Article published in:
Translation, Cognition & Behavior
Vol. 3:2 (2020) ► pp. 233–239

From dawn to dusk

Cognitive changes in simultaneous interpreters across their professional lives

| University of Electronic Science and Technology of China | Universidad de San Andrés | National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET) | National University of Cuyo | University of California, San Francisco
This piece introduces a lifespan perspective on cognitive changes associated with sustained practice of simultaneous interpreting. First, I briefly describe the elevated demands posed by this activity in training and work settings. Second, I argue that a broad lifespan perspective on it requires tracking psychobiological reconfigurations in the preparation for, course of, and withdrawal from sustained professional practice. Third, I summarize the core foci and findings of three articles addressing each of those stages. To conclude, I propose that the field’s ongoing agenda should gravitate towards more age- and experience-sensitive models and practices.
Keywords: simultaneous interpreting, processing demands, cognitive changes, lifespan perspective
Published online: 10 November 2020
https://doi.org/10.1075/tcb.00042.gar
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