English to ASL Consecutive Interpretation
"Newspaper Layout" Patrie Unit 2.1
Describe the context and participants for this interpretation: Newspaper 101 class. Students are somewhat familiar with the terminology and what all goes into a newspaper (stories, articles, pictures, advertisements, etc.), and they are now learning how to piece it altogether.
Study Questions
1. List the possible types of errors discussed in this unit. Write one paragraph describing why it is useful to study types of errors. Error types inclue literal translations, inadequate language proficiency, errors in register conservation, distortion, omissions, added information, protocol, procedure and ethics, and non-conservation of paralinguistic elements.
It is important to study these types of errors so that awareness can help prevent errors in developing and novice interpreters' work. Self-analysis of your own work will help better the product of your interpretations.
2. If there were any omissions in your interpretation what were the causes? The omissions in my interpretations were due to a lack of comprehension, or I did not know how to describe the said omission in the target language (most times ASL).
3. During the interpretation process, were you aware of any processing problems such as predicting language patterns or remembering what you hear? Describe what the problems were. Refer to the transcript and underline any portions of the text where you feel these types of errors occurred. I do not feel like I had any trouble predicting language patterns, but memorization was definitely an issue. I would say that I remembered the main ideas, or gist, but omitted or forgot the supporting details.
4. During the interpretation process, were you aware of any processing problems such as lapses of attention and interference between two languages? Describe any processing problems you noticed. Refer to the transcript and circle any portions of the text where you feel these types of errors occurred. A few times in my interpretation I overlapped the speaker, but it was never any great length. I always finished rendering the interpretation right after the overlap began. I do not feel the message was altered due to the overlapping. I noticed an overlap in my interpretation over the following sentences:
"...they would like to advertise how much space they want advertised in the paper.//
"...draws out how big the stories will be onto the pages as they fit according to the ad-the advertising.//"
"...inaccuracies in the story.//"
5. Why do errors in comprehension tend to be more serious than errors in reformulation or expression? Compare source and target messages for errors in comprehension. If you find errors in comprehension mar a "C" on the transcript in the corresponding location and render a corrected interpretation. Errors in comprehension can cause a completely wrong reformulation or message, whereas the errors in reformulation can change the expression while keeping the meaning of the message intact.
Five-Step Follow Up
List at least one positive aspect of your interpretation: I feel that I used ASL sentence structuring (syntax) moreso than English sentence structuring in this interpretation.
Step 1: Interpretation Rendered
Transcribe the portions of the interpretation you would like to improve. For example, if you are working into spoken English, write the phrase (or phrases) that needs revision. If you are working into a signed language, use capital letters and gloss only the portion you would like to revise.
I am gonna teach you
how to make a newspaper.
ME TEACH NEWSPAPER HOW MAKE
error 3: omission effect 4: minimal
The first thing you do is get layout pages.
FIRST L-A-Y-O-U-T PAGES GET
error 5: non-conservation of paralinguistic elements effect 4: minimal
First you figure out how much advertising space will be going into the paper for that issue.
FIRST FIGURE-OUT HOW-MUCH SPACE NEED ADVERTISE
error 3: omission effect 4: minimal
Each staff writer goes around to local businesses...
STAFF WRITER GO+++ DIFFERENT+++ BUSINESS+
error 2: inadequate proficiency in the target language effect 5: none
...the sizes are told to the photographers
SIZE TOLD-TO PHOTOGRAPHER
error 5: non-conservation of paralinguistic elements effect 5: none
The spaces are left for the photos, which will be added later.
EMPTY SPACES WHAT (rh-q) ADD LATER error 2: inadequate proficiency in the target language effect 5: none
Pages are printed up and they're pasted onto a large sheet of paper that's the actual size of the newspaper.
FINISH PUT DOWN SIZE REAL NEWSPAPER SIZE REAL
error 3: omission effect 3: moderate
Step 2: Revisions
Write a revised interpretation for each error identified in Step 1 that better preserves the meaning of the original source message.
Original:ME TEACH NEWSPAPER HOW MAKE
Revised: ME TEACH YOU NEWSPAPER HOW MAKE
Original:FIRST L-A-Y-O-U-T PAGES GET
Revised: FIRST L-A-Y-O-U-T P-A-G-E-S GET
Original:FIRST FIGURE-OUT HOW-MUCH SPACE NEED ADVERTISE
Revised: NEWSPAPER SPACE FIGURE-OUT HOW-MUCH NEED FOR THAT-ONE NEWSPAPER
Original: STAFF WRITER GO+++ DIFFERENT+++ BUSINESS+
Revised: STAFF WRITER EACH GO+++ LOCAL BUSINESS+
IF YES SAVE (omit completely, there was an overlap and I did not complete my sentence)
Original: EMPTY SPACES WHAT (rh-q) ADD LATER
Revised: EMPTY SPACES ABOVE-TEXT FOR-FOR (rh-q) ADD LATER WILL
Original: FINISH PUT DOWN SIZE REAL NEWSPAPER SIZE REAL
Revised: FINISH PRINT PAGES FINISH CUT-OUT PUT DOWN REAL-BUSINESS NEWSPAPER SIZE (???)
Step 3: Determine Error Types
Although there are many possible reasons for errors in interpretation, in this analysis you will select one of the five types listed below. This taxonomy is adapted from Gonzalez et al. (1991). Determine which error type applies for each error you identified and transcribed in Steps 1 and 2 of the follow-up. Write the number of the error type after the interpretation rendered in Step 1. Although more than one error type may apply, choose only one type for each error.
1. Literal Translation
2. Inadequate language proficiency (a.SL, b. TL)
3. Omission
4. Addition
5. Nonconservation of paralinguistic elements
Step 4: Effect of Error on Communicative Function
Once the error type has been determined, rate the error according to how it it impacts the communication, keeping in mind that not all errors are equally serious. Select from the five choices below in determining the effect of errors on the communicative function and write the number of the effect after the interpretation rendered in Step 1 and after the error type you selected.
5 = No negative consequences to participants
4 = Consequence of errors is minimal
3 = Consequence of errors is moderate
2 = Consequence of errors is severe
1 = Consequence of errors is grave
Step 5: Action Plan
Once you have determined the reason for error in the interpreting process and its impact on the communicative function, write down what action you plan to take to improve your work. After reviewing my consecutive interpretation of "Newspaper Layout" I realize there are many things that I need to work on. I plan to practice my use of space in ASL, as well as, my choice of classifiers. Also, I will ask Deaf members, or use other resources, to find the best way to express the message in the target language.
ASL to English Consecutive Interpretation
"Pat Richey" Patrie Unit 2.1
Describe the context and participants for
this interpretation:
A middle school
facutly board meeting is being held in order to review Pat Richey's
teaching techniques.
Study Questions
1. List the possible types of errors discussed in this unit. Write one paragraph describing why it is useful to study types of errors.
Error types inclue literal translations, inadequate language proficiency, errors in register conservation, distortion, omissions, added information, protocol, procedure and ethics, and non-conservation of paralinguistic elements.
It is important to study these types of errors so that awareness can help prevent errors in developing and novice interpreters' work. Self-analysis of your own work will help better the product of your interpretations.
2. If there were any omissions in your interpretation what were the causes? There were a lot more omissions in this interpretation due to lack of comprehension. Most of what I did not understand I simply did not verbalize, and what I did understand but was confused about how to put that in the target language, I simply did not say.
3. During the interpretation process, were you aware of any processing problems such as predicting language patterns or remembering what you hear? Describe what the problems were. Refer to the transcript and underline any portions of the text where you feel these types of errors occurred. I did not do any pre-assignment research to figure out what Pat Richey might have talked about, so I did not expect any of what she said before she actually said it. I realize just how difficult that is for interpreting, and I will try to avoid that next time.
"As they type their sentences, I type back to them and I say, 'No, it should be this way.'"// (I did not catch the part about the specialized computer program (ENFI) so I did not understand what she was talking about with the "open" and "closed" dialogue.
4. During the interpretation process, were you aware of any processing problems such as lapses of attention and interference between two languages? Describe any processing problems you noticed. Refer to the transcript and circle any portions of the text where you feel these types of errors occurred. I do not feel there were any lapses of attention or interference because I was in complete control of the "pause" and "play" buttons. I made sure to give myself enough time to understand and render the interpretation.
5. Why do errors in comprehension tend to be more serious than errors in reformulation or expression? Compare source and target messages for errors in comprehension. If you find errors in comprehension mar a "C" on the transcript in the corresponding location and render a corrected interpretation.
Errors in comprehension can cause a completely wrong reformulation or message, whereas the errors in reformulation can change the expression while keeping the meaning of the message intact.
Five-Step Follow Up
List at least one positive aspect of your interpretation: I feel that I maintained her affect quite well.
Step 1: Interpretation Rendered
Transcribe the portions of the interpretation you would like to improve. For example, if you are working into spoken English, write the phrase (or phrases) that needs revision. If you are working into a signed language, use capital letters and gloss only the portion you would like to revise.
(NOTE: source text is in ASL, but the transcript I have is translated into English. I will be working from this because it is more accessible to me at this time.)
"...and also with vocabulary and English syntax." error 3: Omission 3 = moderate
"They don't seem to have the motivation to find out what's wrong with the homework and why I've made the corrections I have."
"...or want to learn more."
error 4: Addition 4 = minimal
"I decided that I would use overhead projections for everything except that which involved expressive writing." error 3: Omission 4 = minimal
"Naturally, some students avoid this whole process because they have not done their homework."
"...of course some students didn't do their homework and just copy the answers off the overhead." error 2: Inadequate proficiency in ASL 4 = minimal
"...that's not fair to yourself..." error 3: Omission 3 = moderate
"...a list of vocabulary words within sentences is displayed." error 3: Omission 4 = minimal
"I tell them they need to study and memerize these things and not be passive and let the information just rush past you." error 3: Omission 2 = severe
"There are lots of techniques that I've developed to help students learn how to remember the rules for English grammar." error 3: Omission 3 = moderate
"It will also improve their English and hopefully, improve their attitudes about it. What I'd like to see is students who become fluent in both ASL and English and have respect for both languages." error 3: Omission 2 = severe
Step 2: Revisions
Write a revised interpretation for each error identified in Step 1 that better preserves the meaning of the original source message.
(NOTE: most of my errors were omissions, so I do not have many revisions to make other than to add in the information I omitted.)
Original: "...or want to learn more."
Revised: "...or want to know why I made the corrections that I did."
Original: "...of course some students didn't do their homework and just copy the answers off the overhead."
Revised: "Of course it is natural for some students not to do their homework, so I can a few of them copying answers off the overhead."
"It will also improve their English and hopefully, improve their attitudes about it. What I'd like to see is students who become fluent in both ASL and English and have respect for both languages."
(I forgot to add this entire segment due to environmental factors-my cat scratching my bare feet-and I would like to add this in the next time I do this CI activity.)
Step 3: Determine Error Types
Although there are many possible reasons for errors in interpretation, in this analysis you will select one of the five types listed below. This taxonomy is adapted from Gonzalez et al. (1991). Determine which error type applies for each error you identified and transcribed in Steps 1 and 2 of the follow-up. Write the number of the error type after the interpretation rendered in Step 1. Although more than one error type may apply, choose only one type for each error.
1. Literal Translation
2. Inadequate language proficiency (a.SL, b. TL)
3. Omission
4. Addition
5. Nonconservation of paralinguistic elements
Step 4: Effect of Error on Communicative Function
Once the error type has been determined, rate the error according to how it it impacts the communication, keeping in mind that not all errors are equally serious. Select from the five choices below in determining the effect of errors on the communicative function and write the number of the effect after the interpretation rendered in Step 1 and after the error type you selected.
5 = No negative consequences to participants
4 = Consequence of errors is minimal
3 = Consequence of errors is moderate
2 = Consequence of errors is severe
1 = Consequence of errors is grave
Step 5: Action Plan
Once you have determined the reason for error in the interpreting process and its impact on the communicative function, write down what action you plan to take to improve your work. I plan on re-doing this consecutive interpreting assignment sometime in the near future (when I have more practice with CI). I plan to get all the details, and try to produce a more professional message.