Study on Interactional Phenomena in Interpreter-Mediated Remote Teaching Setting

Abstract

The study of the phenomena of interpreting interaction in teaching settings has always been a hot topic in the field of interpreting research. With the development of online communication technology, remote interpreting also rises and develops continuously. Based on the interpreting practice of the English-Chinese consecutive interpreting in the course of Development Economics, combining Goffman’s Participation Framework Theory with Norris’ Multimodal Analysis Framework Theory, this paper proposes a Multi-modal Interpreter-Mediated Interaction (MIMI) Framework. Under the MIMI framework, in the tripartite interaction composed of “teacher”, “interpreter” and “student”, this paper analyzes interactional phenomena in interpreter-mediated remote consecutive interpreting, including: lack of presence, lack of interactive management, and lack of multi-modal interpreter-mediated interaction management, faced by interpreters in remote teaching setting, from the two aspects of verbal resources and embodied resources. To deepen the understanding of the remote class interactive phenomena, this paper further analyzes the specific interpreting problems, which are managing computer interface, managing the opening, and managing turn-taking, and then puts forward the corresponding interpreting strategies, which are applying minimizing computer interface, improving self-monitoring consciousness and initiating self-selected turn-taking. Through these three interpreting strategies, this paper intends to help interpreters be able to complete remote class interpreting tasks more efficiently.