Modeling the relationship between utterance fluency and raters’ perceived fluency of consecutive interpreting

Interpreting ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-237
Author(s):  
Chao Han ◽  
Sijia Chen ◽  
Rongbo Fu ◽  
Qin Fan
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Study ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
Speech Rate ◽  
Strong Correlations ◽  
Automated Scoring ◽  
Time Ratio ◽  
Parsimonious Model ◽  
Consecutive Interpreting ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Fluency is an important, yet insufficiently understood, construct in interpreting studies. This article reports on an empirical study which explored the relationship between utterance fluency measures and raters’ perceived fluency ratings of English/Chinese consecutive interpreting. It also examined whether such relationship was consistent across interpreting directions and rater types. The results partially supported the categorization of utterance fluency into breakdown, speed and repair fluency. It was also found that mean length of unfilled pauses, phonation time ratio, mean length of run and speech rate had fairly strong correlations with perceived fluency ratings in both interpreting directions and across rater types. Among a number of competing regression models that were built to predict raters’ fluency ratings, a parsimonious model, using mean length of unfilled pauses and mean length of run as predictors, accounted for about 60% of the variance of fluency ratings in both directions and across rater types. These results are expected to help create, rewrite and modify rubrics and scalar descriptors of fluency scales in rater-mediated interpretation assessment and to inform automated scoring of fluency in interpreting.

The process of note-taking in consecutive interpreting

Interpreting ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 117-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sijia Chen
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Study ◽  
Note Taking ◽  
Digital Pen ◽  
Consecutive Interpreting ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Voice Recording

Abstract This article reports the findings of an empirical study on the process of note-taking in consecutive interpreting (CI). The focus is on the data collected via digital pen recording and voice recording while professional interpreters performed CI between Chinese (L1) and English (L2). In both directions of interpreting, the study found that the interpreters preferred language to symbol and English to Chinese. It was also found that the physical and temporal demands of symbol and abbreviation notes were lower than those of language and full word notes, respectively, whereas the ear-pen span (EPS) of symbol notes was longer than that of language notes. As to the relationship between note-taking and interpreting performance, the data showed that a higher percentage of English notes was correlated with a worse performance in both directions of interpreting. There were also some differences between the directions: in E-C interpreting, the performance was better when the EPS was shorter, when the participants used more symbol notes, and when they used fewer language notes, but in C-E interpreting, the quality of performance was positively correlated with the quantity of notes.

Predicting judged fluency of consecutive interpreting from acoustic measures

Interpreting ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenting Yu ◽  
Vincent J. van Heuven
Keyword(s):  
Speech Rate ◽  
Total Duration ◽  
Analysis Tool ◽  
Strong Positive Correlation ◽  
Strong Correlations ◽  
Articulation Rate ◽  
Acoustic Measures ◽  
Advanced Students ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Consecutive Interpreting

This experimental study of consecutive interpreting investigates whether: (1) there is any correlation between assessments of its fluency and accuracy; (2) judged fluency can be predicted from computer-based measurements like articulation rate. Ten raters judged six criteria of accuracy and fluency in two consecutive interpretations of the same recorded source speech, from Chinese A into English B, by 12 trainee interpreters (seven undergraduates, five MA students). The recorded interpretations were examined with the speech analysis tool PRAAT. From a computerized count of the pauses thus detected, together with disfluencies identified by raters, 12 acoustic measures of fluency were calculated. The advanced students were more fluent than the beginners; both groups were less fluent in the initial interpretation. Statistical analysis shows: (1) a strong positive correlation between judged accuracy and judged fluency; (2) strong correlations between judged fluency and objective fluency variables; (3) the usefulness of effective speech rate (number of syllables, excluding disfluencies, divided by total duration of speech production and pauses) as a predictor of judged fluency. Other important determinants of judged fluency were the number of filled pauses, articulation rate, and mean length of pause. Potential for developing automatic fluency assessment in consecutive interpreting is discussed, as are possible training implications.

Effects of landscape, habitat and fire and the distribution of the white-footed dunnart Sminthopsis leucopus (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae) in the Eastern Otways, Victoria.

2006 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. A. Wilson ◽  
J. G. Aberton
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
Predictor Variables ◽  
Species Occurrence ◽  
Patchy Distribution ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Parsimonious Model ◽  
Prefered Habitat ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Landscape Level

Conservation and planning for threatened species requires knowledge of the species? spatial distribution, prefered habitat and response to disturbance factors such as fire. The white-footed dunnart (Sminthopsis leucopus) is currently listed as ?Vulnerable? due to its patchy distribution, the low density of populations and extinction threats. Studies of the species have been limited, and the aims of this study were to investigate the spatial distribution with relationship to landscape, habitat and fire factors. The study was undertaken in the Eastern Otway Ranges, southern Victoria where the species was recorded at 42 sites (44% of survey sites). The sites were all located within 10 km of the coast, and located in vegetation ranging from sclerophyll communities (forest, woodland and heathland) to coastal shrublands dominated by sedges and grasses. Logistic regression models were generated for species occurrence and predictor variables. The most parsimonious model was selected and although there was an association between presence of S. leucopus with landsystem and altitude, support for the models was not strong. The relationship with altitude was negative, indicating a preference for lower elevations. Models developed for other fauna species have identified landscape variables as being strongly predictive of occurrence, indicating that variables other than those investigated may be more suitable in predicting occurrence of S. leucopus at a landscape level. S. leucopus was recorded at a high percentage of sites 6-15 years post-fire age, and at maximal relative abundance at 4-9 years, providing evidence that it prefers mid succession habitats.

scholarly journals Formulaic Sequences as Fluency Devices in the Oral Production of Native Speakers of Polish

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ewa Guz
Keyword(s):  
Native Speakers ◽  
Speech Rate ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Formulaic Language ◽  
Formulaic Sequences ◽  
Oral Production ◽  
Time Ratio ◽  
Temporal Measures ◽  
The Relationship

In this paper we attempt to determine the nature and strength of the relationship between the use of formulaic sequences and productive fluency of native speakers of Polish. In particular, we seek to validate the claim that speech characterized by a higher incidence of formulaic sequences is produced more rapidly and with fewer hesitation phenomena. The analysis is based on monologic speeches delivered by 45 speakers of L1 Polish. The data include both the recordings and their transcriptions annotated for a number of objective fluency measures. In the first part of the study the total of formulaic sequences is established for each sample. This is followed by determining a set of temporal measures of the speakers' output (speech rate, articulation rate, mean length of runs, mean length of pauses, phonation time ratio). The study provides some preliminary evidence of the fluency-enhancing role of formulaic language. Our results show that the use of formulaic sequences is positively and significantly correlated with speech rate, mean length of runs and phonation time ratio. This suggests that a higher concentration of formulaic material in output is associated with faster speed of speech, longer stretches of speech between pauses and an increased amount of time filled with speech.

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