Name: Arijie Balqiis Suryanjani

Nim: 1215030034
Class: 4A

Memorizing for Interpreting

A. The importance of memory in interpreting

Since interpreting is heavily dependent on memory and entails recalling or remembering the original
message to be translated in a different language, memory is a crucial idea that needs to be clarified in
the field of interpreting. People frequently believe that interpreters have good memories. The meaning
of the word "memory" could indicate going back in time to retrieve facts or experiences, but it is not
what the interpreters require. In order to remember what was just spoken, interpreters operate in the
moment or in the present. Therefore, having high short-term memory is necessary for interpreters.

Memory storage is the process of keeping memories for a while. Long-term memory and short-term
memory are the two different types of memory storage. Working memory, also known as short-term
memory, is the "temporary storage of information," such as briefly recalling a phone number before
abruptly forgetting it. Long-term memory, on the other hand, is a steady, consistent, and durable
memory, such as recalling one's own past or the details of a course.

Concurrent or simultaneous interpretation requires the interpreter to do a variety of intricate cognitive

processes simultaneously in their head. Language comprehension, word recognition, decoding, and
encoding of the message's syntactic and semantic structures are all crucial steps in this process. The
human brain, also referred to as the human processor, is the body part in charge of carrying out such a
difficult task.

An essential component of interpreting is short-term memory. To be more precise, short-term memory

aids in the storage and prompt recall of such information by processing speech sounds to detect the
entire message. The absence of qualifiers, modifiers, subordinate clauses, and even sentences can occur
as a result of poor short-term memory, though. The catastrophic repercussions of inadequate short-term
memory that results in saturation have been highlighted by Roberts (2014).

B. Training short-term memory

1. Mnemonics are an essential tool for memorizing information. A mnemonic device, according to the
Concise Oxford English Dictionary (Soanes, Stevenson, Hawker, 2006: 477), is learning strategy that
improves memory. A learner may employ specifically constructed sentences or correlate terms in the
new language with distinct meanings in his native tongue when learning a foreign language. Therefore,
mnemonics try to make something that seems hard to recall much simpler to remember. The mnemonic
technique may be useful for interpretation, but if the knowledge is entirely new, we do not have enough
time to come up with a simple alternative to remember.

2. The link approach you to practice your memory to improve your sequential interpretation at a
conference when you hear a lot of things or objects in a row that don't seem to have anything to do with
you (especially if the field of translation isn't your cup of tea). Experience and talent have a much
greater impact on memory than intellect does, in a very small way. One of your best allies is an image
you create during a workshop, as we've already covered. Don't be afraid to try new things in light of
this. When your mental images are ludicrous, your chances of remembering something improve.

3. Taking notes is a simple technique to release some of the stress on your STM. This is still
conceivable even if the speaker speaks quickly. There are only a few acronyms that the interpreter
needs to get used to. You may still take notes on items 1, 3, and 2 if you hear a list in the following
order: 1, 2, 3, according to Andrew Gillies (Gillies 2005: 48). This is because writing down items 1 and
3 quickly will relieve their burden on your memory, leaving you with only 2 to temporarily recall. In
the case of interpreting at a conference, you can quickly visualize a large red tick and a large red X,
which will help you deliver the information not only correctly but also in an organized manner as you
recite the two columns with red letters on them. Your mind will become more ordered as a result of
developing your mnemonic, making interpretation less prone to errors.
Rozan (2004) asserts that notes serve two purposes in particular:
• To quickly refresh the interpreter's memory of all the concepts in a piece of speech and the
connections between them.
• To enable a fluid and modern interpretation (again, this requires giving terms their contextual
meaning rather than their dictionary equivalent).