Conference Interpreting – A Complete Course
The conference interpreting skillset – full consecutive and simultaneous interpreting – has long been in demand well beyond the multilateral intergovernmental organizations, notably in bilateral diplomacy, business, international tribunals and the media. This comprehensive coursebook sets out an updated step-by-step programme of training, designed to meet the increasingly challenging conditions of the 21st century, and adaptable by instructors with the appropriate specializations to cover all these different applications in contemporary practice.
After an overview of the diverse world of interpreting and the prerequisites for this demanding course of training, successive chapters take students and teachers through initiation and the progressive acquisition of the techniques, knowledge and professionalism that make up this full skillset. For each stage in the training, detailed, carefully sequenced exercises and guidance on the cognitive challenges are provided, in a spirit of transparency between students and teachers on their respective roles in the learning process. For instructors, course designers and administrators, more detailed and extensive tips on pedagogy, curriculum design and management will be found in the companion Trainer’s Guide.
After an overview of the diverse world of interpreting and the prerequisites for this demanding course of training, successive chapters take students and teachers through initiation and the progressive acquisition of the techniques, knowledge and professionalism that make up this full skillset. For each stage in the training, detailed, carefully sequenced exercises and guidance on the cognitive challenges are provided, in a spirit of transparency between students and teachers on their respective roles in the learning process. For instructors, course designers and administrators, more detailed and extensive tips on pedagogy, curriculum design and management will be found in the companion Trainer’s Guide.
[Benjamins Translation Library, 120] 2016. xxviii, 470 pp.
Publishing status:
© John Benjamins
Table of Contents
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Abbreviations | pp. xv–xvi
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General introduction | pp. xvii–xxiv
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| p. xxv
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1. Introduction to the Complete Course | pp. 1–2
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2. The interpreter’s job | pp. 3–58
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3. Prerequisites and admission | pp. 59–78
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4. Initiation to interpreting | pp. 79–132
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5. Consecutive interpreting | pp. 133–204
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6. Sight Translation | pp. 205–218
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7. Language and knowledge enhancement | pp. 219–252
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8. Simultaneous interpreting (SI) | pp. 253–314
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9. Reality and advanced tasks | pp. 315–356
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10. Professionalism and ethics | pp. 357–396
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11. Introduction to professional practice | pp. 397–430
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Appendix A. The professional examination: tips for candidates | pp. 431–434
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Name index | pp. 451–454
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CC-TG subject index | pp. 455–470
“Setton and Dawrant’s Complete Course is the best-argued and most thoroughly explained training manual I have read to date, addressing most if not all aspects (closely or loosely) related to conference interpreter training. The authors chose a well-known and firmly established paradigm in which to embed their training manual and manage to cover all relevant aspects of conference interpreter training within that framework.”
Kilian G. Seeber, University of Geneva, on aiic.net, October 27, 2016
“Brace yourselves: the most up-to-date, comprehensive, authoritative and--if we may be permitted an unusual word in a book review--magnificent textbook for conference interpreting has just been published. With it comes an equally comprehensive trainer's guide. This is a double gift to universities, colleges, students, trainers and language services around the world, among others. It is such an achievement that I will be reviewing these two books in more depth in January--something never done in the seven-year history of this newsletter. Kudos to Benjamins. And one word to the authors: BRAVO.”
Marjory A. Bancroft, Cross-Cultural Communications, LLC, in INTERSECT: A Newsletter about Interpreting, Language and Culture, December 19, 2016
“This book probably lives up to its title of being a 'complete' course book. The wealth of information and the thoroughness with which so many interpreting-related topics and techniques are treated is extraordinary. I highly recommend this book to students and trainers alike. It will be THE reference work for many years to come.”
Andy Gillies, head of AIIC Training, on Amazon.co.uk
“The language is impeccable, with frequent metaphors that will make the reader smile and a style that even non-native speakers will find very readable. In addition, layout is attractive: overviews or brief explanations of selected points are set off from the body of the text in a reader-friendly box format, with sensible highlighting of ideas for further reading (full details of which can be found in the bibliography at the end of each volume). [...]
For students, the CC volume is definitely attractive and informative [...]. Students will be better able to reflect upon what they do and why their trainers choose specific exercises for them. For trainers, it is advisable to have both volumes – not on their bookshelves, but on their office desks. Whenever they are in doubt about how to organize their courses and what material to use, a look into either volume will provide them with more suggestions than they will ever be in a position to put into practice.”
For students, the CC volume is definitely attractive and informative [...]. Students will be better able to reflect upon what they do and why their trainers choose specific exercises for them. For trainers, it is advisable to have both volumes – not on their bookshelves, but on their office desks. Whenever they are in doubt about how to organize their courses and what material to use, a look into either volume will provide them with more suggestions than they will ever be in a position to put into practice.”
Sylvia Kalina, Institut für Translation und Mehrsprachige Kommunikation (ITMK), in Interpreting 19:1 (2017)
“These books undoubtedly need to be in the library of any professional conference interpreter and are a must read for interpretation students. [...] The books cover in their scope all major aspects of teaching conference interpretation: until now there was no such attempt so the books are indeed unique. Each topic is sufficiently detailed and the books objectively describe established practices as well as controversies [...]. Currently teaching conference interpretation – in my opinion – depends heavily on standards and rules of a particular educational institution or a particular instructor. The Trainer’s Guide is a unique attempt if not to standardize then to summarize logically and clearly methods and techniques of teaching. It is not possible to go into all details in an Amazon review but the book will be an invaluable training aid for any serious interpreter trainer worldwide. The Complete Course is somewhat smaller in size (470 pages) but is no less comprehensive. Geared more towards students than trainers, it covers duties and responsibilities of an interpreter, prerequisites and exercises, initiation to interpreting. It is a highly practical volume that will be useful in class and outside of it. [...] Both books are truly unique and complete – a real treat for trainers and students and interpreters.”
Cyril Flerov, Middlebury Institute of International Studies, on Amazon.com
“A fresh copy of Conference Interpreting – A Complete Course (and accompanying Trainer's Guide), autographed by Robin Setton and Andrew Dawrant came in the mail a few weeks back. I have since been immersed in it and I'm delighted at the solid content and the authors' conversational style. I am particularly struck at how much we seem to agree on aspects such as neutrality, loyalty and the changing role of interpreters. I find myself nodding along as I read. This is a book I wish I had written. Only Robin and Andrew did it way more competently than I would ever have managed to do. This is a must-have item on every interpreters' library. It is a good read and a reference book you'll want to keep handy for many years to come. [...] My hat off to Robin and Andrew on their excellent work.”
Ewandro Magalhaes, Facebook post, September 2019
Cited by (77)
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Balaman, Sevda
Barea, Manuel
Chen, Sijia & Jan-Louis Kruger
Wu, Yan
Wu, Yinyin
Aguirre Fernández Bravo, Elena & María Dolores Guindal Pintado
2023. Chapter 4. Free voluntary reading as a language and knowledge enhancement tool and its impact on interpreting students’ self-perceived B language fluency. In Instrumentalising Foreign Language Pedagogy in Translator and Interpreter Training [Benjamins Translation Library, 161], ► pp. 54 ff. 
Amos, Rhona M., Robert J. Hartsuiker, Kilian G. Seeber, Martin J. Pickering & Simone Sulpizio
Chekin, Leonid S.
2023. First Secretary Gierek, President Carter, and the president’s Polish interpreter. Babel. Revue internationale de la traduction / International Journal of Translation / Revista Internacional de Traducción 69:6 ► pp. 725 ff. 
Crezee, Ineke H. M. & Yunduan Gao
Defrancq, Bart
2023. Chapter 12. Technology in interpreter education and training. In Interpreting Technologies – Current and Future Trends [IVITRA Research in Linguistics and Literature, 37], ► pp. 302 ff. 
Downie, Jonathan
Fantinuoli, Claudio
2023. Chapter 3. Towards AI-enhanced computer-assisted interpreting. In Interpreting Technologies – Current and Future Trends [IVITRA Research in Linguistics and Literature, 37], ► pp. 46 ff. 
Haualand, Hilde
Lewis, William D. & Jan Niehues
2023. Chapter 10. Automatic speech translation in the classroom and lecture setting. In Interpreting Technologies – Current and Future Trends [IVITRA Research in Linguistics and Literature, 37], ► pp. 241 ff. 
Li, Xiangdong
2023. Teaching listening for interpreting through mind mapping. Revista Española de Lingüística Aplicada/Spanish Journal of Applied Linguistics 
Liao, Eric K.
Litvinyak, Oleksandra
2023. Ukraine: Training Interpreters and Translators in Times of Crises: A Case Study of an Ukrainian University Working Through the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Russo-Ukrainian War. In Educating Community Interpreters and Translators in Unprecedented Times [Palgrave Studies in Translating and Interpreting, ], ► pp. 273 ff. 
Torrella Gutiérrez, Carmen & Francisco Javier Vigier-Moreno
Trlifajová, Michaela
Xiao, Yao, Kristian Tangsgaard Hvelplund & Chen-En Ho
Xu, Qiliang & Qianhua Ouyang
Xu, Shengyi, Jun Pan & Michael Carl
2023. Chapter 8. Economy and efficiency of note-taking in consecutive interpreting from English to Chinese. In Translation in Transition [American Translators Association Scholarly Monograph Series, XX], ► pp. 157 ff. 
Xu, Yi
Aguirre Fernández Bravo, Elena
2022. Indirect interpreting: Stumbling block or stepping stone?. Target. International Journal of Translation Studies 34:3 ► pp. 512 ff. 
Chen, Sijia
Cheung, Andrew K. F.
2022. Listeners’ perception of the quality of simultaneous interpreting and perceived dependence on simultaneous interpreting. Interpreting. International Journal of Research and Practice in Interpreting 24:1 ► pp. 38 ff. 
Ferdowsi, Sima & Mohammad Hasan Razmi
Ferdowsi, Sima & Mohammad Hasan Razmi
Madej, Lizaveta
Melicherčíková, Miroslava
Okoniewska, Alicja M.
Yang, Yuan & Xiangdong Li
Ayan, Irem
Bartłomiejczyk, Magdalena
2021. Review of Korpal (2017): Linguistic and Psychological Indicators of Stress in Simultaneous Interpreting. Target. International Journal of Translation Studies 33:1 ► pp. 163 ff. 
Dam, Helle V.
2021. From controversy to complexity. Interpreting. International Journal of Research and Practice in Interpreting 23:2 ► pp. 222 ff. 
Defrancq, Bart & Claudio Fantinuoli
2021. Automatic speech recognition in the booth. Target. International Journal of Translation Studies 33:1 ► pp. 73 ff. 
Han, Chao
Ho, Chen-En
2021. What does professional experience have to offer?. Translation, Cognition & Behavior 4:1 ► pp. 47 ff. 
Krajewska, Katarzyna
Shang, Xiaoqi
Torres-Simón, Ester, Hanna Pięta, Rita Bueno Maia & Catarina Xavier
Valtchuk, Oleksandra & Barbara Class
Wang, Weiwei
Chmiel, Agnieszka, Przemysław Janikowski & Agnieszka Lijewska
2020. Multimodal processing in simultaneous interpreting with text. Target. International Journal of Translation Studies 32:1 ► pp. 37 ff. 
Jin, Silhee
2020. A model of live interlingual subtitling using respeaking technology. Babel. Revue internationale de la traduction / International Journal of Translation 66:4-5 ► pp. 733 ff. 
Ouyang, Qianhua, Yi Yu & Ai Fu
2020. Building disciplinary knowledge through multimodal presentation. Babel. Revue internationale de la traduction / International Journal of Translation 66:4-5 ► pp. 655 ff. 
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2020. Expertise and resources for interpreter training online. Babel. Revue internationale de la traduction / International Journal of Translation 66:6 ► pp. 950 ff. 
Sasaki, Anna
Seeber, Kilian G. & Eléonore Arbona
Seeber, Kilian G., Laura Keller & Alexis Hervais-Adelman
Wang, Weiwei, Yi Xu, Binhua Wang & Lei Mu
Yang, Shanshan, Defeng Li & Victoria Lai Cheng Lei
2020. The impact of source text presence on simultaneous interpreting performance in fast speeches. Babel. Revue internationale de la traduction / International Journal of Translation 66:4-5 ► pp. 588 ff. 
Cheung, Andrew K.F.
2019. The hidden curriculum revealed in study trip reflective essays. In The Evolving Curriculum in Interpreter and Translator Education [American Translators Association Scholarly Monograph Series, XIX], ► pp. 393 ff. 
Collard, Camille & Bart Defrancq
Donovan, Clare
2019. The contribution of institutional recruiters to interpreter training. In The Evolving Curriculum in Interpreter and Translator Education [American Translators Association Scholarly Monograph Series, XIX], ► pp. 343 ff. 
Fu, Rongbo & Jing Chen
2019. Negotiating interpersonal relations in Chinese-English diplomatic interpreting. Interpreting. International Journal of Research and Practice in Interpreting 21:1 ► pp. 12 ff. 
Giustini, Deborah
Giustini, Deborah
Mellinger, Christopher D. & Thomas A. Hanson
2019. Meta-analyses of simultaneous interpreting and working memory. Interpreting. International Journal of Research and Practice in Interpreting 21:2 ► pp. 165 ff. 
Rosendo, Lucía Ruiz & María Cecilia Galván
2019. Coping with speed. Babel. Revue internationale de la traduction / International Journal of Translation 65:1 ► pp. 1 ff. 
Song, Shuxian & Andrew K. F. Cheung
2019. Disfluency in relay and non-relay simultaneous interpreting. FORUM. Revue internationale d’interprétation et de traduction / International Journal of Interpretation and Translation 17:1 ► pp. 1 ff. 
Wu, Zhiwei
2019. Text characteristics, perceived difficulty and task performance in
sight translation. Interpreting. International Journal of Research and Practice in Interpreting 21:2 ► pp. 196 ff. 
Biernacka, Agnieszka
Biernacka, Agnieszka
Chang, Chia-chien
F. Atari, Omar
Hurtado Albir, Amparo
2018. Chapter 7.2. Training. In A History of Modern Translation Knowledge [Benjamins Translation Library, 142], ► pp. 415 ff. 
Kozin, Alexander V.
Class, Barbara & François Lombard
Fu, Rongbo
2017. Metadiscourse and coherence in interpreting. Babel. Revue internationale de la traduction / International Journal of Translation 63:6 ► pp. 846 ff. 
SANTAMARÍA CIORDIA, Leticia
VERMEIREN, Hildegard
Cavalcanti, Vanessa & Antonio Carlos Silva
[no author supplied]
This list is based on CrossRef data as of 25 august 2024. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.
Subjects
Main BIC Subject
CFP: Translation & interpretation
Main BISAC Subject
LAN023000: LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Translating & Interpreting