Paradoxical Mistakes. Paralysis by Analysis

There is a number of the so called “paradoxical mistakes” in oral translation – i.e., things, difficult to explain unexpected and even strange, at the first sight, but at times very serious “false steps”.

“Simple-phobia” is a fear of simple translating decisions, when obvious and explicit points in a message seem too simple and for this reason put the translator in a nonplus. More frequently this happens with the beginners, not yet feeling on legs or not very much experienced translators, especially in the period of studying. In a similar situation translator can not believe, that the idea is expressed in such an accessible and simple way, and is just lost, trying to find a certain “hidden” sense, waists precious seconds (operational time), goes astray and loses the logic of the message, without seeing the “wood behind trees”.

Sometimes when doing interpretation one shouldn’t descend below “the first dimension” of a message and find something, which does not exist, but get focused on the main point.

We remember, that in the Greek mythology there was a creature which saw everything and therefore got paralyzed. We call this phenomenon paralysis by analysis. This is the phenomenon when you think so much, take into consideration so many factors, that you already cannot make any decision. This happens in the process of interpretation, when the interpreter tries to analyze simultaneously all the factors and constituents of the message, though because of the time deficit to do it, without detriment to interpretation it is practically impossible, and is not needed.

FFI-phobia (fear of “false friends of interpreter”) exists, too. Actually the number of FFI is not that much big, the number of “faithful friends” is much bigger, these are international words, new terms, especially in macroeconomics, high technology and other rapidly developing branches of science and engineering of the XXI century, which have come from English.

As a rule, these phenomena are explained by the time deficit and psychological pressure in the interpretation process and gradually disappear as the practical experience is accumulated.

Questions for discussion:

1. What should be specified about culture of language and speech?

2. How are culture of language and general culture interrelated?

3. What is literary language norm?

4. What is “external culture of speech” in the process of interpretation?

5. What recommendations should be kept in mind concerning interpretation?

6. What are the typical mistakes in the process of interpretation?

7. Why do we get into interpretation traps?

8. Specify common pitfalls in grammar, style and lexis.

9. What is implied by “paradoxical mistakes” in interpreting?

Make sight translation of the following text: