Associations between strategy use in general English communication and interpreting practice: A self-report study among interpreter trainees
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5007/2175-7968.2026.e108739Schlagworte:
interpreting, communication strategies, interpreting strategies, general English communication, interpreting-oriented language learning and teachingAbstract
While both Interpreting Studies and Second Language Acquisition examine how communication problems are managed, little attention has been paid to the relationship between interpreter trainees’ strategy use in general second-language communication and in interpreting practice. This study investigated patterns of self-reported strategy use in general English communication (GEC) and interpreting practice (IP) among 66 interpreter trainees enrolled in Spanish Translation and Interpreting programs. Two questionnaires, each containing 10 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale, were administered to examine strategy use in both contexts. Descriptive statistics, correlation analyses and a general linear model were used to examine cross-context associations and the potential contribution of gender, educational context and prior interpreting coursework. The results revealed a strong positive association between overall self-reported strategy use in GEC and IP. Moreover, in the general linear model, GEC strategy use was the only significant predictor of self-reported IP strategy use. The overall model explained 41% of the variance in IP strategy use and 33% after adjustment, while gender, educational context and experience in interpreting courses exerted no significant effects. These results suggest that incorporating explicit strategy instruction into the language courses of Translation and Interpreting programs can help trainees develop strategic awareness that may support later interpreting practice, in line with the principles of Translation and Interpreting-Oriented Language Learning and Teaching.
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