Speech patterns and discourse analysis in simultaneous interpreting from English to Maltese

Abstract

This thesis will look at simultaneous interpreting from English into Maltese from a comparative perspective, by comparing the transcripts of four speeches in the English original with the Maltese interpretation of these same speeches. By the end of the study my aim is to provide a commentary on interpreting strategies, and structure similarities and differences, observed in the transcripts found in Chapters Four and Five. The study is composed of five chapters. The first part of the study Interpreting as a Social/Communicative Event, speaks for itself. To understand interpreting strategies and methods used by interpreters, one should first start by looking at and understanding the nature. of interpreting as a social and thus a communicative event. The second chapter discusses the methodology used for the four speeches used as the basis of this study. All speeches are presented by native English speakers and form the basis of this study. The third chapter is the most important chapter of this study. It is divided into two main sections: Syntax, and Interpreting Strategies and will provide the descriptive analysis of the comparative work found in Chapters Four and Five. In this chapter different interpreting strategies observed will be analysed and commented upon. This is then followed by a similar commentary on structure presented through a comparative analysis of the four English and Maltese speeches. This chapter ends with some possible recommendations for interpreters, which they could use in their interpreting practice or work. The final two chapters are there for consultation for the reader to be able to analyse the work done in this thesis.