Language B English: A Transversal Study about Oral Comprehension for Interpreting

Abstract

This article purports to analyze the pedagogical value of traditional listening comprehension exercises, especially multiple choice and gap-filling exercises, in the development of the oral comprehension skill with a view to interpreting. This typology of exercises frequently focuses the listener’s attention on the comprehension of specific details of the speech such as certain ideas, or isolated words, whilst the interpretation task requires full comprehension of the discourse. For the analysis proposed, both general foreign language teaching theories, specifically those dealing with English as a foreign language, and interpreting theories have been merged with the aim of analyzing their demands and finding some differences and similarities between both practices. We will also present the results of an empirical study carried out with a second year group of Translation and Interpreting students. The data have been obtained through two different channels: a series of diagnostic tests and a survey to know the opinion of the participants. The results of this study confirm the need to develop the listening comprehension skill taking into consideration not only the linguistic demands, but also the cognitive demands that an interpreter must tackle in his or her profession.