The Interplay between Notes and Consecutive Interpreting Fluency

Trainee Interpreters in Focus

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between interpreting fluency and notation features among 13 undergraduate students majoring in English translation. Adopting a quantitative approach, the research investigates four questions: the preference for language choice in note-taking, the tendency to use specific forms (symbols, abbreviations and full forms) over others, the effects of preferred forms on interpreting fluency, and the correlation between note quantity and fluency. The findings reveal that trainees predominantly favor full forms over symbols and abbreviations, which were used the least. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation exists between the use of full forms and symbols and interpreting fluency, while a negative correlation is observed between note quantity and fluency—indicating that increased note-taking may hinder performance. Additionally, no significant relationship is found between the language of notes and interpreting fluency. These results highlight the importance of effective note-taking strategies in enhancing interpreting performance and suggest that training programs should focus on improving trainees' skills in using symbols and abbreviations to support their fluency during interpretation. This study contributes to the understanding of how specific note-taking features can influence the quality of consecutive interpreting, particularly within the context of English-Persian language pairings.