On interpreters’ working memory and executive control

Abstract

Research questions: The purpose of the study was to reveal new aspects of interpreters’ memory and executive control. Design: The memory and executive control of simultaneous and consecutive interpreters were compared to those of foreign language teachers and non-linguistic experts in two experiments: free recall and cocktail-party dichotic listening. Data: Volunteers were 94 participants (22 to 26 participants in each group) with a minimum of 10 years of professional experience. Findings: Simultaneous interpreters outperformed the non-linguistic experts in free recall. Though most of them detected their name in the cocktail-party test, they made no errors in the first and second word after it. In contrast, consecutive interpreters exceeded the performance of non-linguistic experts in seldom detecting their name in the cocktail-party test, as well as in making just a few errors in the first word after it. The results seem to indicate expertise-dependent differences between the two interpreter groups, as well as between foreign language teachers and non-linguistic experts. For simultaneous interpreters, the findings can be explained by conditions at work which demand the continuous dividing of attention between listening to the source text, formulating and speaking the target text, and even monitoring and comparing the equivalence of the two. With consecutive interpreters, the results could reflect high demands for resisting external distractions at work. Originality: The results seem to point to expertise-dependent differences in memory and executive control between different foreign language expert groups achieved as a result of thorough experience in their field of expertise. Significance: In addition to the memory processes, executive control seems to play a significant role in explaining the cognitive processes of simultaneous and consecutive interpreting compared to that of other experts, both linguistic and non-linguistic.