Semantic Redundancy: Recommendations for Interpreters

Semantic redundancy of speech provides much room for compression of redundant elements of messages, which is an important “working tool” serving as a support for interpreters. The following fragment of an official speech in the United Nations is a good example of the text filled with redundant elements:

Mr President,

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on your assumption of office and to express admiration for the excellent manner in which your distinguished predecessor led the Council during the months of August. I am confident that his work has laid a sound basis for carrying the present debate forward to a positive conclusion under your own able and distinguished leadership. My delegation has from the beginning of this debate consistently worked toward an outcome, which would reflect a consensus among the Council. We are gratified that in the end this goal was achieved. We have been deeply impressed by the tireless and patient efforts of those delegations, which worked so hard to bridge the gap separating the parties in order to find a generally acceptable solution.

A very brief look at this text shows that its redundancy is ensured by the following factors:

1. Semantic “predetermination”, such as in... his work has laid a sound basis for carrying the present debate to a positive conclusion (a sound basis presupposes positive conclusion).

2. Numerous repetition links like Mr President – you (substitution); I – I; debate – debate; The Council – the Council (simple lexical repetition); you – your (complex lexical repetition); My delegation – We (substitution), etc.

3. Deictic markers of space and time: this opportunity; the present debate; this debate.

4. Elements of positive evaluation: I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you...;... to express admiration; we are gratified; we have been deeply impressed; excellent manner; sound basis; positive conclusion; tireless and patient efforts, etc.

It is even possible to compress this text to “a maximum” leaving out all redundant elements and thus obtaining the following “telegram message” which would adequately render the propositional structure of the message:

COUNCIL PRESIDENT, CONGRATULATE YOU YOUR PREDECESSOR POSITIVE CONCLUSION.

GRATIFIED CONSENSUS ACHIEVED, EFFORTS DELEGATIONS FIND SOLUTION.