Note: All the text of the introduction to the Consecutive Interpretation chapter of The Interpreter's Edge, Third Edition, is reproduced here. No attempt has been made, however, to make the HTML version look like the page layout of the book.
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Consecutive interpretation, in which the interpreter waits until a complete statement has been spoken and then begins interpreting (so only one person is speaking at a time), is used primarily to interpret witness testimony, a situation in which everyone in the courtroom needs to hear the interpretation. Simultaneous interpretation is generally considered inappropriate for witness testimony--unless the courtroom is equipped with wireless equipment for that purpose--because hearing two voices at once is too distracting. In your work as a court interpreter, you will find that simultaneous interpretation is called for much more often than consecutive, because most cases are settled without a trial. Nevertheless, you must be prepared to perform consecutive interpretation at any time.
When you are interpreting a witness' testimony into English, your
version is the only record of what that witness said. Therefore,
a very high standard of accuracy prevails in consecutive interpretation.
Not only must you convey the content of the source language message,
but you must also convey structural elements of that message that
are not contained in the words: pauses, tone of voice, stress,
etc. Many interpreters regard consecutive as the most difficult
mode of interpreting because it is so hard to retain all of these
aspects of the source language message, particularly when a question
or answer is very lengthy or is not entirely coherent (an unfortunate
fact of life in court interpreting).
Because memory is such an important component of consecutive interpretation,
this chapter begins with six memory exercises (end of Tape 3A
and beginning of Tape 3B), which are designed to help you improve
your memory skills before beginning to practice consecutive interpretation.
They are placed in a logical sequence so that you can work on
the individual components of consecutive interpretation and gradually
put them together to form a whole. Each of the six lessons illustrates
a type of exercise that aids in the development of consecutive
interpreting skills; you can use these as models and make up your
own exercises if you feel you need to work more on one or more
aspects of memory.
The first two lessons are really listening exercises; many people
overlook listening as a component of memory, but it should not
be taken for granted. Often, errors in consecutive interpretation
occur because the interpreter was not using good listening skills.
For example, if you become bogged down in details and fail to
grasp the overall meaning of a passage, you will not be able to
recall it correctly. Thus, Memory Lesson 1 emphasizes zeroing
in on the main idea. If you allow yourself to be distracted by
an unfamiliar word, an idea you disagree with, or an emotional
reaction to vulgar language or incorrect usage, you may stop listening
to the rest of the passage and you will not be able to recall
it accurately. On the other hand, if you strongly agree with a
statement or have a personal association with what the speaker
is saying, you will be better able to recall the message. Therefore,
it is important to be aware of your own reactions to statements
and to suppress negative reactions that might impede your retention.
If you have a strong positive reaction to a statement, be careful
not to state it more forcefully than the original or add information
that was not originally stated. Memory Lesson 2 contains controversial
passages that will help you become aware of how personal prejudices
can impede retention and recall, and how identification with the
speaker can enhance these skills.
Memory Lesson 3 illustrates the value of focusing on key words
as an aid to memory. Whether you write down these words or make
a mental note of them, they help you organize the ideas into a
meaningful structure that is easier to recall than a mere string
of disjointed words. One problem that novice interpreters frequently
encounter is excessive notetaking; they devote so much energy
to scribbling notes that they fail to listen to the speaker, and
the result is a jumble of illegible notes that may do more harm
than good. It is important to regard notes as an aid to memory,
not as a substitute for it. Focusing on key words gives you the
discipline to write only what you need to help you retrieve ideas
from your memory.
Memory Lesson 4 is designed to show you how much you can remember
without taking any notes, provided that the original message is
clear and logical; it also helps if the content lends itself to
visualization. The more coherent the original message, the more
you can retain. Conversely, an illogical or disjointed statement
is very difficult to retain (unfortunately, many witnesses' testimony
falls into the latter category). Also, if you are unfamiliar with
the subject matter, you have more trouble remembering the message.
Therefore, the more knowledgeable you are about the subjects that
are likely to come up in courtroom testimony, the greater capacity
you will have to retain the information.
In Memory Lesson 5, you will have an opportunity to try notetaking
again, after you have discovered how little you really need to
take down. Some interpreters take very few notes, writing down
only names and numbers, while other interpreters take copious
notes. It is a good idea to experiment with notetaking to determine
what works best for you. You will find that with some speakers
and some subject matter, you will take more notes than with others.
Eventually, you will develop your own style of notetaking, and
you will be able to adapt it to different speakers and subjects.
Finally, Memory Lesson 6 contains questions and answers that are
typical of the length and detail of the testimony you will be
expected to interpret in court. Once you are able to recall these
passages accurately, you are ready to move on to the consecutive
interpreting exercises. Even after you have completed the remaining
tapes, you may want to return to these exercises occasionally
(or make up similar exercises of your own) to hone your memory
skills.
Directions for the memory exercises are given on the tape as well
as in the script. To do these memory exercises, ideally you should
have two tape recorders: one to play the tape, and one to record
your own rendition. When you listen to the memory lessons, pause
the recorder when you hear the word "stop" or "pare."
Then record your version of the passage on the second tape recorder.
When you play back your own rendition, read along in the script
as you are listening to it, to check for accuracy. If you do not
have two tape recorders, you can switch cassettes in the same
recorder (though even the short delay involved in switching cassettes
may impede recall). Alternatively, you can give your rendition
without recording it, and simply read the script immediately afterwards
to check for omissions. Do not read the script while listening
to the tape for the first time.
Consecutive Lessons 1-18 (Tapes 3B - 6B) are typical question-and-answer
testimony for practicing consecutive interpretation. When you
play the tapes, pause the recorder at the end of each question,
give your interpretation (which, ideally, you should tape to check
for accuracy and to monitor your delivery, as for the memory exercises);
resume playing the tape, pause at the end of the answer, give
your interpretation, and so on. Do not read the script while you
are interpreting; consult it afterwards to check for accuracy
or to look up problem terms.
Q: Good afternoon, Ms. Cortez.
A: Buenas tardes.
Q: Please state your full name and occupation for the record.
A: Mi nombre es María Cristina Cortez Alvarez, y
ahorita no estoy trabajando desde... desde que me pasó
eso. Pero antes trabajaba en un hotel.
Q: Ms. Cortez, directing your attention to May 14 of this
year, in the early evening hours, did anything unusual happen
to you at that time?
A: Pues,... sí,... sí.
Q: Now I'm going to ask you some questions about the incidents
of that evening, Ms. Cortez, and I know some of the questions
may cause you some discomfort or embarrassment, but it's necessary
for you to tell the jury exactly what happened so that we can
give the defendant in this matter a fair trial. Will you do that,
Ms. Cortez?
A: Sí, está bien.
Q: On the night of the incident, Ms. Cortez, May 14 of
this year, what were you doing?
A: Iba... iba, es que venía del trabajo y fui a
la tienda a comprar unas cositas porque no había leche
para los niños, y ese día fue el día de pago
y por eso estaba yo en ese lugar, porque...
Q: Thank you, Ms. Cortez. So you stopped at the store on
the way home from work. Approximately what time was this that
you stopped, the evening of May 14?
A: A las... no sé exactamente la hora, pero salía
a las siete, y yo diría como, a las siete y... como quince
o diez minutos, por ahí.
Q: Now, we're talking about May, was it still light out
at about 7:10 or 7:15 in the evening?
A: Pues, no me acuerdo exactamente. Creo que ya estaba
oscureciéndose, no estoy segura. Pero de todos modos estaba
iluminado el parqueadero.
Q: There were lights on in the parking lot? Would you say
that there was sufficient lighting to be able to distinguish the
features of someone's face out in the parking lot that evening
of May 14?
A: Este... yo diría que sí, pues, vi su cara
de él claramente cuando me, cuando me...
Q: Please confine yourself to answering the questions,
Ms. Cortez.
A: Sí, señor.
Q: Now, when you pulled into the parking lot--strike that.
What store did you go to the evening of May 14, Ms. Cortez?
A: La seven-eleven que está en la esquina ahí,
frente a la gasolinera.
Q: And when you pulled into the parking lot of the 7-11,
what, if anything, happened next?
A: Me bajé del carro, y cuando me volteé
para sacar mi bolsa, estaba agachada, estirando la mano así,
y me agarró desde atrás, así.
Q: Did you see the person who grabbed you from behind?
A: Al principio no, pero luego él me volteó
así, muy bruscamente, y le vi bien la cara. El sinvergüenza
ni siquiera traía máscara ni nada, para cubrirse
la cara. Todo el mundo lo podía ver, lo hizo tan descaradamente.
Y a pesar de que había mucha gente esa noche, nadie acudió
a darme socorro.
Q: Now, can you describe this individual, in terms of height,
weight, complexion, any distinguishing features, how he was dressed?
A: Pues, no puedo describir todo en detalle, como Ud. sabe,
estaba muy asustada, pero... a ver... tenía ropa oscura,
todo oscuro, de arriba para abajo. Mediría como... este...
no sé, como tan alto como Ud. más o menos. Y...
¿qué más?
Q: Let the record reflect that the witness was indicating
the interpreter when estimating the height of her assailant. I
would say the interpreter is about, what, 5'8"?
All right. Now, can you tell us anything more about his hair color,
complexion, build, any distinguishing marks?
A: Oh, el pelo, como negro yo creo, y--no tenía
barba, de eso estoy segura. Traía el pelo bien corto. Era
un poco trigueño, pero no mucho, no como un negrito, pero
un poco moreno, Ud. sabe.
Q: Do you see that individual anywhere in this courtroom
this afternoon, Ms. Cortez?
A: Sí, creo que él es, el que está
allá sentado en la mesa. Pero ahora tiene bigotes y lleva
el pelo un poco más largo.
Q: Let the record reflect that Ms. Cortez has identified
the defendant in this matter, Fred Thompson. Now, Ms. Cortez,
did this man say anything to you when he grabbed you?
A: Bich.
Q: I beg your pardon?
A: Me dijo "bich" o algo así. Una palabra
en inglés. Está como grabada en mi mente. Puro inglés
hablaba él, todo el tiempo. Y aunque yo no sé inglés,
creo que andaba medio volado o encandilado, o ¿qué
sé yo?
Q: What makes you say that, Ms. Cortez?
A: Pues, por la manera en que hablaba. Aunque yo no entendía
las palabras, se oía que arrastraba las palabras, como
que se le trababa la lengua o algo. Estaba que grite y grite,
no dejó de gritarme todo el tiempo.
Q: What, if anything, did the man do after he grabbed you
and began shouting at you?
A: Me tenía agarrada muy fuerte, así, con
las manos atrás, y me aventó, siempre agarrándome,
me aventó hacia la camioneta, por poco me quebró
los brazos.
Q: What kind of a vehicle did he take you to?
A: Era una camioneta, de color plomo, con uno de esos,
creo que se llaman "camper" o algo así. Como
una pick-up con un camper.
Q: And what happened next?
A: Pues... eso.
Q: I'm afraid you'll have to tell the jury exactly what
happened, Ms. Cortez.
A: Pues, me aventó y siempre agarrándome
así, abrió la puerta de la camioneta y me metió,
y luego se subió él... se subió él,
y ahí mismo, pues...
Q: Go on.
A: Pues,... este... se, se bajó el pantalón,
y sacó la, la, la... cosa esa, y yo, gritando que alguien
me ayudara, traté de cubrirme la cara y también
defenderme, pero él,... no, no.
Q: I'm sorry to have to go into detail like this, Ms. Cortez,
but you'll have to tell the jury exactly what he did. What did
he take out?
A: Pues, su cosa de él, el, el, el miembro, la vergüenza.
Q: Are you referring to his penis?
A: Pues, sí, eso.
Q: And then what happened?
A: Me subió la falda y empezó a, a... pues
me da vergüenza decirlo. Empezó a... hacerla parar.
Y me tocó, ahí abajo en mis partes nobles, y luego
se me echó encima. Yo... me moría... no...
Q: Would you like to take a break to collect yourself,
Ms. Cortez?
A: No, quiero acabar de una vez.
Q: All right. Now, Ms. Cortez, at any time during this
incident, did he actually achieve penetration?
A: ¿Cómo? ¿Que si...? Pues, yo estaba tan asustada,
tan humillada, estaba como para morirme. No me fijé en
eso, pero lo único que sé es que me violó,
me violó. Mi vida está destruída, mi marido,
mis hijos...
Q: Thank you Ms. Cortez, I have no further questions.
Memory Exercises
Consecutive Lessons
Sample Consecutive Interpretation
Lesson (from The Interpreter's Edge, Third Edition)
Consecutive Lesson 16: Rape Victim (Tape 6A)
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