92952 - Interpretation From English (Language B) Into Italian I (CL2)

Learning outcomes

Curriculum Conference Interpreting (ConfInt)

Students know and are able to use the basic consecutive and simultaneous interpreting techniques from English into Italian.

Curriculum Interpreting and Technologies for Communication (InTeCo)

Students know the fundamental elements (terms, concepts) of the theory of consecutive interpreting as well as the cognitive and emotional aspects of this interpreting mode. They know what features make a note-taking system effective and the procedures to generate an expandible system. As a result, they are able to develop their own note-taking system.

Course contents

This web guide refers to two separate training activities:

- Interpreting from English (language C or B) into Italian I, of the Conference Interpreting (ConfInt) curriculum;

- Introduction to consecutive interpreting, of the Interpreting and Technologies for Communication (InTeCo) curriculum.

Each section below is divided into parts relevant to InConf and InTeCo respectively. Please consider only what is relevant to your curriculum.

ConfInt

The course will focus on developing students' skills concerning the analysis, comprehension and reproduction of spoken speeches from English into Italian, and on their control of their delivery and of the communicative event.

This module will take on and expand the foundations laid in the Conference Interpreting Theory and Practice module (parts of Consecutive Interpreting Theory and Practice, prof. Amato; and Simultaneous Interpreting Theory and Practice, prof. Mack). Given that the Conference Interpreting Theory and Practice module is concentrated in the first half of the first semester, the English>Italian interpreting module will start in the second half of the first semester (two weekly 2-hour classes). It will then cover the whole of the second semester (one weekly 2-hour class).

Students will be mainly exposed to original speeches, some of them containing difficulties such as information redundancy, high speech rate, unusual accents and varieties of English, specific coherence and/or cohesion patterns, so as to develop specific strategies.

Due to limited booth space, students will be divided into two classes, each class receiving 20 hours of interpreting from English into Italian from Ira Torresi (first semester) + 20 hours from Valeria Penazzi (second semester).

During the first semester, half of the hours will focus primarily on consecutive note-taking and will take place in larger classrooms for ConfInt and InTeCo students. The remaining hours will take place in interpreting labs and will comprise both consecutive and simultaneous interpreting practice.

Those studying English as their B Language will additionally attend classes of interpreting from Italian into English.

70% of classes must be attended to be admitted to take the end-of-course exam.

InTeCo

The Introduction to Consecutive Interpreting module consists of two parts, both taught on Campus:

Amalia Amato's part (20 hours) takes place in the first weeks of the semester. It borrows its lessons from the Introduction to Consecutive Interpreting module of the ConfInt curriculum, with educational interpreting into English being provided specifically for the InTeCo curriculum. This sub-module will be will be devoted to the theoretical and practical aspects of consecutive interpreting, with specific exercises. In particular, students will learn about complex cognitive aspects and tasks that come into play during consecutive interpreting as well as individual/affective factors which may affect the interpreting performance. They will receive specific guidelines on how to develop their own note-taking system. Based on the above guidelines, students will be able to develop and consolidate their own note-taking codes, starting from simple syntagms and gradually moving to phrases and sentences and their links. Students will also learn how to take notes effectively and efficiently using a specific layout as well as signs and symbols for intra-textual references. Moreover, pragmatic aspects of speech will be dealt with and included in their note-taking systems (tone, register, intentions).

In Ira Torresi’s part (10 hours), which follows Amalia Amato’s, students will gradually put into practice the notions of consecutive note-taking in the English > Italian direction. Torresi’s hours will similarly be borrowed from the ConfInt curriculum, which means that students from both curricula will be attending in the same classroom.

Readings/Bibliography

For suggested readings, which will not be part of the end-of-course exam, see the web guide for Teoria e Passi dell’Interpretazione di Conferenza (InTeCo: only readings for module 2).

Teaching methods

As this course takes place in Labs with electrical equipment and PCs, please complete e-learning modules 1 and 2 of the mandatory training on safety in the workplace before the course starts: https://elearning-sicurezza.unibo.it/.

ConfInt

Practical exercise in class, monitored by the teacher and peers; self-training and self-monitoring. All texts used in class and at the exam are original speeches, audio- or video-recorded.

InTeCo

Consecutive note-taking, as introduced in Amalia Amato’s part, will be put in practice gradually in Ira Torresi’s part. At first the teacher will read out single sentences; at the end of the semester, real-life or real-like texts of appropriate length and difficulty will be introduced. Students’ interpretations and their notes (taken at the whiteboard or on paper) will be discussed in class.

Assessment methods

ConfInt

End-of-year course assessment consists in one consecutive (approx 5 mins) and one simultaneous (approx 7 mins) interpreting tests from English into Italian, each one accounting for 50% of the final mark of the Interpreting from English into Italian I module. Both tests are taken in the booth on the same day, and their topic is communicated via Virtuale five days prior to the exam. Exam results are given via Virtuale forum (only student registration numbers, not names, will be shown) a few days after the exam.

Marks will be given as follows: (0-17): major inconstistencies, several errors, distortions, additions and/or omissions of key concepts; mistakes in target language grammar/syntax/word choice/pronunciation/ planning mistakes that hinder comprehension. (18-20): recurrent but minor errors, distortions, additions and/or omissions; mistakes in target language grammar/syntax/word choice/pronunciation/planning mistakes that make comprehension difficult. (21-24) few, local imprecisions, generalizations, small additions and/or omissions; the target text can be followed despite a few target language grammar/syntax/word choice/pronunciation/planning mistakes. (25-27): good overall coherence and cohesion, few imprecisions; good command of target language, good use of voice. (28-30): very good coherence and cohesion; very good command of target language, very good use of voice.

For those studying English as their B language, the mark of the Interpreting from English into Italian I module is then averaged out (at 50%) against the mark for Interpreting from Italian into English I, whose tests are structured in the same way as those into Italian, and are taken on the same day. (But see "Congelamenti" below.)

"Congelamenti": student must take all the relevant Italian < > English interpreting tests on the same day (B language: consecutive and simultaneous into Italian, consecutive and simultaneous into English; C language: consecutive and simultaneous into Italian). If at least 50% of the tests - 2 tests for B Language, 1 test for C Language - is assessed positively, the tests that have been passed are kept as good. All the remaining English interpreting tests must be taken together, and the 50% rule continues to apply.

Example: English is my B language. The first time I sit the exam, I pass only the simultaneous into Italian and the consecutive into English. The second time over, I take the remaining two tests and pass the consecutive into Italian. The following time, I re-take the simultaneous interpreting test into English. The final mark is an average of all 4 tests.

NB1 instructors may choose to give students a general assessment of single tests that have been passed, without telling them the mark.

NB2 if Interpreting from Italian into English I is taken as an elective exam (opzionale) by students with English as a C language, it counts as a separate exam for the purposes of "Congelamenti" and marking.

“Rifiuto del voto”: if a student is not satisfied with her/his exam results, s/he may re-take the whole exam or one of its modules (interpreting into Italian, or into English) only once. E.g. if I choose to retake an exam that was marked 19, and next time the mark is 18, I can no longer re-take it. NB: this has an effect on “Congelamenti” (see above). If English is my B language, and I pass consecutive into English + the entire Interpreting into Italian module (with 18), if I choose to re-take the Interpreting into Italian module, then the consecutive into English test cannot be kept as good, because it no longer accounts for 50% of all tests.

InTeCo

The end-of-semester exam will consist in note-taking and consecutive interpreting into Italian of a non-specialized English text (2-3 minutes long). The exam will assess the efficacy of the note-taking system developed by the student. It will therefore comprise both the degree to which the note-taking system appears systematized and well-structured, and the extent to which the Italian interpreted text is complete, correct and consistent with the original.

If a student is not satisfied with her/his exam results, s/he may re-take the exam only once. E.g. if I choose to retake an exam that was marked 19, and next time the mark is 18, I can no longer re-take it.

The mark of Introduction to Consecutive Interpreting will be averaged out (at 50%) against the mark of Dialogue Interpreting, Advanced.

Teaching tools

Texts used in class, audio and video materials of English-speaking speakers from real working situations, audio-visual materials from the Internet will be made available on Virtuale.

Office hours

See the website of Ira Torresi

See the website of Valeria Penazzi