This document provides an overview of how to take notes as an interpreter and avoid misrepresenting the original message. It discusses the importance of understanding the context, purpose, and units of meaning in a message through semantic and pragmatic analysis. The document also covers linguistic variations, Grice's Cooperative Principle, and techniques for outlining messages accurately. The overall message is about properly analyzing all aspects of a communication to take useful notes and convey the intended meaning.

1. How to take notes and
avoid garbling the
message
Semantic analysis and translational action
Presentation by Helen Eby, Gaucha Translations
gaucha@gauchatranslations.com
(c) 2016 Gaucha TI

2. Messages are delivered in context:
 Place
 Reason/Purpose
 Noise
 Medium
(c) 2016 Gaucha TI

3. A A’
Linguaculture 1
(c) 2016 Gaucha TI
I have a tight
schedule. The
interpreter will work
everything out.
I am the doctor.
I just found out that I
know nothing about
this topic. It is highly
technical.
I am the interpreter.
I didn’t get the message on
time, and just got a
reminder from the
receptionist 15 minutes
ago. That is why I am late.
I am the patient.

4. What message do we receive?
 The message that was sent?
 The message we understood?
In teacher’s training we were taught this principle:
We have taught what the students have learned.
 The message people have understood is the message we have delivered.
(c) 2016 Gaucha TI

5. From Introducción a la Lingüística
Hispánica
 La lengua no representa el mundo real directamente sino nuestra
conceptualización o percepción del mismo. (p. 343)
 Language does not represent the real world. It represents our understanding
or perception of it.
 In other words: Language is not an exact expression of the real world!!!
Language is, by definition, imprecise!
 As interpreters, translators, etc., there is no shame in asking for a
clarification, since those who speak are by definition unable to be 100%
precise in the first place!
(c) 2016 Gaucha TI

6. Ways to analyze a message
Syntactic analysis
 Structure of the sentence.
 Useful for studying the written
language and for analyzing why a
word or phrase seems to fit well or
poorly.
 Not particularly useful for
interpreting.
Semantic analysis
• Units of meaning: Who did it,
where, why, etc.
• In interpreting, we don’t see the
punctuation, so this is more
practical.
(c) 2016 Gaucha TI
Pragmatic analysis
• The intention of the message.
• What is really understood.
• The practical application.

7. The message is:
 What the speaker said:
Sign here, sir, to indicate consent.
 What the speaker meant to say (intention):
Sign, sir [and please let’s not waste time with questions].
 Many times, the interpreter asks:
Do you have a Spanish version of this form? The patient would like to sign
something he understands. [And they take longer… which doesn’t make
everyone happier.]
(c) 2016 Gaucha TI

8. Useful term: Translational Action
 Translational action: Transferring a message from one linguaculture to
another one.
 Translational action means transferring the message. Not the words, but the
message.
 See http://atasavvynewcomer.org/2015/07/21/take-the-message-and-jump/,
by Christiane Nord
(c) 2016 Gaucha TI

9. Useful term: Linguaculture
 Linguaculture: Languages are used in the context of culture. Language and
culture are inseparable.
 The spoken language has gestures and tone of voice that are inseparable from
speaking it.
 In writing, letters are addressed and signed differently in different
linguacultures.
(c) 2016 Gaucha TI

10. What is the message?
 The message is, of course, what the speaker tried to communicate! It’s what
we transfer accurately and completely as interpreters! And we get it right
every time! Of course!
 Not really.
 As Kevin Hendzel put it… “Translation is not about words. It’s about what the
words are about.”
(c) 2016 Gaucha TI

11. Some aspects of context
 First, the message is delivered in a context. The context always affects the
meaning of the message.
 The context could be:
 Place
 Purpose/Reason
 Noise (background noise, etc.)
 Whether the message delivery is mandatory or optional
 Whether listening to the message is mandatory or optional
 Whether responding to the message is mandatory or optional
(c) 2016 Gaucha TI

12. Pre-assignment Controls
Controls that are employed before or in
the preparation for the formal
assignment
 Education
Formal (ITP)
Informal
 Experience
Work-related
Personal
 Direct Preparation for the
assignment
Contacts
Team Interpreter
Consumers
Materials/Readings
Environmental Demands
 Physical surroundings (room temp.,
chemicals and odors, seating
arrangements/sight lines, lighting
quality, visual distractions,
background noise, space – people,
furniture, equipment)
 Goal/Purpose of setting
 Terminology
 Personnel/Clientele (Who’s present?)
 SAFETY
Interpersonal Demands
 Power & personal dynamics
 Communication style and goals
 Emotional tone or mood
 Role & cultural differences
 Communication flow (turn-taking,
etc…)
 Relationship nuances (new,
familiar, intimate, tension, power,
etc…)
 “thought worlds”
Assignment Controls
Controls that are employed during
the interpreting assignment
 Acknowledgments
 Self-talk
 Direct Interventions
 Adjusted Translations
 Prior Relationships
 Code of Ethics
 Role Metaphors
Paralinguistic Demands
 Idiosyncrasies of speaking/signing
 Volume/Sign Space
 Pace
 Accents/Regional Signs
 Clarity of speech/signs
 Physical position
 Physical or cognitive limitations
Intrapersonal Demands
 Feelings or ruminations one may
have about own safety, interpreting
performance, liability, the people
and the dynamics, the environment
 Physiological distractions
 Psychological responses or
distractions
 Availability of supervision and
support
 Anonymity and isolation
Post-Assignment Controls
Controls that are employed after the assignment
 Debriefing/Venting with support system
 Self-Care
 Follow-up with people involved, with further education, with referring party
 Supervision: Formal with supervisor; Informal with colleagues
Based on the Demand-Control Schema for Interpreting developed by Robyn Dean and Robert Pollard (graphic by Lentha Zinsky)

13. Elements of the message itself
 This is my own version, based on Introducción a la Lingüística Hispánica.
 Semantic analysis. Semantics is the study of meaning. We will be looking for
units of meaning in the message.
 This presentation focuses on how to understand the message, its context and
its purpose. That will help you to take notes.
 I believe that taking notes without understanding the message leads to having
notes that are not useful for interpreting.
(c) 2016 Gaucha TI

14. Units of meaning in the message
*names are not universally accepted
Roles often covered by the subject in English grammar
Name* Unit of meaning in the message Example
Agent Animate initiator of the action. Does
things on purpose.
John opened the door.
The book was written by Peter.
Force (Cause) Inanimate initiator of the action.
Does not have a will.
The wind opened the door.
Mary was killed by a rock slide.
Instrument
(Tool)
Indirect cause of an action. Often
used by an agent.
John broke in with a hammer.
The gun fired the fatal shot.
Experiencer Neither controls nor is visibly
affected by an action.
Experiences a physical or mental
sensation.
Mary saw the bicycle.
The boys are hungry.
The recital touched Jean.
(c) 2016 Gaucha TI

15. Units of meaning in the message
*names are not universally accepted
Name Unit of meaning in the message Example
Recipient The person who receives
something. Animate destination
of a moving object.
We gave the food to the dog.
Peter got a package in the mail.
Destination The location to which a moving
object is sent.
I sent the book to France.
I hit the ball into the stands.
Patient Is present and may be affected
but has no initiative or other
obvious interactions of its own.
We sold the books.
The party was cancelled.
Mary was born.
Others Modifiers of place, time, manner,
purpose, etc.
It is cold in New York in the winter.
I went there to buy cheese.
(c) 2016 Gaucha TI
Semantic roles from Payne (pp 47-51)

16. Pragmatics: What for?
Verbs that make something
a reality
Performative I declare you husband and wife.
We commit ourselves to
something
Promising verbs I promise to go to that meeting.
Directing someone to do
something
Conative
function – uses
imperatives
Please do this for me.
Express our emotions Expressive Wow! That was nice!
Giving context Referential The weather was nice when I was
driving to the zoo.
Language for the sake of
interaction
Phatic How are you doing? Nice weather
today!
(c) 2016 Gaucha TI
From Jakobson’s functions of language, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakobson%27s_functions_of_language

17. Cooperative principle and Maxims of
conversation
To conversationally implicate something in speaking, according to Grice, is to
mean something that goes beyond what one says in such a way that it must be
inferred from non-linguistic features of a conversational situation together with
general principles of communication and cooperation.
 Cooperative Principle: "Make your contribution such as it is required, at the
stage at which it occurs, by the accepted purpose or direction of the talk
exchange in which you are engaged."
 The conversational maxims can be thought of as precisifications of the cooperative
principle that deal specifically with communication.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Grice
(c) 2016 Gaucha TI

18. Cooperative principle and Maxims of
conversation
 Maxim of Quantity: Information
 Contribute all the necessary
information for the exchange.
 Do not give more information than
necessary.
 Maxim of Quality: Truth
 Do not lie.
 Do not say anything you can’t prove.
 Maxim of Relation: Relevance
 Say what pertains to the situation.
 Maxim of Manner: Clarity
 Avoid obscurity of expression.
 Avoid ambiguity.
 Be brief.
 Be orderly.
(c) 2016 Gaucha TI

19. Linguistic variations
 Dialects (in Spanish: Dominican, Argentine, Chilean, etc.)
 Sociolects (how certain social groups speak)
 Registers (legalese, etc.)
 Cronolect (for a specific time period. We call them archaisms, but some
“archaisms” are current in some areas.)
 Standard written variety – nobody actually speaks standard written Spanish!!!
 Oral educated variety: spoken by the social classes in political, economic and
cultural power.
(c) 2016 Gaucha TI

20. Let’s outline something:
In the ER:
Please, call me Glory. I’d like it if you just called me Glory.
All I can remember for sure is that we were driving along
and I was uncomfortable with the seat belt on. But I wanted
to keep it buckled. I know it’s important to wear a seat belt.
So, it was bothering me on the left side of my belly. I hooked
my thumb inside the seat belt to keep the edge of it away
from my skin a bit so it wouldn’t feel like it was cutting into
me. That’s the last I remember about my hand.
Medical Language, Terminology in Context, Hull, F.A. Davis, Philadelphia, 2013 , pg 76.
(c) 2016 Gaucha Translations

21. The end!
gaucha@gauchatranslations.com
(c) 2016 Gaucha TI

22. Bibliography
 Hendzel, Kevin. Translation is Not About Words. It’s About What the Words are
About. www.kevinhendzel.com. Web. 24 Feb 2016
 Hualde, José Ignacio, Antxon Olarrea, Anna María Escobar, and Catherine E. Travis.
Introducción a la Lingüística Hispánica. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
2010.
 Nord, Christiane. Take the Message and Jump! www.atasavvynewcomer.org. Web.
24 Feb 2016.
 Nord, Christiane. Translating as a Purposeful Activity. New York: Routledge, 2014.
 Payne, Thomas. Describing Morphosyntax: A guide for field linguists. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 1997
 Wikipedia, Paul Grice. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Grice. Web. 24 Feb
2016
(c) 2016 Gaucha TI