oa Interpreting lexical bundles : discourse function and correspondence patterns in Chinese-English simultaneous interpreting

Abstract

This study investigates the translation of lexical bundles (LBs) in simultaneous interpreting, focusing on the relationship between their discourse functions and observed correspondence patterns. We analyzed a corpus of speeches delivered by Chinese delegates at the United Nations Security Council and their corresponding English interpretations. First, we identified 69 distinct four-word LBs in the interpretations and categorized them into three functional groups: stance, discourse-organizing, and referential. Then, we examined the correspondence patterns these LBs formed with the source utterance, categorized as equivalence, addition, and shift. Our findings reveal that equivalence is the most frequent correspondence pattern (71%), suggesting that interpreters often mirror the LB usage of the source text. However, the presence of addition (22%) and shift (7%) patterns, particularly in relation to specific discourse functions, highlights the interpreter’s active role in shaping the target text to meet linguistic and contextual demands. Notably, interpreters predominantly employ addition with discourse-organizing bundles, likely to bridge grammatical differences between Chinese and English and ensure smoother information flow. In contrast, stance and referential bundles primarily exhibit equivalence, suggesting a greater tendency to preserve the original framing and referential coherence. This study sheds light on the nuanced correspondence patterns employed by simultaneous interpreters in handling LBs, emphasizing the interplay between preserving source text features and adapting to target language conventions and communicative needs.