Describe the context and participants for this interpretation:
A Pampered Chef Party with a group of people who are relatively familiar with each other.
1. Analyze the source message to be sure you have understood the text completely. Write the gist of the passage in one or two sentences. Write down any questions you have about the passage or words you want to look up. Define the following words: Summary: There are a few things you need to get before making fajitas: flour tortillas, salsa, boneless-skinless chicken, one red and one green pepper, an onion, and fajita sauce mix. Cook the chicken, brown the vegetables, warm up the tortillas, and serve like a buffet. Enjoy!
No questions.
a. Fajitas: a Tex-Mex dish of thin strips of marinated and grilled meat, served with tortillas, salsa, etc.
b. Salsa: a sauce, esp. a hot sauce containing chilies.
c. Tortilla: a thin, round, unleavened bread prepared from cornmeal or sometimes wheat flour, baked on a flat plate of iron, earthenware, or the like.
d. Wok: a large bowl-shaped pan used in cooking Chinese food.
*Definitions taken from Dictionary.com
2. Examine the transcript and underline examples of spatial relationships. Are these relationships preserved in your interpretation? What would happen if the temporal (time sequence) relationships were not kept in proper relationship to each other?
If the temporal relationships were not kept in proper relationship to each other the meal would not turn out as it should. The meat would get done long after the tortillas were warm; the veggies would be done after the meal was eaten, etc. etc.
"Then you take the chicken and cut it on a cutting board into small pieces.//"
chicken --> cutting board
"And cook it in a big wok pan.//"
wok --> chicken
"When the chicken is thoroughly cooked you take it out of the pan and put it onto a plate.//"
chicken (from pan) --> plate
"And now you want to cut the vegetables. But before you but the vegetables you want to make sure that you wash off the cutting board and the knife..."
veggies --> cutting board
"You cut the green pepper and you want to make sure that you take the core out of the green pepper and cut it into small pieces.//"
cutting board + knife --> sink
"Then you cut the red pepper and it's just like the green pepper..."
green pepper core --> garbage
"Now you need to add some oil into the pan..."
red pepper core --> garbage
"...put the vegetables into the pan..."
oil --> pan
"Now you can add the chicken back into the pan."
veggies --> pan
"You add that into the pan with the chicken and the vegetables and 1 cup of water.//"
chicken --> pan
"...take the tortillas and just pop them into the microwave..."
fajita mix + water --> pan
"And now take the fajita mixture, put it into a bowl..."
mix --> bowl
3. Refer to the notes you took while listening. See if you can remember the entire passage by referring to your notes. Could you have less detail in your notes and still remember the message?
I feel I could have used more abbreviations instead of writing all the words out. I also think I could've drawn lines instead of using numbers for the list of directions to follow.
4. While you wre listening to the source message and writing, were you aware of the visualization you were creating? If you have made fajitas before your visualization will assist you. If you have not made fajitas before, you still can visualize going to the store. Are you envisioning the grocery store you usually go to? Do you envision your own cookware? What does it look like? Do you envisino putting the food out in your own kitchen? Where is the stove located, and where would you put the food for the buffet? What would happen if you committed to any one of these details in your interpretation and later found that they were incorrect?
While I was listening and taking notes I was visually setting up where each food would go, and where each utencil/cooking equipment would need to be. I did not necessarily visualize any house in particular, especially not even my own, but I tried to visualize how my ASL professor would. If I were to be mistaken, of course there would be consequences, but sometimes you just have to use your best judgment. Not everything can turn out exactly as the speaker/signer had intended.
5. What are the temporal relations in this text? Does your interpretation preserve the message and the temporal relations?
I feel that I preserved the temporal relations.
Introduction of Ella Perkin
Get the cooking materials.
Cook all the necessary food.
Add in the fajita sauce mix.
Serve and enjoy
5 Step Follow-Up
*List at least one positive aspect of your interpretation.
I feel this is one of my best performances yet (even though it was really easy anyways).
Step 1: Interpretation Rendered
Transcribe the portions of the interpretation you would like to improve.
CUTTING BOARD CHICKEN CUT-UP.
MAKE SURE COOK PERFECT. DONT WANT PINK RED MIDDLE...CAN BECOME SICK.
BEFORE MAKE SURE WASH CUTTING BOARD
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: CUTTING BOARD CHICKEN CUT-UP.
Revised: I would just like to set this up better. I could have made it more clear. Inadequate source language proficiency 5 = None
Original: MAKE SURE COOK PERFECT. DONT WANT PINK RED MIDDLE...CAN BECOME SICK.
Revised: MAKE SURE COOK ENOUGH. PINK OR RED MIDDLE (g-handshape, stative descriptive: meat) BECOME SICK CAN. NOT GOOD. Inadequate source language proficiency 4 = Minimal
Original: BEFORE MAKE SURE WASH CUTTING BOARD
Revised: I FORGOT. BEFORE CUT VEGETABLES CUTTING BOARD WASH. Literal translation 4 = Minimal
Step 3: Determine Error Types
Determine which types of errors were made.
Literal translation
Inadequate language proficiency (source language or target language)
Omission
Addition
Nonconservation of paralinguistic elements
Step 4: Effect of Error on Communicative Function
Decide on the severity of each error.
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 feel that this interpretation was one of my best so far. I hope to re-do this activity a second time and work on maintaining the speaker's affect. I feel that I conveyed all the information effectively in the target language, but failed to portray the speaker's blandness.
"Potpourri"
Study Questions
Describe the context and participants for this interpretation:
An interpreting student needs a story to interpret, and Lee Ivy volunteered to talk about her favorite hobby.
1. Analyze the source message to be sure you have understood the text completely. Write the gist of the passage in one or two sentences. Write down any questions you have about the passage or words you want to look up. Define the following words: Summary: Making potpourri is my favorite hobby. In oder to make potpourri you need to gather the flowers, dry them out, then season them with spices and oil.
No questions.
a. Potpourri: a mixture of dried petals of roses or other flowers with spices, kept in a jar for their fragrance.
b. Perfume: a substance, extract, or preparation for diffusing or imparting an agreeable or attractive smell, esp. a fluid containing fragrant natural oils extracted from flowers, woods, etc., or similar synthetic oils.
*Definitions taken from Dictionary.com
2. Examine the transcript and underline examples of spatial relationships. Are these relationships preserved in your interpretation? What would happen if the temporal (time sequence) relationships were not kept in proper relationship to each other? As said before, if the temporal relationships are not kept in order, the end result would be completely different.
SPRING TIME AND SUMMER TIME BEST TIME TO COLLECT FLOWERS.
COLLECT FLOWERS.
TIE FLOWERS TOGETHER.
ATTIC NOT HAVE LIGHT SHINE-IN (from a window above).
CLEAN LEAVES OFF STEM.
HANG FLOWERS UPSIDE-DOWN+++.
GO SEE FINISH (y/n?)
3. Refer to the notes you took while listening. See if you can remember the entire passage by referring to your notes. Could you have less detail in your notes and still remember the message?
I cannot remember the entire message (because I do not have a wide schema for making potpourri), but I can remember most of the message. I definitely think I could have taken less notes. I feel like I was nervous about missing details because I am a second language learner.
4. While you wre listening to the source message and writing, were you aware of the visualization you were creating? If you have made potpourri before your visualization will assist you. If you have not made potpourri before, you still can visualize collecting the flowers and drying them out. Are you envisioning the flowers you would want to use? Do you envision your own attic? What does it look like? Do you envision hanging the flowers upside down in your own attic? Where is the room located, and where would you put the flowers? What would happen if you committed to any one of these details in your interpretation and later found that they were incorrect?
I have never made potpourri before, so I cannot say that I had a schema good enough for this interpretation. I have, however, seen potpourri before, and I have hung single roses upside down to dry. Also, I have never really had an attic (or at least never gone in one) so I cannot say that I pictured my attic. If my visualization turned out to be completely wrong I do not think it would have very adverse effects: not everyone's attics or potpourri canlook the same.
5. What are the temporal relations in this text? Does your interpretation preserve the message and the temporal relations? I feel that my interpretatino preserved the message and temporal relations.
1. Introduction of Lee Ivy
2. Potpourri - French
3. Favorite Hobby, WHY?
4. Steps to making potpourri: collect, dry, add spices.
5. Add oil - buy or make at home
6. Making at home is too hard.
5 Step Follow-Up
*List at least one positive aspect of your interpretation.
I understood what she was signing!
Step 1: Interpretation Rendered Transcribe the portions of the interpretation you would like to improve.
"Once you've got the flowers and found a good room you need to find some string...and measure it out so...um...it's a good size... and you can tie up all your flowers."
"Um...you can do anything. You can leave them there for six weeks and then come back and check and they should be really dry and then you can do whatever you want with them."
"...and you can go to any store. They are ready, there on the shelf, ready to buy."
"My two kids...um...I was way too busy with them, and I just decided to go to the store and it's nice there and ready for ya."
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: "Once you've got the flowers and found a good room you need to find some string...and measure it out so...um...it's a good size... and you can tie up all your flowers."
Revised: Once you have finished collecting all the flowers of your choice you need, as well as, a fit room for drying them, you need to find some string. Measure the string out so that you have enough to tie up all your flowers. Literal translation 5 = None
Original:"Um...you can do anything. You can leave them there for six weeks and then come back and check and they should be really dry and then you can do whatever you want with them."
Revised: You can leave the flowers hanging for up to six weeks, check on them to see if they are dry, and then choose what to do from there. Nonconservation of paralinguistic elements 4 = Minimal
Original:"...and you can go to any store. They are ready, there on the shelf, ready to buy."
Revised: ...and really you can go to any store. The oil is ready on the shelf for your convenience. Literal translation 5 = None
Original: "My two kids...um...I was way too busy with them, and I just decided to go to the store and it's nice there and ready for ya."
Revised: I was really busy with my two kids, so making the oil at home really wasn't an option for me. Now, I prefer going to there store where it is already made. Literal translation 5 = None
Step 3: Determine Error Types
Determine which types of errors were made.
Literal translation
Inadequate language proficiency (source language or target language)
Omission
Addition
Nonconservation of paralinguistic elements
Step 4: Effect of Error on Communicative Function
Decide on the severity of each error.
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 to do this interpretation activity again, and this time I hope to preserve the affect of the speaker. I felt that my interpretation was not bad, but that I did not reflect how she was talking about her favorite hobby, nor her (almost) humor.