Re introducing knowledge

B.16 Re-introducing context
Aim: to activate general knowledge, practise analysing what is implicit in what is explicitly mentioned.

You will need: at least one other person, and a series of newspaper headlines (preferably current).

One person presents a newspaper headline. The others must then expand on the headline by adding in as much historical and contextual information as they can and by making explicit anything that is implicit. At first this can take the form of a group brainstorming session, but later each person should be able to do this immediately in the form of a presentation or speech. Prompt each other with questions if necessary. (Gillies) Gillies, Andrew. Conference Interpreting. Routledge, 20130724. VitalBook file.

General knowledge

B.15 General knowledge collocation
Aim: to practise using general knowledge to reconstruct missing parts of the original.

You will need: a speaker, a list of collocations of proper names.

Have the speaker of speeches used in practice mumble a few words incomprehensibly, or cough over one half of a collocation. Using your general knowledge, fill in the gaps. This can be done with both consecutive and simultaneous speeches. Do this exercise first as a monolingual exercise, for instance from English to English, and then later from one language to another.

For example, ‘cheddar cheese’ would be halved to ‘cheddar cough’ and the interpreters would be required to complete the gap. Other examples of the type of collocation with which speeches could be liberally sprinkled are: Amnesty International, Buckingham Palace, Hereditary Peers, London Eye, Scotland Yard.

(Gillies) Gillies, Andrew. Conference Interpreting. Routledge, 20130724. VitalBook file.

Imagination

C.83 Visual memory linking
Aim: to demonstrate the power of visual linking.

You will need: a bit of imagination, an open mind.

This exercise is based on a memory technique called visual linking. Each element of the speech will be associated with a visual image in the mind's eye. And each image will be linked to the next, creating an unbroken chain of images through the speech. For more about memorization techniques see Lorayne (1958), Lorayne and Lucas (1974), and Daniels in the bibliography.

In the example below, first follow the instructions for creating a series of visual links. Then ask somebody to read out, or paraphrase aloud, the speech that follows. Can you recall the speech on the basis of the visual images? Try to give back the speech, initially in the same language as the original. To do this effectively, and quickly enough to make use of it in consecutive interpreting, you'll need to practise it a fair bit. If it works well for you, move on to doing the same from one language into another.

Example
One person visualizes the following in their mind's eye.

Imagine a map of France and the UK, and on that map a person is bouncing around like on a trampoline between France and the UK. (Cultural differences)

As they are bouncing up and down on the UK you see the picture turn to a side-view and that the UK is actually the fl at top of a huge number 5, part of a larger number, 1995.

You look at the person bouncing on top of the number 5 and you see that it is in fact Tony Blair, who then takes a huge leap forwards and flies through the nought of a huge representation of the figures 2005.

When he lands he is outside a very English house, looking in through the windows. As he peers in through the window inside he can see someone sitting in an armchair in their own private living room. (Private information)

At that moment a series of artillery shells crash through the windows. (National security)

The person gets up from their armchair and wanders over to the shattered windows. He looks out into the distance and has an expansive view of the horizon. (All govt bodies)

In the middle of the view is a field of huge potato plants that you can see growing as you watch. (Potato Council)

One of the plants is a little different, however, and you see a huge red and white lighthouse push out of the soil and up into the sky. (Lighthouse Commission)

Next imagine a huge hand sweeping down to grasp the lighthouse and whisk it up and away. Your view pans backwards and you see that the hand belongs to a journalist. See a stereotypical journalist in your mind's eye.

They are busily taking notes with a pen that looks a lot like a red and white lighthouse and watching intently as a person is strapped into a chair and tortured by men in army uniforms. (PoW camps and torture programme)

See the journalist then take their pen and stick it into the arm of the person in the chair, as though it were a syringe. See the syringe. (Sterilization programme)

Now see the journalist turn around and watch a clichéd Frenchman walk across the scene. Perhaps wearing a beret, perhaps with a sweater on his shoulders, the sleeves tied in front — whatever your most exaggerated image of a Frenchman might be. (Guy Mollet)

See this Frenchman walk across a huge map of Europe from (Gillies) Gillies, Andrew. Conference Interpreting. Routledge, 20130724. VitalBook file.

Paraphrasing

B.57 Paraphrasing
Aim: to develop language flexibility in a B language*.

You will need: recorded spoken material.

Listen to interviews or speeches in your B language* and then paraphrase them, again in your B language. It's often easy to say something in one way in your B language*, but more challenging if you are obliged to find another way of saying the same thing. (Gillies) Gillies, Andrew. Conference Interpreting. Routledge, 20130724. VitalBook file.

Vocabulary

B.68 Recording vocabulary
Aim: to collect vocabulary in context and in a format that is readily useable.

You will need: a system.

How to record vocabulary: don't make lists!

Record vocab in topic-based groupings, using images. Record words in context, not alone. The meaning of words is clearer if they are recorded in context and the words will be easier to recall.

For those with a visual memory the very fact of noting related terms and expressions side by side on the page will mean that recalling one of them helps to recall those that were around it on the page, or noted at the same time.

Source: Lewis 1993: 126

B.69 Collect vocabulary in collocation
Aim: to collect vocabulary in context and in a format that is readily useable.

You will need: a notebook.

Don't collect new vocabulary in lists, but collect it in context with other words that it can be used with. In this way you have ready phrases to use, rather than single words.

Example
(re-)draft
table controversial
withdraw compromise amendments
vote on far-reaching
sign
Be aware of the methods for vocabulary recording that are out there and which ones work for you. For example, you might have a look at Lewis & Wilberg's seminal students' book Business English, in which they offer a whole range of ways to record vocabulary more effectively. Have a look also at Teaching Collocation by the same author. Details in the bibliography at the back of this book.

Source: Lewis 1993: 126; Lomb 2008: 140; EMCI 2002: 60; Walker 2005

B.70 Create a collocation dictionary
Aim: to collect vocabulary in context and in a format that is readily useable.

You will need: a separate notebook.

Create a collocation dictionary for your active language. That is a collection of pairs of words that are often found together. For example, in English the phrases ‘a heated debate’ or ‘untold suffering’ are used in preference to the many other pairs that would be technically correct, for example, ‘an angry debate’ or ‘grave suffering’. If you are to be convincing in your active languages you too must use them. (Gillies) Gillies, Andrew. Conference Interpreting. Routledge, 20130724. VitalBook file.

Recreate Real Meetings

C.68 Recreate real meetings
Aim: to use context to help analyze a speech.

You will need: an agenda or programme from a real meeting.

Initially you should do this exercise with a teacher/interpreter who can use their experience to help make things realistic. Once you've got the basics you can do it in practice groups.

You will be able to find agendas and programmes on the internet for events that took place in real life. Choose one on a subject that is not too esoteric and assign one of the named speakers from the agenda to each person in the group. Each person should then prepare a speech as though they were the named speaker assigned to them. The speeches will be interpreted as part of the simulation of a meeting (mock conference).

Each speaker should find out the following in relation to the speaker whose role they are playing. It's fairly easy to find out all this information online.

• Has the speaker written anything on the topic before?

• Does the location have anything to do with promoting literature on the topic?

• Is the speaker linked to any special causes, events, etc.?

• Where does the speaker generally voice his/her opinion?

• Is the speaker in any way related to the place housing the event?

• Will the location influence the speaker's words in any way?

• Why has this person been chosen for this occasion?

• Is the occasion incidental or of relevance to the location?

Before the speaker speaks, allow the ‘interpreter’ to ask the speaker these same questions. When you are comfortable with this exercise the interpreter will have to find out the answers for themselves as part of their meeting preparation and without help from the speaker.

Much of what a speaker may say can be anticipated if we know enough about their background. And if you want to analyse why a speaker is saying something, and which parts of what they say are most important for them, then you must be familiar with that background.

Source: Monacelli 1999: 17 (Gillies) Gillies, Andrew. Conference Interpreting. Routledge, 20130724. VitalBook file.

Record yourself

B.48 Record yourself 1
Aim: to identify, and later eliminate, those mistakes that you recognize when listening but still make when speaking.

You will need: digital voice recorder.

Record yourself speaking your B language*. Listen and analyse your language use. Alternatively, ask a colleague to listen and analyze for you.

You will notice some of your own mistakes while speaking but you will find more when listening to a recording of yourself. (Gillies) Gillies, Andrew. Conference Interpreting. Routledge, 20130724. VitalBook file.