Linearity constraint in simultaneous interpreting

Abstract

Simultaneous interpreting is believed to be the most constrained type of translational activity. Constraints that distinguish simultaneous from other modes of interpreting (i.e. consecutive and liaison), and their written counterpart are manifold. The factors most often referred to in literature are: substantial temporal pressure and limited shortterm or working memory capacity. Moreover, owing to virtual simultaneity of the input reception and output production, an interpreter’s receiver and sender roles overlap in time. Another major problem is the lack of revision phase – an interpreter’s output is always the fi rst and the only draft of the text. Numerous accounts also stress the potentially adverse effects of the linearity constraint (e.g. Hatim and Mason 1997, Setton 1999), an issue we shall explore in the present paper. The discussion is set within the framework of Hatim and Mason’s model of textuality domains in interpreting.