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Module

TRI1001 : Interpreting Theory and Practice 1

  • Offered for Year: 2024/25
  • Module Leader(s): Dr Pauline Henry-Tierney
  • Lecturer: Dr Cécilia Gil, Miss Noelia or Lia Cacheiro Quintas, Mr Okke Baumbach
  • Owning School: Modern Languages
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 1 Credit Value: 10
Semester 2 Credit Value: 10
ECTS Credits: 10.0
European Credit Transfer System

Aims

The module aims to provide students with basic working skills and an awareness of the key professional issues in face-to-face liaison (dialogue) interpreting for one or two of three BA-language* pairs, normally: EnglishFrench, EnglishGerman or EnglishSpanish.

*A-language is the translator’s language of main use (typically the mother tongue) and B-language the language of secondary use (typically a foreign or second language). Liaison interpreting usually involves interpreting into both A and B languages.

Liaison interpreting is non-simultaneous interpreting which enables conversation, discussion, etc. between speakers of two different languages. This module gives an introduction to basic liaison-interpreting skills, working from the second (B) language into the A (first) language and vice versa in one of the topics chosen at this stage (e.g. business, academic, journalism, tourism). It will focus on developing the student's oral/aural competence in the foreign language (including fluency, grammatical and lexical accuracy and range). Students will acquire note-taking skills as well as strategies that will help them with the interpreting tasks.

Outline Of Syllabus

• Introduction to liaison interpreting
•       Key techniques & strategies (i.e. summarising, re-phrasing, task management)
•       Note-taking skills
•       Key vocabulary (relevant to the topics chosen at this stage (e.g.. business, academic, journalism, tourism))
•       Appropriate register
•       Reinforcement of grammatical structures used in the dialogues
•       Introduction to professional issues relevant to the topics chosen at this stage: preparing for and managing the interpreting event, interpreter professionalism.

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture61:006:00N/A
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion301:0030:00N/A
Guided Independent StudyDirected research and reading241:0024:00N/A
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesSmall group teaching162:0032:002 hour sessions per week on weeks when there is no lecture.
Guided Independent StudySkills practice601:0060:00N/A
Guided Independent StudyIndependent study481:0048:00N/A
Total200:00
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

1. Practicals (in three different language strands) enable students to develop knowledge and skills (module-specific and key skills) in simulated professional environments. The mixture of online and F2F practicals will also equip students with the blended skills necessary for the varying real-life professional interpreting requirements of a post covid world (i.e. one which requires interpreters to develop remote interpreting skills too).

2. Lectures will look at principles of interpreting and explore strategies which facilitate the interpreting process.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Exams
Description Length Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Oral Examination102M50As an alternative to PiP these exams would be conducted online.
Written Examination902A50As an alternative to PiP these exams would take the shape of a 24-hour take home examination.
Formative Assessments

Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.

Description Semester When Set Comment
Oral Examination1MFormative liaison interpreting test (in-class test); duration: 6 minutes.
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The exams test students’ liaison interpreting skills (interpreting into both A and B languages) in a simulated environment with realistic stress factors. Appropriate professional conduct during the interpreting process will also be assessed. The written examination at the end of the year will test students’ awareness of interpreting principles and professional issues.

Reading Lists

Timetable