Consecutive Interpreting at a Literature Festival

Abstract

This chapter offers a descriptive focus on consecutive interpreting (CI) of interviews in English for an Italian-speaking audience at the annual Mantua Literature Festival in Italy. Introductory remarks on how this relates to more widely studied interpreting scenarios are followed by an overview of practical arrangements for CI at the Festival. Short extracts from interviews with authors are then examined, in each case comparing the English original with a transcription (and back-translation) of the Italian interpretation. A number of features are discussed (e.g. establishing a rapport with the audience, authors’ views on their characters, emotional participation), with tentative conclusions about the interpreter’s approach and priorities in such cases.