Researches on working memory in interpreting : trends and prospects

Abstract

The attention constraint and attention control emphasized by working memory concept makes working memory the major theoretical framework of cognitive study of interpreting． This article reviews some representative studies on working memory in interpreting． The author attempts to summarize emerging trends of research in this area which include: a deepened understanding of working memory; more focus on sign language interpreting; improvement of research design and a more holistic perspective． The author believes in the great potential for working memory-related research in interpreting study． In future studies，more efforts are needed to intensify research on central executive function of Baddeley and Hitch’s working memory model and other working memory models，to deepen related exploration via methodologies and ideas from brain science or neurolinguistics，to systematically address relations between working memory and variables of input in interpreting and to strengthen the relation between attention manipulation and interpreting，which is expected to ensure a better understanding of cognitive process during interpreting. 工作记忆概念强调的认知资源有限性和精力分配同口译活动中的多任务协调不谋而合，因而成为 口译认知研究的主要理论框架。本文梳理了相关研究现状，强调了本研究领域在对前期研究的继承发展基础 上呈现出的新趋势，包括对工作记忆概念认识的深化，手语传译中的工作记忆开始获得关注，研究设计的完 善，考察更加全面等。此外，笔者认为，后续相关研究前景广阔: 加强对工作记忆模型中其他成分和其他工作 记忆模型的研究，借鉴神经科学的研究成果和方法论，系统研究口译中输入变量和工作记忆的关系，以及加强 注意力和口译的结合研究，有助于深化对口译认知现象的理解。