Challenges Encountered by the Interpreters in Simultaneous Interpreting Process

Abstract

A language is a subject field of linguistics and both translation and interpretation are two linguistic processes that are mainly focused on transferring an idea expressed in one language into another language. While decoding refers to an oral duplicate message, translation describes the outcome of a written operation. A subset of the larger field of translation is interpreting. Simultaneous interpreting (henceforth referred to as SI) is one subcategory of interpretation. This paper primarily focuses on SI and challenges faced by the interpreters in the process of SI. Twelve professional interpreters from courts, foreign embassies and private agencies were selected as the sample unit of the study. In terms of methodology, the survey method of questionnaire aspect has been used to collect data and analyzed with the SWOT analysis. Most challenges in SI can be related to three steps of interpreting: listening, comprehension and speaking. The study concludes the main findings as; terminology, interpreting tools, time, cultural context, language skills, interpreting process, less quickness of the mind, and length of the structure which reflects to pauses, false start are serious challenges faced by interpreters. Further, the study makes a few recommendations as solutions for the research question, which was to find options to overcome the challenges that can enhance the field of interpretation.

KEYWORDS: Challenges, Interpretation, Simultaneous Interpretation, Translation