外國口音英語辨識度與對應策略之認知差異： 專業口譯員與學生口譯員對比研究

Abstract

本研究旨在探討專業與學生譯者對於有外國口音的英語談話之辨識度（intelligibility）與認知策略之異同。研究對象為七名專業譯者與十四名學生譯者，針對美國口音與西班牙口音之講者發言進行跟述，並於跟述後接受回溯訪談。數量與質性分析結果發現：(1) 兩組譯者因外國口音而造成的談話辨識度下降程度並無顯著差異。(2) 兩組譯者皆自述跟述有口音之言談時，使用預測、上下文線索等理解技巧輔助，並需提高聆聽與分析之氣力（effort in listening and analysis)。(3) 然而，學生譯者自述有時理解技巧無法成功使用，氣力協調也受到負面影響。專業譯者則無此兩種情況。(4) 學生譯者在訪談時使用「猜」、「恐懼、害怕」等字眼描述跟述有口音講者之過程。根據研究結果，口譯訓練納入有口音講者時，應採取全面性的角度（holistic approach)，目標為達成最大的理解程度，並將克服有口音講者之語音特色視為達成整體目標的工具之一，而非首要工具。This study investigated professional and trainee interpreters' perception of processing foreign-accented English speech in a simultaneous mode. Seven professional interpreters (Group P) and fourteen trainee interpreters (Group T) who are Chinese A and English B were invited to shadow two texts delivered by a native (American) and nonnative (Spanish) speaker. After shadowing, a retrospective interview was conducted to elicit participants' perception of their processes during the shadowing task and general comments on shadowing/interpreting for foreign-accented English speakers. The results of quantitative and qualitative analysis reveal that: a) Statistically speaking, the degree of intelligibility impairment as a result of foreign English accent does not differ significantly between the two groups. b) Both groups reported using anticipation and contextual clues to compensate the loss of intelligibility, and the need to increase the listening and analysis effort when shadowing the accented speaker. c) However, general failuresof adopting comprehension strategies and struggle to maintain good capacity management were reported by Group T while the same cannot be observed in Group P. d) Group T used languages of guessing and fear in describing their processing of the shadowing task. Based on these findings, this study concludes that the inclusion of foreign-accented speakers in interpreting classrooms should adopt a holistic approach where conquering the phonological challenge is treated as one of the, but not primary, tools one can use to reach the goal of optimal comprehension of the source text.