INTERPRETING, PHONETICS, AND PHONOLOGY

This chapter discusses topics in interpreting and interpreting research that are broadly relevant to phonetics and phonology. Research in this area has been equated with prosody, as that is arguably the most studied matter in phonetics/phonology and interpreting to date. In an effort to push the line of inquiry into new areas, the chapter considers additional topics in phonetics and phonology that may be pertinent to interpreting and interpreting research, such as segmental phonology, phonological acquisition, directionality of interpretation, phonological competence, bilingualism, types of bilinguals, and the teaching of pronunciation in interpreter training/education. It also discusses phonological perception as a necessary complement to the more traditional focus on production. The discussion of these critical issues is framed by a review of extant interpreting research on prosody, such as pauses and stress patterns, quality evaluation and prosodic parameters, phonological perception, and the teaching of pronunciation. The chapter concludes by presenting emerging areas of investigation.