Using the Real-Time Subtitling Function in Japanese-Chinese Simultaneous Interpreting

A Student Interpreting Experiment Titled “What will Change with Digitalization?”

Abstract

This paper focuses on the current trend of research on machine-aided interpretation. Based on Daniel Gile’s Effort Models, the author designed an experiment on the role of real-time subtitles in Japanese-Chinese simultaneous interpreting. Such subtitles are said to assist interpreters with listening and analysis, which are particularly important for interpreters. The author had students perform an interpreting task and fill out a questionnaire survey. Analysis of the results led to the conclusion that real-time subtitles have a positive effect on the quality of interpreting, especially at the beginning of the interpreting process, as they provide suggestions to the interpreter and are very helpful in understanding the source language. In terms of the experimental items, real-time subtitles are helpful in interpreting technical terms, numbers, and names of people and places, while they may hinder the interpreting process in the case of highly logical speech content. Based on these results, the author predicts that as the accuracy rate of real-time subtitling increases, it will be adopted by more interpreters.