Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dlnhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T01:45:00.942Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

31 - Working Memory and Interpreting Studies

from Part V - Bilingual Acquisition and Processing

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 July 2022

By
Binghan Zheng  and
Huolingxiao Kuang
Edited by
John W. Schwieter  and
Zhisheng (Edward) Wen
John W. Schwieter
Affiliation:
Wilfrid Laurier University
Zhisheng (Edward) Wen
Affiliation:
Hong Kong Shue Yan University
Get access

Summary

This chapter provides a review of studies on working memory (WM) and interpreting between the 1970s and 2010s, with special attention paid to simultaneous interpreting (SI) and consecutive interpreting (CI). Previous research has investigated three major issues: (1) the interpreter’s advantage over noninterpreters in WM capacity and executive control; (2) the relationship between overall WM capacity, WM executive control and interpreting performance, and (3) the interaction that takes place between long-term memory and WM to facilitate meaning retrieval from the source language, interlingual reformulation, and message delivery into the target language. This chapter will first review major WM models of interpreting to determine what SI and CI have in common and how they differ in processing routes; secondly by examining relevant empirical evidence that (in)validates such models, and thirdly by proposing new possibilities for research on WM in both SI and CI. By means of a synthesized review and an in-depth comparative analysis, this chapter will shed new light on how WM demand differs across interpreting tasks and fluctuates during the interpreting process, which will in turn contribute to future interpreting research and pedagogy.

Keywords

Working memorysimultaneous interpretingconsecutive interpretingsystematic reviewcomparative analysis
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of Working Memory and Language , pp. 698 - 721
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Adelson, B. (1984). When novices surpass experts: The difficulty of the task may increase with expertise. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition, 10, 484–495.Google Scholar
Babcock, L., & Vallesi, A. (2017). Are simultaneous interpreters expert bilinguals, unique bilinguals, or both? Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 20(2), 403–417.Google Scholar
Baddeley, A. D., & Hitch, G. (1974). Working memory. In Bower, G.H (Ed.), The psychology of learning and motivation: Advances in research and theory (pp. 47-89). Academic Press.Google Scholar
Chen, S. (2017). Exploring the process of note-taking and consecutive interpreting: A pen-eye-voice approach towards cognitive load (Doctoral dissertation, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia).Google Scholar
Chernov, G. V. (1994). Message redundancy and message anticipation in simultaneous interpretation. In Lambert, S. & Moser-Mercer, B. (Eds.), Bridging the gap: Empirical research in simultaneous interpretation (pp. 139–153). John Benjamins.Google Scholar
Chincotta, D., & Underwood, G. (1998). Simultaneous interpreters and the effect of concurrent articulation on immediate memory: A bilingual digit span study. Interpreting, 3(1), 1–20.Google Scholar
Chmiel, A. (2018). In search of the working memory advantage in conference interpreting: Training, experience and task effects. International Journal of Bilingualism, 22(3), 371–384.Google Scholar
Christoffels, I. K., de Groot, A. M., & Kroll, J. F. (2006). Memory and language skills in simultaneous interpreters: The role of expertise and language proficiency. Journal of Memory and Language, 54(3), 324–345.Google Scholar
Cowan, N. (1988). Evolving conceptions of memory storage, selective attention, and their mutual constraints within the human information-processing system. Psychological Bulletin, 104(2), 163–191.Google Scholar
Cowan, N. (1995). Attention and memory: An integrated framework. Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Dam, H. V. (2010). Consecutive interpreting. In Gambier, Y. & van Doorslaer, L. (Eds.), Handbook of translation studies (Vol. 1, pp. 75–79). John Benjamins.Google Scholar
Daneman, M., & Carpenter, P. A. (1980). Individual differences in working memory and reading. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 19(4), 450–466.Google Scholar
Darò, V., & Fabbro, F. (1994). Verbal memory during simultaneous interpretation: Effects of phonological interference. Applied Linguistics, 15(4), 365–381.Google Scholar
Díaz-Galaz, S., Padilla, P., & Bajo, M. T. (2015). The role of advance preparation in simultaneous interpreting: A comparison of professional interpreters and interpreting students. Interpreting, 17(1), 1–25.Google Scholar
Dong, Y., & Cai, R. (2015). Working memory in interpreting: A commentary on theoretical models. In Wen, Z., Mota, M., & McNeill, A. (Eds.), Working memory in second language acquisition and processing (pp. 63–79). Multilingual Matters.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dong, Y. & Li, P. (2020). Attentional control in interpreting: A model of language control and processing control. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 23, 716–728.Google Scholar
Dong, Y., & Liu, Y. (2016). Classes in translating and interpreting produce differential gains in switching and updating. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 1297.Google Scholar
Dong, Y., Liu, Y., & Cai, R. (2018). How does consecutive interpreting training influence working memory: A longitudinal study of potential links between the two. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 875.Google Scholar
Dong, Y., & Xie, Z. (2014). Contributions of second language proficiency and interpreting experience to cognitive control differences among young adult bilinguals. Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 26(5), 506–519.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dong, Y., & Zhong, F. (2017). Interpreting experience enhances early attentional processing, conflict monitoring and interference suppression along the time course of processing. Neuropsychologia, 95, 193–203.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ericsson, K. A., & Kintsch, W. (1995). Long-term working memory. Psychological Review, 102(2), 211–245.Google Scholar
Ericsson, K. A. & Charness, N. (1994). Expert performance: Its structure and acquisition. American Psychologist, 49, 725–747.Google Scholar
Gile, D. (1997/2002). Conference interpreting as a cognitive management problem. In Pöchhacker, F. & Shlesinger, M. (Eds.), The interpreting studies reader (pp. 162–176). London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Gile, D. (2001). Consecutive vs. simultaneous: Which is more accurate? Interpretation Studies, 1(1), 8–20.Google Scholar
Gile, D. (2017). Testing the Effort Models’ tightrope hypothesis in simultaneous interpreting: A contribution. HERMES, 12(23), 153–172.Google Scholar
Henrard, S., & van Daele, A. (2017). Different bilingual experiences might modulate executive tasks advantages: Comparative analysis between monolinguals, translators, and interpreters. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1870.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hiltunen, S., Pääkkönen, R., Vik, G. V., & Krause, C. M. (2014). On interpreters’ working memory and executive control. International Journal of Bilingualism, 20(3), 297–314.Google Scholar
Holding, D. H., & Reynolds, R. I. (1982). Recall or evaluation of chess positions as determinants of chess skill. Memory & Cognition, 10(3), 237–242.Google Scholar
Injoque-Ricle, I., Barreyro, J. P., Formoso, J., & Jaichenco, V. I. (2015). Expertise, working memory and articulatory suppression effect: Their relation with simultaneous interpreting performance. Advances in Cognitive Psychology, 11(2), 56–63. doi:10.5709/acp-0171-1Google Scholar
Isham, W.P. (2000). Phonological interference in interpreters of spoken-languages: An issue of storage or process? In Dimitrova, B. E. & Hyltenstam, K. (Eds.), Language processing and simultaneous interpreting (pp. 133–150). John Benjamins.Google Scholar
Just, M. A., & Carpenter, P. A. (1992). A capacity theory of comprehension: Individual differences in working memory. Psychological Review, 99, 122–149.Google Scholar
Köpke, B., & Nespoulous, J. L. (2006). Working memory performance in expert and novice interpreters. Interpreting, 8(1), 1–23.Google Scholar
Köpke, B., & Signorelli, T. M. (2011). Methodological aspects of working memory assessment in simultaneous interpreters. International Journal of Bilingualism, 16(2), 183–197.Google Scholar
Lambert, S. (1988). Information processing among conference interpreters: A test of the depth-of-processing hypothesis. Meta, 33(3), 377–387CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lee, T. H. (2002). Ear voice span in English into Korean simultaneous interpretation. Meta, 47(4), 596–606.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liang, J., Fang, Y., Lv, Q., & Liu, H. (2017). Dependency distance differences across interpreting types: Implications for cognitive demand. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1–10. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02132Google Scholar
Lin, Y., Lv, Q., & Liang, J. (2018). Predicting fluency with language proficiency, working memory, and directionality in simultaneous interpreting. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1543. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01543Google Scholar
Liang, J., Lv, Q., & Liu, Y. (2019). Quantifying interpreting types: Language sequence mirrors cognitive load minimization in interpreting tasks. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 1–12. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00285Google Scholar
Liu, M., Schallert, D. L., & Carroll, P. J. (2004). Working memory and expertise in simultaneous interpreting. Interpreting, 6(1), 19–42.Google Scholar
Macnamara, B. N., & Conway, A. R. (2016). Working memory capacity as a predictor of simultaneous language interpreting performance. Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, 5(4), 434–444.Google Scholar
Macnamara, B. N., & Conway, A. R. A. (2014). Novel evidence in support of the bilingual advantage: Influences of task demands and experience on cognitive control and working memory. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 21 (2), 520–525.Google Scholar
Mizuno, A. (2005). Process model for simultaneous interpreting and working memory. Meta, 50(2), 739–752.Google Scholar
Morales, J., Padilla, F., Gómez-Ariza, C. J., & Bajo, M. T. (2015). Simultaneous interpretation selectively influences working memory and attentional networks. Acta Psychologica, 155, 82–91.Google Scholar
Nour, S., Struys, E., & Stengers, H. (2020). Adaptive control in interpreters: Assessing the impact of training and experience on working memory. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 23, 772–779.Google Scholar
Nour, S., Struys, E., Woumans, E., Hollebeke, I., & Stengers, H. (2020). An interpreter advantage in executive functions? A systematic review. Interpreting, 22(2), 163–186.Google Scholar
Paas, F. G., & Van Merriënboer, J. J. (1994). Instructional control of cognitive load in the training of complex cognitive tasks. Educational Psychology Review, 6(4), 351–371.Google Scholar
Padilla, P. (1995). Procesos de memoria y atención en la interpretación de lenguas (Doctoral dissertation, Universidad de Granada. Granada, Spain).Google Scholar
Padilla, P., Bajo, M. T., Canas, J. J., & Padilla, F. (1995). Cognitive processes of memory in simultaneous interpretation. In Tommola, J. (Ed.), Topics in interpreting research (pp. 61–72). Centre for Translation and Interpreting, University of Turku.Google Scholar
Padilla, F., Bajo, M. T., & Macizo, P. (2005). Articulatory suppression in language interpretation: Working memory capacity, dual tasking and word knowledge. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 8. 207–219.Google Scholar
Penney, C. G. (1989). Modality effects and the structure of short-term verbal memory. Memory & Cognition, 17(4), 398–422.Google Scholar
Piolat, A. (2007). Effects of notetaking technique and working-memory span on cognitive effort and recall performance. In Torrance, M., Van Waes, L., & Galbraith, D. (Eds.), Writing and cognition: Research and applications (pp. 109–124). Elsevier.Google Scholar
Piolat, A., Olive, T., & Kellogg, R. T. (2005). Cognitive effort during note taking. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 19(3), 291–312.Google Scholar
Plevoets, K., & Defrancq, B. (2016). The effect of informational load on disfluencies in interpreting: A corpus-based regression analysis. Translation and Interpreting Studies, 11(2), 202–224.Google Scholar
Russell, D. (2002). Interpreting in legal contexts: Consecutive and simultaneous interpreting. Linstok Press.Google Scholar
Seeber, K. G. (2011). Cognitive load in simultaneous interpreting: Existing theories – new models. Interpreting, 13(2), 176–204.Google Scholar
Seleskovitch, D. (1968/1978). Interpreting for international conferences-Problems of language and communication. Pen and Booth.Google Scholar
Shao, Z., & Chai, M. (2020). The effect of cognitive load on simultaneous interpreting performance: An empirical study at the local level. Perspectives, 1–17. doi: 10.1080/0907676X.2020.1770816Google Scholar
Signorelli, T. M., Haarmann, H. J., & Obler, L. K. (2011). Working memory in simultaneous interpreters: Effects of task and age. International Journal of Bilingualism, 16(2), 198–212.Google Scholar
Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning. Cognitive Science, 12(2), 257–285.Google Scholar
Timarová, Š., Čeňková, I., & Meylaerts, R. (2015). Simultaneous interpreting and working memory capacity. In Ferreira, A. & Schwieter, J. W. (Eds.), Psycholinguistic and cognitive inquiries into translation and interpreting (pp. 101–126). Benjamins.Google Scholar
Timarová, Š., Čeňková, I., Meylaerts, R., Hertog, E., Szmalec, A., & Duyck, W. (2014). Simultaneous interpreting and working memory executive control. Interpreting, 16(2), 139–168.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tzou, Y. Z., Eslami, Z. R., Chen, H. C., & Vaid, J. (2012). Effect of language proficiency and degree of formal training in simultaneous interpreting on working memory and interpreting performance: Evidence from Mandarin-English speakers. International Journal of Bilingualism, 16(2), 213–227.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wen, H., & Dong, Y. (2019). How does interpreting experience enhance working memory and short-term memory: A meta-analysis. Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 31(8), 769–784.Google Scholar
Woumans, E., Ceuleers, E., van der Linden, L., Szmalec, A., & Duyck, W. (2015). Verbal and nonverbal cognitive control in bilinguals and interpreters. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 41(5), 1579–1586.Google ScholarPubMed
Wu, G., & Wang, K. (2009). Consecutive interpretation: A discourse approach. Towards a revision of Gile’s effort model. Meta, 54(3), 401–416.Google Scholar
Yenkimaleki, M., & van Heuven, V. J. (2017). The effect of memory training on consecutive interpreting performance by interpreter trainees: An experimental study. International Journal of Interpretation and Translation, 15(1), 157–172.Google Scholar
Yudes, C., Macizo, P., & Bajo, T. (2011). The influence of expertise in simultaneous interpreting on non-verbal executive processes. Frontiers in Psychology, 2, 309.Google Scholar
Yudes, C., Macizo, P., & Bajo, T. (2012). Coordinating comprehension and production in simultaneous interpreters: Evidence from the articulatory suppression effect. Bilingualism, 15(2), 329–339.Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×