Chapter 8. Embedding, extending, and distributing interpreter cognition with technology

Abstract

Interpreters work in increasingly technologized environments, with access to hardware and software prior to and during the interpreting task, which can support their work in a variety of ways. Some of these tools are used prior to the interpreting task as a means to prepare materials, terminology, and resources that can be later used while interpreting. Other tools seek to support interpreters while interpreting, including automated speech recognition systems, digital recording materials, and digital pens, to allow interpreters to augment their ability to process information and potentially enhance their performance. The presence and use of these technologies ultimately alters and influences the work of interpreters, particularly since these tools can extend and distribute cognitive processes and resources across multiple interpreters and technologies. This chapter takes a socio-cognitive perspective on interpreting in order to more closely examine the interaction of technology and interpreter cognition, focusing on several interrelated constructs of interpreting, namely embedded and embodied cognition, extended cognition, and distributed cognition. These cognitive frameworks, which are often collectively referred to as situated or 4EA cognition, illustrate the importance of recognizing the contextualized and situated nature of interpreting with respect to technologies used to support interpreters in their work.