WORKING MEMORY IN CONSECUTIVE INTERPRETING.
59 APPENDIX 2 : EXPLAIN HIGHLY TECHNICAL TERMS IN THE QUESTIONNAIRE. Background of consecutive interpreting Consecutive interpreting (CI) refers to the process in which a skilled interpreter translates spoken words or messages from one language to another, typically after the speaker has completed a segment of their speech. During this process, the interpreter listens attentively to the speaker and takes notes as necessary. Once the speaker pauses, the interpreter delivers the message in the target language.
This method facilitates a more deliberate and precise translation of the speaker’s words and intentions, necessitating interpreters to manage significant cognitive demands, including effective listening, memory retention, and rapid translation, thus making it a challenging and skill-intensive profession. Interpretation plays a crucial role in facilitating political, cultural, and commercial interactions by eliminating language barriers in cross-cultural communication [1]. Two primary modes of interpretation are consecutive and simultaneous, with consecutive interpreting attracting extensive research attention due to its prevalence in various contexts such as hospitals, legal courts, television settings, and work meetings [2]. In CI, interpreters perform a series of tasks to ensure effective communication.
These tasks include listening to and comprehending the source language (decoding), retaining the information in working memory until it can be transformed into the target language (reformulation), and then verbally expressing the target language (encoding) [3]. This entire process necessitates a range of intricate linguistic skills and cognitive functions, each competing for cognitive resources, thereby resulting in a considerable mental workload (MWL) [4], [5]. Statement of the problem Through consecutive interpreting, interpreters are often put under high cognitive demands. Listening effectively to catch the information at a detailed level, holding this information in working memory accurately, and recalling it to produce coherent and accurate translations are important tasks.
Added to these are the facts that several streams of information have to be managed simultaneously; therefore, it becomes very important to know how listening and working memory capacities interact to influence interpreting performance. Some of the everyday challenges an interpreter faces are the lack of deep understanding of both speakers' cultural background, the way tone is used to express a meaning in both languages, lack of preparation that familiarizes oneself with the terminology of the subject in question, and not hearing the speaker clearly. Research Objectives and Research Questions 3. Specific aims of the Study This study aims to focus on the role of listening skills and working memory in consecutive interpretation.
During consecutive interpretation learning and practice, students must hear and understand the source language before converting and conveying meaning to the target language. This requires superior listening skills, along with the ability to process and store information temporarily in memory. The objective of the thesis is to study the influence of listening and memory skills on students' ability to perform in learning situations and consecutive interpreting practice. Research questions The questions aim to explore the complex relationship between listening skills, working memory, and interpreting performance, focusing on cognitive needs and the strategies interpreters use.
How do listening skills and working memory impact the performance of consecutive interpreters? 2. How do interpreters perceive the role of listening and working memory in consecutive interpreting? 4. Significance of the study This study, theoretically focuses on the role of listening skills and working memory in consecutive interpretation which help better understand the role of listening skills in consecutive interpreting, and providing insight into the influence of listening skills on students' ability to interpret. Besides, this study aimed at pointing out the importance of memory in consecutive interpretation: By analyzing how memory affects the ability to convert information from the source language to the target language, research will help determine the role of memory in this process.
Understanding the role of listening and working memory in consecutive interpreting is crucial for developing effective training programs. Insights from this study can help educators design targeted exercises to enhance these cognitive skills, leading to improved interpreter performance and more accurate translations. Scope and Limitation of the study The study was conducted with third-year students and final-year students are studying Translation at the Department of English - Phenikaa University. The study participants enrolled in the same program and enjoyed the same learning conditions.
While the findings may provide valuable insights, the sample size and specific demographic might limit the generalizability of the results to other populations or professional interpreters. 5 CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 1. The Nature of Consecutive Interpreting 1. Definition and characteristics Consecutive interpreting, as explicated by Jones [6], entails an interpreter listening to a complete segment of a speaker's discourse, or at least a significant portion thereof, and then reconstructing the speech with the aid of notes.
This method necessitates the interpreter to absorb an extended segment of speech in the source language, often utilizing notes as mnemonic aids rather than direct transcriptions. The speaker delivers the entire speech continuously until the end, at which point the interpreter conveys the message in the target language. In this interpretive mode, the speaker intermittently pauses, typically after several sentences, allowing the interpreter to translate the message into the target language. This technique is commonly employed in various contexts, such as meetings, conferences, legal proceedings, and medical appointments, where immediate and precise translation is crucial.
Consecutive interpreting ensures detailed and accurate communication between parties speaking different languages, thereby guaranteeing that the message is effectively and precisely conveyed. This form of interpreting is a demanding cognitive task requiring the interpreter to listen to the source-language message, retain its content in working memory, and then accurately render it into the target language, by Turković [17]. It necessitates a delicate interplay between listening comprehension and working memory capacity, both of which are critical to the successful execution of interpretation tasks. Research indicates that proficient interpreters exhibit superior listening skills, enabling them to process and understand incoming information efficiently.
6 Effective listening allows interpreters to extract key points, discern nuances, and anticipate forthcoming content, all of which are vital for producing a coherent and accurate interpretation. Concurrently, working memory functions as a temporary storage system, permitting interpreters to hold and manipulate information while performing the interpretation task. The capacity of working memory directly affects an interpreter's ability to retain source-language content, make linguistic decisions, and produce target-language output in real time. Studies have demonstrated that interpreters with higher working memory capacities tend to perform better in terms of accuracy, fluency, and overall interpretation quality.
The intricate relationship between listening and working memory in consecutive interpreting has garnered increasing interest from researchers in translation and interpreting studies. By examining how these cognitive processes interact and influence each other during interpretation tasks, scholars aim to uncover the underlying mechanisms that drive interpreter performance. Understanding the roles of listening and working memory in consecutive interpreting not only aids in the development of effective training programs for interpreters but also provides insights into broader issues related to language processing, memory functions, and cognitive workload management in multilingual communication settings. This knowledge contributes to a deeper comprehension of the cognitive demands placed on interpreters and the strategies that can be employed to enhance their performance.
Cognitive and linguistic demands Consecutive interpretation is a mode of interpreting in which the speaker delivers a speech or speaks in segments while the interpreter takes notes by Rahmanpanah [18].