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Article published In:
Babel
Vol. 66:1 (2020) ► pp.1–28

A review of 40 years of interpreting research in China (1978–2018)

| Beijing Foreign Studies University
| Sun Yat-sen University
| Sichuan University

Through the methods of literature review and content analysis of mostly journal articles (and occasionally other types of literature when necessary), this paper is the first to examine and review the 40 years of development in interpreting research in China (Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan all included) since the adoption of the policy of “reform and opening up” in 1978. It divides these 40 years of interpreting research in China into three periods: a stage of initial development (1978–1995), a stage of relatively quick development (1996–2005) and a stage of vigorous growth (2006–2018). Based on a panoramic view of the general picture, the paper further investigates the popular research topics, major research methods and main characteristics of each period through a combined quantitative and qualitative approach. Thus, it also showcases the overall and period-specific characteristics of how interpreting research has progressed in China, as well as the quality and quantity of the respective research results that were produced in the past 4 decades. This is followed by an analysis of the problems and insufficiencies that exist in China’s interpreting studies at present. In so doing, the article is finally able to provide advice for future interpreting research in China.

Keywords: 40 years of interpreting research, China, overall, period-specific characteristics
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Standards for identifying development stages, selecting journals and categorizing topics
    • 2.1Standards for identifying development stages
      • 2.1.1The stage of early development (1978–1995)
      • 2.1.2The stage of relatively quick development (1996–2005)
      • 2.1.3The stage of vigorous growth (2006–2018)
    • 2.2Standards for selecting journals
    • 2.3Standards for categorizing topics
  • 3.A review of 40 years of interpreting research in China
    • 3.1An overall survey
    • 3.2A survey of the three periods
      • 3.2.1The stage of early development (1978–1995)
      • 3.2.2The stage of relatively quick development (1996–2005)
      • 3.2.3The stage of vigorous growth (2006–2018)
  • 4.Current deficiencies and problems
  • 5.Conclusion: Thoughts and prospects
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 19 February 2020
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/babel.00137.ren
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