Interpreting as an influencing factor on news reports: A study of interpreted Chinese political discourse recontextualized in English news

摘要

This article investigates interpreting as a factor that influences recontextualized political discourse in news reports; this is achieved by examining the mode and content of its representation and the acceptance of interpreter deviations. The aim is to explore how interpretations are represented in news reports and the potential effects that the mediation of interpreting may have on media understandings of political discourse. The article uses data from videos of interpreting for the Chinese government at eight joint press conferences, and relevant quotations and comments in 85 news reports. The analyses reveal that most English-language news reports rely heavily on the interpreted versions, as evidenced by a larger percentage of direct discourse quoting the actual words of the interpreters and by the acceptance of interpreter deviations. Such representations in the news have substantially influenced positive and negative portrayals of the Chinese government. This paper offers a new dimension for the analysis of political discourse from the perspective of interpreting studies, and enriches the practice of interpreting by including news report data. In addition, it encourages reflection on the interpretation of culturally loaded expressions for a better reception from the international audience.