Interpreters’ strategies for dealing with different source speech delivery rates: formally similar vs formally dissimilar approaches

Abstract

Source speech delivery rate is an important aspect of (simultaneous) interpreters’ working conditions. A fast delivery rate is considered an “extreme speech condition” (Meuleman and Van Besien 2009:31) and various studies find that interpreters confronted with this condition produce output of sub-standard quality (Pio, 2003). Other authors suggest that interpreters can cope with fast delivery rates by applying distinct strategies (Meuleman and Van Besien 2009). However, little information is available regarding the strategies that result in a successful interpreting performance despite a fast delivery rate. This paper examines professional interpreters’ choice of strategy when interpreting slow-, medium- and fast-paced speeches to determine whether interpreters are more likely to employ form- or meaning-based approaches (Dam 1998) at various rates. A parallel corpus consisting of 60 speeches delivered at the European Parliament and interpreted simultaneously from English into German is compiled and analysed using the electronic corpus tool ParaConc. The analysis focuses on interpreters’ renditions of the English ing-clause, which offers possibilities for both form- and meaning-based renditions into German.