Consecutive Interpreting I

General Seminars
Morven Beaton
Session 2
3 October 2007
Note-taking for Interpreting
Why note?
Basic guidelines
Schools of Thought
Geneva School (Herbert, Rozan, Ilg)
Heidelberg School (Matyssek)
General Principles
Further Reading
Note-taking for Interpreting
Why note?
To support (not replace) memory
To graphically display the structure of
the speech
Interpreters do not note:
Everything that has been said
In a form of shorthand



Note-taking for Interpreting
Basic Guidelines
A5 Reporters Notepad (or smaller)
Write on 1 side of paper only
Use a writing implement that writes
smoothly and quickly
Note important names, dates and
locations on a separate sheet of paper
Presentation: make sure you can see
both the bottom of the page you are
using and the top of the next page

Note-taking for Interpreting
Geneva School (Herbert, Rozan)
7 Principles
Noting the idea and not the word
The rules of abbreviation
Links
Negation
Adding emphasis
Verticality
Shift
Note-taking for Interpreting
Geneva School (Herbert, Rozan)
20 Symbols
4 symbols of expression
3 symbols of movement
6 symbols of correspondence
7 graphical symbols

Note-taking for Interpreting
Heidelberg School (Matyssek)
Symbols
Language independent
Vertical notation
Left-hand margin
Horizontal dividing line
Use of arrows
Subject/Verb/Object
Links
Tense
Modal verbs
Common Principles
Vertical layout
Use of arrows
Use of the horizontal line to separate
thoughts
Importance of links
Use of the margin
Tense
Modal verbs
Emphasis
Indicate missing information
Note-taking for Interpreting
Eleven
Thirty spokes share the wheels hub;
It is the center hole that makes it useful.
Shape clay into a vessel;
It is the space within it that makes it useful.
Cut doors and windows for a room;
It is the holes which make it useful.
Therefore profit comes from what is there;
Usefulness from what is not there.
Further Reading
Gile, Daniel (1997) Basic Concepts and Models for
Interpreter and Translator Training. Amsterdam,
Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
Gillies, Andrew (2004) Conference Interpreting. A New
Students Companion. Tumaczeniu ustne. nowy
poradnik dla studentw. Cracow: Tertium Society for
the Promotion of Language Studies.
Gillies, Andrew (2005) Note-taking for Consecutive
Interpreting - A Short Course. Translation Practices
Explained 8. Manchester: St. Jerome.
Herbert, Jean (1968) The Interpreters Handbook. How
to become a Conference Interpreter. Geneva: Librairie
de l'Universite.
Jones, Roderick (2002) Conference Interpreting
Explained. Translation Practices Explained 6.
Manchester: St. Jerome.
Further Reading (cont.)
Matyssek, Heinz (2006) Handbuch der Notizentechnik
fr Dolmetscher. Ein Weg zur sprachunabhngigen
Notation. Tbingen: Julius Groos.
Rozan, Franois (1956) La Prise de Notes en
Interprtation Conscutive. Geneva: Librairie de
l'Universite. Or Rozan, Franois (2002).Note-taking in
Consecutive Interpreting. Notaki w tumaczeniu
konsekutywnym. (Translated into English by Andrew
Gillies and into Polish by Bartosz Waliczek). Cracow:
Tertium Society for the Promotion of Language Studies.
Seleskovitch, Danica & Lederer, Marianne (2002)
Pedagogie raisonnee de l'interprtation. Brussels:
Didier Erudition. 2nd Edition. Or Seleskovitch, Danica &
Lederer, Marianne (1989). A systematic approach to
teaching interpretation. (Translated by Jacolyn
Harmer). Paris: European Communities.