Full words (%) Abbreviations and
Acronyms (%) Symbols (%)
Interpreter 1 30.9 47.1 22
Interpreter 2 26.6 43.4 30
Interpreter 3 51.1 20 28.9
Average 36.2 37.8 26
Table 6: Distribution of interpreters’ notes over the categories of note forms
The bottom row of Table 6 represents the average distribution of the three interpreters‟ notes over three types of note forms. It was clearly seen that the most preferable one was using abbreviations and acronyms (37.8% of all note units), full
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words were the second preference (36.2%), while the subjects as a group tended to use symbols to a small extent in their notes (26%).
Nevertheless, this overall pattern was not consistently reflected in notes of the individual subjects who had their own ways of performing their notes. On one hand, research results received from the first two subjects were quite similar. They expressed a preference in regard to the use of abbreviations and acronyms (47.1%
and 43.4% respectively) over the use of full words and symbols. However, the performance of these subjects differed to the extent that: whereas the subject 1 tended to use more full words than symbols (30.9% vs. 22%), symbols were preferable to full words in the notes of subject 2 (30% vs. 26.6%). On the contrary, subject 3 expressed that his (her) first choice of note forms was using full words (51.1%). The proportion of abbreviations and acronyms and symbols was 20% and 28.9% in turn.
In conclusion, results received from three subjects were somewhat similar in that they had approximately the same proportion of symbols. Besides, some of them showed the preference for abbreviations and symbols, while others had great favor on full words. These differences in interpreters‟ choice of note-taking form partly resulted from differences in the personality and characteristics and habit of interpreters. For axample, if an interpreter loves math or cryptography, he tends to use abbreviations, especially symbols in his notes.
It was undeniable that no clear conclusion could be drawn from this study, but it would be worth examining their note-taking techniques. Obviously, not every word could be represented by symbols or signs. In addition, it took much time to write
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long words or phrases fully. Therefore, abbreviating was an effective way to note down key words in the shortest period of time. For example, the phrase “Technical assistance” in English was shortened as “HTKT” in Vietnamese or “T ” in English. “KTKT” and “T ” can be meaningless abbreviations to most of people or can stand for a variety of words and phrases without putting a certain context.
However, for the interpreter, (s)he completely understood their meaning because these abbreviations were the shortened form of words to which were assigned meanings by the interpreter. In Vietnamese, phrases consisting of more than two words were shortened by writing the initial letter perhaps as well as the last letter of the first words and writing the full form of the last words. To illustrate this point, the table 7 expresses the abbreviations used by professional interpreters.
Abbreviations Words or phrases Meaning in English
Qtrọng Quan trọng Important
ycầu Yêu cầu To require, to demand
gqvđề Giải quyết vấn đề To solve problems/
problem-solving
htác Hợp tác To corporate, to work in
team
nlực - Năng lực
- Nhân lực
Competence Workforce
Cphí Chi phí Cost
Đtư Đầu tư Investment
Cphủ Chính phủ Government
d/án Dự án Project
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Đgi Đ nh gi Evaluate
Ncứu Nghiên cứu Research
tchế Thể chế Institution
đviết Đọc viêt Reading and writing
tg tác Tương t c To interact
c/chế ơ chế Machenism
Xxét Xem xét consider
mbạch Minh bạch Transparency
Dthu Doanh thu Revenue
Ctiêu Chi tiêu Spending
c/lg Chất lượng Quality
V Tchế Vật liệu tái chế Recycled material
hđộc Chất độc Toxic substance
Table 7: List of Abbreviations used by interpreters
Besides, subjects also applied the rule of using the initial letters of other letters to form acronyms both in English and Vietnamese. This way of abbreviating was often used for noun phrases. The following table contained some common acronyms used by subjects in their notes:
Acronyms Meaning in Vietnamese Meaning in English
h/s Học sinh Student
HTKT/ TA Hỗ trợ kĩ thuật Technical assistance
FA Hỗ trợ tài chính Financial assistance
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NTP hương trình ục tiêu Quốc gia National Target Program
Gđ Giai đoạn phase
MPI Bộ Kế hoạch và Đầu tư Ministry of Planning and
Investment
TT Đ Thị trường lao động Labor market
ND Nội dung Content
VAT Thuế giá trị gia tăng Value Added Tax
HCM Hồ Chí Minh Ho Chi Minh City
CN Công nghệ Technology
TQ Trung Quốc China
TW Đài Loan Taiwan
EU Liên minh Châu Âu European Union
Table 8: List of Acronyms used by interpreters
Abbreviations and acronyms have been used increasingly not only in interpreting but also in daily life, especially on the social media. They are now considered as an integral part of modern language due to their convenience and efficiency.
Another effective way to express things or a group of synonymous concepts was employing symbols as they were quicker and easier than words. According to Matyssek (1989) in the book Interpreting, a language-free notation system can help the interpreter overcome the constraints imposed by language structures and words because symbols represent ideas not words. The most commonly used symbols in this study were arrows. Right arrow represented the consequence or result; up
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arrow indicated the increase or raise. In addition, the symbol “ ” was a illustration of “change”; “≠” was of “other” or “various” or “different”; “%” was of
“percentage; “>” was of “more than”. Although symbols were used regardless of topics or themes, Rozan (2002) recommends limiting the use of symbols because it can hinder the interpreter from the process of information retrieval when striving for expressing ideas of notes from the notation system.
Although full words were not encouraged to use in notes, it was the second note form preference of the subjects as a group, even the most favorable form of notes.
It would be interesting to examine the reasons for using them. First, as words having more than four letters should be abbreviated (Rozan, 2002, p. 16), key words with less than three letters can be noted down completely to avoid misunderstanding when using only abbreviations and symbols. Second, technical terms such as “hành thu” and “ngẫu nhiên hóa học” and proper nouns like names of companies, organizations or people should be also written exactly as they may be strange to the interpreter and difficult to retrieve from abbreviations or symbols.
Therefore, full words would help to ensure the quality of translation.