Language Choice in Note-Taking - The Case of Korean and English

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The choice of language in note-taking for consecutive interpreting has been a focus of interest for many researchers. Regarding what factors may influence the interpreter’s choice of language, several variables have been suggested in the literature, including the source language (SL) vs. target language (TL) distinction, the A and B language distinction, characteristics of the languages involved, and levels of expertise. The present study examined how these factors may be related to language choices in note-taking for consecutive interpreting that involve Korean and English. Ten first-year students, ten second-year students, and three professional interpreters participated in the study to produce notes in both directions. The analysis of the notes suggests that the participants preferred to take notes in the source language (also A language) when interpreting from Korean to English. In the other direction, less experienced interpreters tended to fluctuate between taking notes in SL and TL (A language), but more experienced interpreters were found to prefer to take notes in SL (B language). Detailed findings and their implications are discussed.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• Abstract
• I. Introduction
• II. Theoretical Background
• III. Method
• IV. Results
• V. Conclusion
• Reference