Multimodality as a resource in dialogue interpreting: a study of simulated interpreter-mediated interactions in an educational context

This study focuses on multimodal interactional competences in dialogue interpreters’ education. Previous research has shown that non-verbal semiotic resources play an important role in communication outcome during interpreter-mediated interactions. The co-construction of coordinating actions and the central position of the interpreter require, in addition to translation skills, specific interactional skills which include the use of multimodality as a resource. However, this resource is rarely taken into account in interpreter training. Consequently, we question if and how student interpreters acquire these skills. To this end, a qualitative study was carried out with a group of ten students at the University of Bologna. Their performances during the role play sessions in a learning context were filmed and analysed in order to answer the following questions: what nonverbal semiotic resources are found in student interpreters when simulating interpreter-mediated interactions? What purpose do they serve? How do they vary? After transcription with ELAN software, a descriptive analysis was carried out on students’ use of multimodal resources. This allowed a selection of excerpts to be analysed following a Multimodal Conversation Analysis Method. This fine-grained analysis shed light on a series of salient situations and the different ways in which the embodied and situated actions impact their outcome. In addition, the students took part in semi-directed self-reflection interviews which were also recorded. These were designed to give us access to the students’ criteria and level of multimodal interactional awareness. The overall results show relatively little usage of multimodality as a resource. However, the analysis highlights numerous individual differences and allows identification of issues that should be considered in order to optimise role play activities in dialogue interpreter training, with the inclusion of multimodality as a resource.