Incorporating Practicums into the Conference Interpreting Program

Chikako TSURUTA,Minoru NAITO 한국통역번역학회 2011 FORUM Vol.9 No.2

Using Sight Translation in Simultaneous Interpreting Class

Chikako TSURUTA 한국통역번역학회 2012 통역과 번역 Vol.14 No.1

The paper will consider, based on existing literature and the author’s own experience, how sight translation (ST) can be incorporated into simultaneous interpreter training classes. ST is the rendering orally of a text written in one language into another language. This approach is used regularly by conference interpreters, including the author, to prepare for actual conference interpreting assignments. It can also be employed as a training tool, as discussed by Viaggio, S (1995) and Weber, W (1990). Having become aware of the real potential of using ST inside and outside of the classroom, and based on the work of the two interpreting trainers mentioned above, the Conference Interpreting Program at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS) is now actively using ST for both English-to-Japanese and Japanese-to-English interpreting training. There are two possible approaches to using sight translation in such classes at TUFS: (1) the use of only the text, or (2) the use of the text together with an audio of the actual rendition of the text. Adoption of both approaches in her graduate-level (M.A.) second-year simultaneous interpreting class has convinced the author that the utilization of ST in simultaneous interpreting classes can teach students to be time and effort-effective. That, however, is provided that the following caveats are observed: (1) the need to find most efficient words in expression is met; (2) word-for-word translations are strictly avoided; and, (3) the focus of the exercise is on the content of the message. Since in ST training the coordination and management of constrained resources are crucial factors, it is essential for students to learn how and where to employ their limited resources to achieve optimal performance.

Conference Interpreting Program at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies

Chikako Tsuruta 한국통역번역학회 2011 통역과 번역 Vol.13 No.1

The purpose of this paper is to review what was achieved during the first seven years of the Conference Interpreting Program at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS). In starting the program, the utmost challenge was how to optimize the Program to suit the students’ needs and the market’s needs in Japan where traditionally the interpreter- agency-related schools were strong and did most of the training. The three pillars of the Program set out from the beginning were (1) to incorporate interpreting theory and thesis into the Program (2) to provide the participants with the opportunity to acquire background knowledge and (3) to enhance the interpreting/translating skills of the participants. The TUFS Interpreting Symposium held in October, 2009 by TUFS in partnership with universities from Paris, Moscow, Shanghai and Seoul provided an opportunity to discuss common issues in conference interpreting. A particularly useful reflection was on how to incorporate practicum, which is a key component in the training of interpreters. It is the author’s belief that TUFS can continue to play its unique role based on its educational aim to train students to become intercultural mediators. This belief is also manifest in the fact that TUFS has started to offer short term intensive interpreting courses for the general public from 2010.

Interpreting the War on Iraq: The Interpretation of Live TV Coverage of the War on Iraq for Japanese TV

Chikako Tsuruta 한국통역번역학회 2003 통역과 번역 Vol.5 No.2

Interpreting live TV coverage of a major event such as the war on Iraq during the first part of 2003 was a major challenge for broadcast interpreters. To get the real time information accurately and quickly to the Japanese audience watching Japanese TV, the interpreters were required to interpret news that was broadcast by foreign TV for foreign viewers. In the caseof the war on Iraq, English-Japanese interpreters were mobilized in great numbers to promptly convey real-time information originally broadcast by foreign media for foreign viewers as part of the news broadcast by Japanese TV stations for the Japanese audience. Promptness and accuracy of information were the most important points called for by the viewers. But in the case of live TV coverage of the war to be interpreted into Japanese, the interpreters are caught in the middle of how to interpret the foreign news geared towards foreign audiences in the most intelligible manner to the Japanese audience. There are issues of terminology specific to war that interpreters need to know, plus differences in the reporting viewpoints by various original TV stations that interpreters need to be aware of in order to choose the most pertinent words for interpretation. This article will look into how the actual interpretation process was conducted in the interpretation of live TV coverage of the war in Iraq for Japanese TV, and it makes concluding remarks and suggestions as to what would be the best way to proceed in the case of such a major event to be interpreted live on TV.

Interpreting the War on Iraq : The Interpretation of Live TV Coverage of the War on Iraq for Japanese TV

Tsuruta, Chikako 한국국제회의통역학회 2003 통역과 번역 Vol.5 No.2

Interpreting live TV coverage of a major event such as the war on Iraq during the first part of 2003 was a major challenge for broadcast interpreters. To get the real time information accurately and quickly to the Japanese audience watching Japanese TV, the interpreters were required to interpret news that was broadcast by foreign TV for foreign viewers. In the case of the war on Iraq, English-Japanese interpreters were mobilized in great numbers to promptly convey real-time information originally broadcast by foreign media for foreign viewers as part of the news broadcast by Japanese TV stations for the Japanese audience. Promptness and accuracy of information were the most important points called for by the viewers. But in the case of live TV coverage of the war to be interpreted into Japanese, the interpreters are caught in the middle of how to interpret the foreign news geared towards foreign audiences in the most intelligible manner to the Japanese audience. There are issues of terminology specific to war that interpreters need to know, plus differences in the reporting viewpoints by various original TV stations that interpreters need to be aware of in order to choose the most pertinent words for interpretation. This article will look into how the actual interpretation process was conducted in the interpretation of live TV coverage of the war in Iraq for Japanese TV, and it makes concluding remarks and suggestions as to what would be the best way to proceed in the case of such a major event to be interpreted live on TV.

Conducting practicums : who is an ideal speaker?

Chikako Tsuruta 한국통역번역학회 2015 통역과 번역 Vol.17 No.3

The purpose of this paper is to disambiguate, using a statistical approach, the favorable attributes of a practicum speaker for interpreting trainees. To find specific speaker attributes for a practicum, two statistical methods were used: CART and association analyses. Data was gathered on 39 speakers over five academic years (2010 to 2014). The attribute chosen as the target variable was effectiveness for fluency development. Forty independent variables were chosen based on comments from students. Instructors judged the speakers to be effective or not based on their own observations and comments received from students. Based on the CART analysis, the results show that the students felt that a slower ST (source text) speech rate contributed to better fluency of delivery. The association analysis examined whether or not a speaker who exhibited superior fluency could be a role model or a prospective employer for students. The attribute “IT/finance subject speaker” was not found to contribute to improving the fluency of students. These research results show that some speakers are better than others and that a statistical approach might prove useful for designing better practicums with a superior speaker in mind for interpreter trainees.

Effective Use of Practicums in Interpreter Education

Chikako Tsuruta,Minoru Naito 한국통역번역학회 2018 통역과 번역 Vol.20 No.2

This paper outlines the work being done at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies at both graduate and undergraduate levels to enable students to learn through practicums. The two authors use practicums in interpreter education for two purposes: to give students hands-on experience using what they have learned in classrooms and ensuring that the university contributes to society by having students eventually gain work experience in interpreting and translation services. There have been various attempts in the past to use practicums to get students at the undergraduate level to enhance their communication skills. Through practicums, students gain helpful feedback not only from instructors’ comments but through audience interaction. As well, the students get another perspective on themselves and their abilities. Confidence and motivation also increase through participating in practicums, and the students learn the importance of teamwork.

Educating Broadcast Interpreters

Tsuruta Chikako 한국외국어대학교 통번역연구소 2022 한국외국어대학교 통번역연구소 학술대회 Vol.2022 No.01

This presenter, currently working as broadcast interpreter at NHK in both English to Japanese and Japanese to English direction would comment on the presentation by Takahashi Hiroyuki, on “Educating International Broadcast Bureau Staff at NHK”. Recently this presenter was appointed as one of the members of Review Committee on Terminology comprised of experts in order to educate International Broadcast Bureau staff to transmit quality news programs in English. She would give her views on the requirements for conducting successful education/training to be a broadcast interpreter from an interpreter’s perspective. She would also build upon her experience heading an interpreter/translator program at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, as well as her current position at Tokyo Woman’s Christian University. Currently, in order to work as a broadcast interpreter at NHK, one has to finish the highest class at NHK International Training Institute for both English to Japanese and Japanese to English direction. NHK International Training Institute is a part of NHK G-Media, and started operating classes in 1992, with the aim to train broadcast interpreters. The three requirements to become a broadcast interpreter, namely language ability, background knowledge, and presentation skills are addressed. Instructors are all interpreters working at NHK and one of the important assets to be learned here is familiarization with the conventions in TV journalism. There are three strengths that can be pointed out in this program. One that the purpose/objective is clear that those who are successful can have work that awaits them at a TV station, thus providing very strong motivation to study. Second, the instructors are practicing broadcast interpreters that regularly appear on TV, thus providing ample examples that give experience to the trainees. And lastly, the continued learning opportunity provided on the job is the most attractive aspect. This presenter feels that there can be hints for developing successful interpreting training/education programs based on this example that NHK International Training Institute provides.

Cognitive Model of Interpretation/Translation Viewed from Sense-making Theory

( Kawahara Kiyoshi ),( Tsuruta Chikako ) 한국통역번역학회 2003 FORUM Vol.1 No.2

Dans ce memoire, on tente d`introduire les points essentiels de la notion: ?Faire Sens?. La theorie, batie par Shigenori Tanaka et Masahiro Fukaya, a pour objectif d`expliquer comment des processus cognitifs, du point de vue de cette theorie, peuvent s`appliquer au fait de comprendre le processus de l`interpretation et de la traduction. Les deux Japonais qui soutiennent cette theorie affirment que ?Faire Sens? est un processus cognitif dans lequel chaque individu selectionne, selon le contexte et la situation, les memoires pertinentes entre toutes les memoires. Les auteurs de ce memoire trouvent que cette theorie permet d`expliquer les semantiques sociales du role dans lequel des interpretes se lancent a la selection des mots appropries dans le langage de but, en se basant sur le fait qu`ils comprennent des donnees dans le langage original. Ce memoire est une introduction de la theorie de ?Faire Sens? et il est aussi un prelude pour montrer comment cette theorie peut s`appliquer au processus de l`interpretation et et de la tradution.