汉英同传语序差异处理的信息-认知模型

Structural Asymmetry Processing in Chinese-English Simultaneous Interpreting:An Information-Cognitive Model

语序差异的处理历来受到我国同传教学与研究重视,总结的“顺译”技巧成为公认规范。但是,顺译的理论合理性、时间同步性仍待论证,国外学界对同传语序差异处理的必要性尚无定论。本研究在语言类型学、信息科学、认知科学视野中,厘清汉英同传语序差异处理的限制前提,建构处理的信息-认知模型,以职业译员被试双向同传数据实证检验并证实模型。研究发现:汉英同传语序差异处理是在源语信息不确定与短时记忆长占用限制前提之间的动态平衡,服从信息密度一致性与短时记忆正确持留阈值,受到冗余调节;汉英语序差异明显迟滞译语产出,启动EVS、贮存EVS分别推迟到4至5秒、6至8秒。信息-认知模型为汉英同传语序差异处理提供完备理据与同步性证据。

Processing of Chinese-English structural asymmetry is a prominent theme in simultaneous interpreting(SI)studies in China,and the prescribed technique of syntactic linearity,widely adopted.Yet theoretical plausibility and temporal simultaneity of linearity are to be verified,while SI scholarship outside China holds conflicting views on the necessity of structural asymmetry processing.This study examines constraints in the processing that arise from typological peculiarities of the Chinese language,and in the frameworks of Information Theory and cognitive science,an information-cognitive model for the processing is developed.The model is corroborated by samples collected in a controlled experiment with professional subjects interpreting bidirectionally.The results show that the processing is a dynamic equilibrium between the information constraint of source language(SL)meaning uncertainty and the cognitive constraint of short-term memory(STM)retention length.Both Uniform Information Density(UID)and maximum length of STM correct retention govern the processing,where SL uncertainty may be alleviated by redundancy.Structural asymmetry seriously delays SI production evidenced by an average starting ear-voice span(EVS)of 4 to 5 seconds and storing EVS of 6 to 8 seconds.The model offers rigorous theoretical explanations and empirical evidence of simultaneity to the processing.