A theory of prediction in simultaneous interpreting

Abstract

People make comprehension easier by predicting upcoming language. We might therefore expect prediction to occur during the extremely difficult task of simultaneous interpreting. This paper examines the theoretical and empirical foundations of this premise. It reviews accounts of prediction during comprehension in both monolinguals and bilinguals, and discusses these theories in light of experimental data (e.g., using the visual-world paradigm). It considers how these accounts may be applied to the unique and ecologically valid context of simultaneous interpreting, when two languages are used concurrently, one overtly engaging the comprehension system, and the other overtly engaging the production system. It then posits a role for the production system in prediction during comprehension and develops a theoretical framework for prediction-by-production in simultaneous interpreting that has implications for our understanding of prediction during language comprehension.

Planning ahead: Interpreters predict source language in consecutive interpreting

“…More importantly, the significant three-way interaction among task, predictability, and cognitive load suggests that, while interpreters predict to a greater extent in SL comprehension than in regular language comprehension, such a predictive advantage requires cognitive resources and thus disappears when cognitive resources are limited. Such a finding supports the hypothesis that prediction in interpreting consumes cognitive resources (Amos & Pickering, 2020).…”

“…Our findings also suggest that predicted content may feed bi-directionally between SL and TL. That is, while predicted SL content can feed into TL production preparation, leading to timely delivery of interpreting, as argued by Amos and Pickering (2020), predicted TL content may also feed back to facilitate SL prediction (which could be one of the reasons why SL comprehension involves more prediction, as we argued above). In addition, our study also demonstrated that, instead of focusing on TL output, interpreting research should also examine SL comprehension in order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the cognitive processes underlying interpreting.…”

“…Interpreting practitioners also often view prediction as an important interpreting skill and even a constituent of interpreting competence (Gile, 2009;Setton, 2005). More recently, Amos and Pickering (2020) proposed that SIMULTANEOUS interpreting involves SL prediction via prediction-by-production. That is, interpreters covertly simulate what the speaker is likely to say next (e.g., predicting book upon hearing The student is going to the library to borrow…); such prediction then facilitates preactivation of TL representations (e.g., the translation equivalent of book), leading to better fluency in simultaneous interpreting.…”

Interpreting: A window into bilingual processing

“…The first group includes two papers that are related to interpreting processes, specifically about prediction or anticipation in interpreting. Amos and Pickering (Amos & Pickering, 2020) proposed a model of prediction-by-production in SI and Lozano-Argüelles, Sagarra and Casilla (Lozano-Argüelles, Sagarra & Casilla, 2020) investigated the impact of interpreting experience on L2 morphological anticipation. The second group includes two papers that are related to cognitive load, with Mårtensson and colleagues (Mårtensson, Eriksson, Bodammer, Lindgren, Johansson, Nyberg and Lövdén, 2020) investigating the brain basis of foreign language learning aptitude in interpreters, and Tiselius and Sneed (Tiselius & Sneed, 2020) cognitive load as reflected in gaze and eye-movements in dialogue interpreting.…”

“…But the mechanism of prediction in SI is not clear. Amos and Pickering (Amos & Pickering, 2020) provide accounts of prediction during comprehension in monolinguals and bilinguals, and discusses how these accounts may be applied to SI. The authors then propose that predicting with the production mechanism allows comprehenders to make rapid predictions at the levels of semantics, syntax and phonology, and develops a theoretical framework for prediction-by-production in SI.…”