中国英语口译能力等级量表的研究现状与应用前景

Interpreting Competence Scales in China’s Standards of English:Status Quo and Future Prospects

《中国英语能力等级量表》中的口译量表提供了一套衡量口译能力与口译质量的描述语体系,为口译教、学、测奠定了基础。在系统阐述口译量表研究成果的基础上,提出未来口译量表的研究应聚焦于量表的验证和应用。口译量表的验证研究旨在进一步证明量表的合理性,为进一步修订提供理据,研究内容包括口译能力描述语分类框架与描述语等级的实证数据验证。口译量表的应用研究旨在更好发挥量表作为统一能力标准的应用价值,研究内容包括量表如何服务于口译学习、口译教学和口译测评,以及量表对口译学科和翻译行业发展的推动作用等。

Interpreting Competence Scales in the China’s Standards of English Language Ability(CSE)are an innovative achievement in interpreting studies.They offer a descriptor-referenced system to measure interpreting competence and quality,thereby solving fundamental issues in interpreting competence and quality research.This paper contributes to the development of Interpreting Competence Scales in the CSE by drawing attention to its validation and application studies.It starts by summarizing contributions of previous studies on the Scales and identifying gaps in existing scholarship.Drawing on previous research in interpreting competence and language competence,researchers differentiated the concepts of interpreting competence and comprehensive language competence,defined the construct of interpreting competence within the CSE,and proposed an operational scheme of description to link between real-life tasks and the construct of interpreting competence.Mixed-method-based empirical studies were also conducted to scale and validate the interpreting descriptors with large-scale surveys.With the validated descriptors,researchers also explored the use of the Scales in formative assessment and self-regulated learning of interpreting.Based on the systematic overview of current achievements,the paper then sets targets for future research of the Scales from two aspects,namely further validation and application.Due to the limitations of previous validations,there is an urgent need to validate the proposed construct of interpreting competence,the categorization and the levels of interpreting descriptors by investigating particularly translation and interpreting(T&I)teachers,students or professional interpreters.In the paper,various empirical methods are suggested to verify the construct of interpreting competence and the categorization of interpreting descriptors.For further validation of descriptor levels,three aspects are discussed.First,to measure the difficulty levels of the interpreting descriptors by looking at the descriptors themselves or the ratings of real interpreting performance based on the Scales.Second,to study on the correlations between interpreting competence and sub-competences as well as the correlations between interpreting competence and bilingual competence or its sub-competences.Third,to do research on the developmental stages of interpreting competence and its sub-competences.The paper then presents a detailed agenda for the application of the Scales in interpreting learning,teaching,assessment and relevant research.For learning,interpreting learners can use the Scales in their self-regulated learning under the guidance of interpreting trainers.Future research can be undertaken on the accuracy,validity and washback of self-assessment in interpreting learning with the use of the self-assessment scales of interpreting and other language competence scales.E-portfolios or online portfolios based on the Scales can be developed to foster interpreting learning outcomes.In terms of their application in teaching,the Scales can be used in designing interpreting curriculum,making teaching plans,arranging classroom activities,assessing and developing interpreting textbooks and teaching materials,improving interpreting teaching methods,as well as evaluating and improving interpreting teachers’competence.It is also a necessity to develop interpreting scales for special purposes,such as legal,medical and military interpreting.Relevant research can be done to investigate the effectiveness of applying the Scales in various aspects of interpreting teaching.In addition,the Scales offer a reference-based framework for the development and research of aptitude tests,diagnostic tests,formative assessment including self-assessment,peer assessment and portfolio assessment,summative assessment including T&I major graduation exams,and the alignment of existing tests to the standardized scales.In the era of artificial intelligence and big data,further research can be done on the building and establishment of professional interpreters’pools,automatic rating system,online interpreting assessment and feedback platform and interpreting corpus with various difficulty levels for training purposes.By reviewing current achievements and suggesting future research topics,the paper highlights the potential of the Interpreting Competence Scales in developing interpreting teaching,research,and industry.