Chapter 2. Tablet interpreting

Abstract

Since the release of the first modern tablets in the early 2010s, interpreters have explored ways to incorporate these devices into their practice. This trend has grown as institutions issued tablets to staff interpreters and universities and freelancers explored tablet interpreting. This article describes the first decade of tablet interpreting, which is defined as “the use of a tablet to support one or more aspects of interpreting.” It begins by painting a picture of its history, discussing pioneering explorations of tablet use and situating tablet interpreting within the broader context of computer-assisted interpreting (CAI). Then, it analyzes published research on tablet interpreting and considers how tablets can be used for preparation, different interpreting modes (consecutive, simultaneous, and hybrid modalities) business productivity, and the teaching of interpreting. After presenting this comprehensive snapshot of tablet interpreting research to date, it considers the strengths and shortcomings of tablets for interpreting and gaps in tablet interpreting research. It concludes by outlining six key directions for future research on tablet interpreting.