The Interpreters' Newsletter n. 30 - 2025

The usability of computer-assisted interpreting (CAI) tools has largely been studied in highly controlled conditions. Research in settings that more closely resemble interpreters’ working conditions could provide a deeper understanding of how CAI tools can currently support professional interpreting, particularly in challenging assignments and settings characterised by high complexity. This paper reports on a usability study of the CAI tool SmarTerp conducted during a multilingual meeting at the European Patent Office. Six experienced interpreters worked simultaneously from three remote ‘dummy’ booths (German, English, French). This context involved fast, impromptu speech, a high density of problem triggers, and highly specialised terminology, offering a test of CAI performance under demanding conditions. Data were collected through interpreter observations recorded in digital logs, a post-task usability questionnaire, and focus groups. The findings emphasise the importance of tailoring the automatic speech recognition engine to handle highly technical content, as well as the necessity of providing targeted training to help interpreters integrate CAI tools effectively. The results also point to the value of conducting further research in naturalistic settings to evaluate CAI tools’ usability in addition to (quasi-)experimental studies and guide their ongoing development.

Video-mediated interpreting has become a prominent form of interpreting; however, the emergence of diverse configurations in the post-pandemic era presents new challenges and calls for further investigation. This study examines a video conference involving four primary interlocutors and an interpreter connected from distributed locations, with an audience observing the interaction, in order to elucidate how turn-transition (TT) is managed by multiple remote participants. The paper first reviews previous studies on TT and video-based interaction from a multimodal perspective and outlines the methodology applied. To contextualise the analysis, background information about the event and its participants is then provided, with particular attention to the interactional ecology and technical setup. Drawing on the multimodal approach in Conversation Analysis, TT instances are analysed by focusing on intra-turn gaps and overlapping turn-beginnings. Findings show that lengthy gaps are common, while overlaps occur seldom. This pattern reflects a controlled behaviour pattern of participants which is shaped by the multiparty and multi-sited configuration. The presence of the audience creates a formal dimension, which also impacts participants’ behaviour. Overall, the study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of diversified technology-based interpreting practices.

In interpreter-mediated public service encounters, when primary interlocutors can partially speak each other’s language(s), they may shift into their counterpart’s language, resulting in instances of code-switching. Previous research has shown that such code-switching can affect interpreter-mediated encounters by shaping role negotiation and participant communication. The present study draws on the analysis of two mediated parent-teacher meetings audio recorded in a nursery school in Reggio-Emilia and provides insights into code-switching by Italian teachers when English is used as the language of mediation with migrant parents. The data were analysed using a conversation analytical approach, to establish where within sequences teachers’ code-switching occurs and with what implications. Two patterns were identified: in the first, code-switching is initiated during dyadic sequences between the mediator and the parent, often to tackle specific trouble sources; in the second, code-switching occurs just after the beginning of a sequence and serves to establish direct communication with the migrant parents. The analysis of mediators’ actions during sequences involving teacher code-switching revealed that mediators orient to cooperating with teachers by either adapting their renditions to the teachers’ code-switched utterances or withholding their intervention until the sequence has further developed. These findings highlight how code-switching also influences the interpreter’s role and decision-making within the interaction.

In simultaneous interpreting (SI) with text (SIMTXT), interpreters receive input through auditory (via the speaker) and visual (via the transcript of the speech) channels, rendering the activity multimodal. Whereas some researchers indicate that transcript use may facilitate performance, others claim it may add a layer of complexity to the intricate cognitive processes involved in SI. To fill this research gap, we conducted a quasi-experimental within-subject design study involving 12 English-Dutch junior interpreters to investigate the impact on performance of the condition (SI versus SIMTXT), the speech difficulty, the speech rate and the visual attention allocation to the transcript. The study combined data from eye-tracking glasses (visual attention) and audio recordings (performance). Performance was measured via two methods: Overall Quality Indicator and Problem Trigger Accuracy Rate. Results from a Linear Mixed Model analysis show that interpreting performance was superior in the SIMTXT condition. In addition, high speech rate and speech difficulty negatively affected performance in both conditions, with the extent of the effect depending on the method of measurement. Finally, in SIMTXT, a positive – be it limited – effect of visual attention to the transcript on performance was established, although a great variability was observed between the participants.

Conference interpreting didactics and professional practice is marked by new technology-driven needs, challenges and opportunities. Drawing on the technology-based approach in conference interpreting (Ferreiro-Vázquez/Varajão Moutinho Pereira 2023; Winters et al. 2024; Davitti et al. 2025), this article presents a chronological workflow-based model for interpreting technology use and training. This model results from three professional perspectives: academic training in conference interpreting, CPD (continuous professional development) for interpreters and the professional practice itself through a “practisearcher” perspective. With a particular focus on simultaneous interpreting (SI), a set of digital tools, resources and technologies have been grouped into three main categories based on a user-centered chronological approach: i) before the SI assignment (tools and technologies for the general preparatory phase and for the document-based terminology-specific preparatory phase); ii) during the SI assignment (CAI tools, ASR, prompting, tablet applications) and; iii) after the SI assignment (archiving and sharing data, building a portfolio of documents and files, tracking one’s progress, transcription, subtitles creation and related extra services). The ultimate goal is to provide interpreters, students and trainers with a new methodological framework in the use and teaching of interpreting technology.

This study investigates how trainee interpreters perceive and manage task-induced cognitive load during sight interpreting/translation (SiT). Using a bottom-up analytical approach, it identifies primary load triggers, explores responses to differing cognitive demands, and examines the strategies interpreters employ to mitigate these challenges. The quasi-experimental design involved two SiT tasks of varying difficulty: Text 1, a complex passage with a low readability score, and Text 2, a simpler text. Data were gathered through retrospective verbal reports, structured interviews, and the NASA-TLX, enabling a triangulated analysis of cognitive effort and strategy use. Findings indicate that cognitive load in SiT arises not only from textual complexity but also from individual interpreter characteristics, emotional responses, and specific constraints such as processing tempo, visual interference, and (un)shared knowledge. Cognitive load profiles varied across individuals, highlighting the subjective nature of task difficulty and coping mechanisms. The study underscores the need for interpreter training programmes to address both cognitive and emotional dimensions of SiT, equipping trainees with strategies for managing dynamic, high-pressure interpreting environments.

Professionals working in healthcare settings are often exposed to emotionally charged situations, which can negatively impact their well-being. However, few studies have focused on interpreters’ emotional strain, particularly in the field of healthcare interpreting. This study aims to examine the type of symptoms associated with vicarious trauma in healthcare interpreters in Spain and the United States, as well as the interpersonal and organizational strategies available to them to mitigate the effects. A questionnaire was distributed amongst 74 healthcare interpreters (42 in Spain and 32 in the US), all of whom had at least one year of experience. The survey included questions about their feelings and symptoms related to the emotional impact and the training they received to manage it. Results show differences in terms of training and access to strategies such as briefing, debriefing and institutional support that appear to be more prevalent in the US. Overall, training on managing emotional impact may act as a protective factor. However, it should be provided in conjunction with adequate interpersonal and organizational strategies. Therefore, structured support resources are recommended, especially in contexts such as the Spanish one, where there is still significant progress to be made towards professionalization.

Accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic, the digital revolution has radically changed our living, professional, and teaching/learning environments. In the field of Interpreting Studies, technology-mediated resources are now widely used by educators and students. With specific reference to dialogue interpreter education, the focus has increasingly been on situated learning approaches based on the use of real-life data. Building on these premises, this paper reports on a preliminary qualitative investigation of educational resources available on YouTube in the fields of healthcare and media interpreting. Findings reveal the presence of simulation-based learning materials in the former versus an absence of pedagogically embedded resources in the latter. In light of this, a research-based proposal for a social constructivist learning model is put forward: designed for both in-class and self-study education, the On-the-Tube Role-play Method (OTRM) aims at enabling students of media dialogue interpreting to engage with authentic data through a guided and structured learning process inviting personal as well as shared reflection on the specific challenges posed by the broadcast entertainment.

Community interpreters and transcultural mediators working with survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) against women and sex trafficking are called to work in contexts that require specific knowledge, a gender perspective, and specialised training to deal with complex emotions and accounts of trauma. Despite the importance of these professionals in every service that survivors encounter on their way out of violence, not many systematic studies have been dedicated to this topic, nor does a literature review of relevant research on these issues exist. With the aim of collecting existing studies and identifying research gaps, this paper proposes a scoping literature review of contributions dedicated to interpreting in GBV and sex trafficking contexts, thematically divided and analysed in four subtopics: development and characteristics of the subdiscipline and interpreters’ specific skills; interpreter’s role in relation to neutrality and impartiality vs active involvement; exposure to trauma and risk of vicarious traumatisation; training needs and available training materials for interpreters.

This paper explores the theoretical and conceptual framework of interpreting in a religious context as an already established field of research within Interpreting Studies and seeks to establish common ground for terms and concepts used by researchers of this field in an effort to achieve agreement on terminology. Although the terms and concepts currently in use are based on valid assumptions and approaches, their diversity has thus far hindered the comparison and systematisation of empirical data published in this specific academic field. After proposing interpreting in a religious context as an umbrella term covering the various ramifications of this specific type of interpreting and research, this paper maps the conceptual relationships between context and setting, between interpreting as a general practice and its realisation in a religious context and proposes a definition for interpreting in a religious context. In the second part of the paper, a tentative set of specific features of interpreting in religious contexts is presented taking examples from the Roman Catholic Church as a first step towards further theoretical and empirical research in a broader array of denominations and religions.

The Interpreters’ Newsletter of the Dipartimento di Scienze Giuridiche, del Linguaggio, dell’Interpretazione e della Traduzione, Sezione di Studi in Lingue Moderne per Interpreti e Traduttori (SSLMIT) is an international journal promoting the dissemination and discussion of research in the field of Interpreting Studies.

This systematic literature review examines the cognitive processes involved in sight interpreting/translation (SIT). Following the PRISMA approach, we review the findings of 49 publications identified through a comprehensive search strategy. The analysis shows that the comprehension processes involved in SIT appear to differ from those in reading for other purposes. It also highlights that three specific cognitive features may increase the processing demands of the task: resisting visual interference, dealing with memory requirements, and managing coordination between the processes at hand. The review then addresses the effects of training and professional experience. Drawing on these results, we critically discuss three key gaps in our current understanding of cognitive processing in SIT. They relate to the precise nature of the underlying comprehension processes, the cognitive constraints, and the development of competence. On this basis, we propose directions for future research

This study investigates the impact of the ASR-AI Computer-Assisted Interpreting (CAI) tool SmarTerp on simultaneous interpreting (SI) performance in an educational setting. Its novelty lies in a multi-measure approach, whereby subjects were tested for CAI-enhanced performance, CAI-induced stress, and tool usability and satisfaction. Following a review of cognitive challenges in SI and problem triggers, we describe the experiment, which involved 24 interpreting students at the University of Bologna, tested with and without SmarTerp support, after specific training with this CAI tool. Performance was assessed at the trigger (e.g. numbers, terms, named entities) and sentence levels. Statistically significant improvements at trigger level with the CAI-tool included increase in correct renditions (p< 0.0001) and decrease in omissions (p=0.002) and semantic errors (p< 0.0001) already from the first test session. The same trend was detected at sentence level. Students reported general satisfaction with the tool’s usability and support but emphasised the need for specific training and improvements in tool latency. Although overreliance and occasional distraction were noted, the findings confirm that CAI tools like SmarTerp can enhance SI performance when properly integrated into interpreter training. The study advocates for more empirical research and tailored training to optimise digital support in interpreter education.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming how we communicate, challenging the notion that advanced language skills, and by extension translation and interpreting, are exclusively a human faculty. Following Floridi’s theory of AI as agency without intelligence (2025), we argue that, from an outcome-oriented perspective, AI may, in the short to medium term, be on a trajectory to approach, and in some instances even surpass, human performance in spoken language translation without the need to exhibit human like intelligence. This development suggests that AI applications will act as interpreter agents in their own right, sharing the stage with human professionals, who may, in turn, increasingly rely on AI as a supportive technology. Despite the rise of such non-intelligent but highly capable agents, there might remain compelling reasons to prefer human interpreters, at least in some contexts and conditions. This position paper: (i) proposes a conceptual framework for analysing machine interpreting as an instance of agency without intelligence; (ii) suggests some key dimensions that will shape whether AI or human agents are preferred in specific contexts; and (iii) outlines the implications for research, policy, and practice.