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What can research on indirect translation do for Translation Studies?
Edited by Hanna Pięta, Laura Ivaska and Yves Gambier
[Target 34:3] 2022
► pp. 489–511

Relay interpreting

Complexities of real-time indirect translation

ORCID logo | University of Vienna

The unique features of interpreting as a situated process and performance to enable communication in real time make relay interpreting a particularly complex manifestation of indirect translation and a rich area of investigation. Even so, the great potential of relay interpreting as an object of inquiry in Translation and Interpreting Studies has remained largely untapped. This article seeks to map out the conceptual territory of relay interpreting as indirect translation with reference to relevant factors and features. The analysis highlights the great diversity of scenarios that can be subsumed under the heading of relay interpreting with reference to such key parameters as mode, modality, policy, linguality, multimodality, and technology. The – regrettably modest – state of the art is reviewed with regard to types of research, topics, and methods; and some areas of special interest, such as Deaf relay interpreting and speech-to-text interpreting relying on speech recognition technology, are discussed for their potential to extend the scope of indirect translation to include intralingual and intermodal as well as technology-based manifestations.

Keywords: relay interpreting, pivot language, multimodality, deaf interpreter, speech-to-text interpreting, indirect translation
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Terminological and conceptual considerations
    • 2.1Relay vs. indirect
    • 2.2Translation and/or interpreting?
  • 3.Relay scenarios
    • 3.1Settings and modes
    • 3.2Proficiency and policy
    • 3.3Linguality
    • 3.4Technology
    • 3.5Multimodal processing
  • 4.Researching relay
    • 4.1Overview
    • 4.2Questions (to be) addressed
    • 4.3Examples
  • 5.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 28 July 2022
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/target.00009.poc
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