7.1210, Qs: Implicatures, Tests for interpreters, Lang in the media

[The Linguist List]

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
LINGUIST List:  Vol-7-1210. Sat Aug 31 1996. ISSN: 1068-4875. Lines:  127
 
Subject: 7.1210, Qs: Implicatures, Tests for interpreters, Lang in the media
 
Moderators: Anthony Rodrigues Aristar: Texas A&M U. <aristar at tam2000.tamu.edu>
            Helen Dry: Eastern Michigan U. <hdry at emunix.emich.edu> (On Leave)
            T. Daniel Seely: Eastern Michigan U. <dseely at emunix.emich.edu>
 
Associate Editor:  Ljuba Veselinova <lveselin at emunix.emich.edu>
Assistant Editors: Ron Reck <rreck at emunix.emich.edu>
                   Ann Dizdar <dizdar at tam2000.tamu.edu>
                   Annemarie Valdez <avaldez at emunix.emich.edu>
 
Software development: John H. Remmers <remmers at emunix.emich.edu>
 
Editor for this issue: dizdar at tam2000.tamu.edu (Ann Dizdar)
 
We'd like to remind readers that the responses to queries are usually
best posted to the individual asking the question. That individual is
then  strongly encouraged to post a summary to the list.   This policy was
instituted to help control the huge volume of mail on LINGUIST; so we
would appreciate your cooperating with it whenever it seems appropriate.
 
---------------------------------Directory-----------------------------------
1)
Date:  Thu, 29 Aug 1996 15:33:01 EDT
From:  aaa552 at agora.ulaval.ca (PIERRE LARRIVEE)
Subject:  implicatures
 
2)
Date:  Thu, 29 Aug 1996 13:22:19 EDT
From:  P-MDICKSON at bss3.umd.edu ("Marcus W. Dickson")
Subject:        Hiring tests for interpreters
 
3)
Date:  Sat, 31 Aug 1996 14:54:46 PDT
From:  LSILVAV at ucla.edu (Luis Silva-Villar)
Subject:  Language in the media
 
---------------------------------Messages------------------------------------
1)
Date:  Thu, 29 Aug 1996 15:33:01 EDT
From:  aaa552 at agora.ulaval.ca (PIERRE LARRIVEE)
Subject:  implicatures
 
Dear Linguists, Engaging unto the wonderful path of pragmatics for
thesis-related issues, and being new to the field, I<d like to know if
the distinction between conventionnal and conversationna l
are reliable categories.  Do they cover all of implicatures and
implications? Are they clearly mutually excluding categories, or are
there cases known to fall in both, or in between? Troublesome data and
pointers to recent specialized reference will be very useful, and I
will post a summary to the list, so you can contact me
directly. Thanks to all in advance, Pierre Larrivee Universite Laval
 
aaa552 at agora.ulaval.ca
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2)
Date:  Thu, 29 Aug 1996 13:22:19 EDT
From:  P-MDICKSON at bss3.umd.edu ("Marcus W. Dickson")
Subject:        Hiring tests for interpreters
 
 
My name is Marcus Dickson, and I am an instructor and graduate
student in Industrial/Organizational Psychology at the University of
Maryland.  I am currently working on a project relating hiring and
selection tests for translators for a local county court system.
Specifically, I am trying to determine whether moving from a live
role-play test (as the county does now) to an audiotaped test would
decrease the validity of the test, because of the lack of non-verbals.
 
I have done searching in the literature with which I am familiar, and
have come up basically empty.  I was kindly referred to this list by
one of the experts I can tacted, and so beg your indulgence for the
intrusion of a non-linguist on to the list. My specialty is employment
assessment, rather than speech and linguistics, and so I turn to the
experts in the field.
 
The exact questions are: 1) To what extent do non-verbals (other than
voice tone) account for variance in understanding the message conveyed
via a translator/interpreter?  and 2) Would a selection test where the
interpreter candidate received the speech to be interpreted from a
videotape and gave his or her responses into an audiotape be less
valid than a selection test using live scripted role play?
 
I would appreciate any guidance you might give on where to look for
relevant articles or chapters, and thank you for any assistance you
might give.
 
 
Marcus Dickson
 
======================================================================
Marcus W. Dickson
Psychology Department
University of Maryland
College Park, MD  20742
 
Internet: P-Mdickson at bss3.umd.edu (preferred), or md73 at umail.umd.edu
Voice: (301) 405-5934     Fax: (301) 314-9566
O-
------------------------------------------------------------------------
3)
Date:  Sat, 31 Aug 1996 14:54:46 PDT
From:  LSILVAV at ucla.edu (Luis Silva-Villar)
Subject:  Language in the media
 
 
        I am currently writing a report on newspaper sections as well
as TV and radio programs dealing with language.  The specific
geographic areas I am interested in are the US and Latinoamerica
although information from other geographic areas is welcome.
        Any description of these materials (or help in searching for
them) will be appreciated.
        Finally, negative data are welcome too, i.e., It is also
important to know if no section is available in the newspapers you
read or if no program exists on the channels you listen to and/or
watch.
        Thank you very much.
        This report will contribute to the understanding of the role
of language in our societies
 
        Luis Silva
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
LINGUIST List: Vol-7-1210.