Introduction to Interpretation (CTI205)

This course introduces students to the profession of interpreters, the concept of interpreting and the process of interpreting. It familiarises the students with different forms of interpretation, explains the training methods and introduces various techniques for interpreting. Students will be made aware of the distinctions between translation and interpreting. This course provides a good foundation for students to pursue further studies in other interpretation courses. The classroom activities and after-class exercises will focus on interpreting from Chinese to English and vice versa in a consecutive mode. The course will be conducted in a small group in the interpretation lab.

• Introduction to Interpretation
• Listening and Memory Training in Interpretation
• Notes-taking in Interpretation
• Expression Strategies in Interpretation
• Translation of numbers
• Sight Translation

• Discuss the professional ethic of interpreters
• Develop skills to improve their memory, in particular, short-memory skills
• Apply effective note-taking techniques
• Employ professional public-speaking skills in delivering a public speech in a highly effective way
• Examine the criteria and techniques of interpreting dialogues and speeches of moderate level of difficulty
• Interpret day-to-day dialogues and short speeches of moderate level of difficulty with accuracy, clarity and coherence
• Solve problems of interpreting numbers from English to Chinese and vice versa with accuracy
• Use effective methods in sight translation with accuracy and fluency