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What is Monologue Interpreting?
Note-taking for
Monologue Interpreting
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What are NAATI Requirements?
• 300 words ( 10)
• Split into 2 roughly equal segments (150 each,  20)
• Passage should have clearly discernible structure
• Played only once (no repeats)
• Must give ‘structured rendering’ of passage
+ no major changes of meaning
+ no major omissions or insertions
+ logical order of passage retained
+ delivery should be fluent and clear
• All ‘consecutive’ interpreting involves speaking after
the SL speaker has finished
+ this is what happens in dialogue situations
+ it can also be used in monologue situations
• Listen to a speech / extended segment of speech
• Interpret while the speaker pauses
• Typical monologue situations:
+ welcoming / opening speeches
+ after-dinner / ‘vote of thanks’ speeches
+ visits / guided tours
+ information sessions in schools
• Now not normally used for conferences
What do Interpreters Need?
• Excellent command of two languages
• Excellent & extensive general knowledge
+ can be rapidly retrieved from long-term memory
• Skill in analysing & memorising speeches
• Highly developed ‘transfer skills’:
+ ability to find & express equivalent meanings
+ strategies to deal with difficulties
• Ability to take notes to supplement memory
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Why are Note-taking Skills Needed?
• In MI, we draw on short-term memory
+ can only store limited number of items
+ for most people, about 7 ( 2)
• If we attempt to store more items without notes:
+ won’t recall them accurately
+ will forget important details
+ may lose the ‘thread’ of the discourse
• We also draw on long-term memory
+ to make sense of what a speaker is saying
+ eg, trade liberalisation: non-tariff barriers, dumping
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Rozan’s Principles of Note-taking
• Enunciated by J.F. Rozan in 1956
+ Take notes at level of ideas, not words
+ Use system of abbreviations & symbols
+ Use ‘strategic omission’ when necessary
+ Pay attention to cohesive devices
+ Use diagonal representation
+ Pay attention to negation & emphasis
+ Use ‘verticality’ to give a ‘picture’ of the speech
What Systems Work Best?
• A very personal process
+ symbols / abbreviations used by one interpreter may
not work for another
+ some take notes in source language (SL), some in
target language (TL), some in a mixture
+ for a good note-taker, language should not matter
+ some have highly developed systems
– these can take a long time to develop!
+ others adopt a ‘minimalist’ approach
– just noting key words, main links
1. Ideas, Not Words
• Underlying meaning more important than actual word(s)
+ eg, declare / say / tell / express are synonymous
+ therefore all noted with same symbol
• Traps for novice interpreters:
I wouldn’t exclude building a railway line from the options
+ interpreter becomes preoccupied with exclude
+ real meaning: building a railway line is possible
There is a strong possibility a railway line will be built
+ interpreter fixates on possibility in isolation
+ strong possibility is a single unit of meaning
+ real meaning: building a railway line is probable
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1. Ideas, Not Words [cont] 2. Abbreviations & Symbols

• Isolating key words in sentences
+ in accordance with subject-verb-object structure
We considered the European Union’s relations with
Russia and the situation there, including in Chechnya,
in the light of the recent EU–Russia Summit ...
+ essential components / basic ideas:
S V O(1) O(2)
We ... considered ... relations ... and the situation ...
+ would this only work well with European languages?
• Needs to be done in systematic manner
+ if made up on the spot, will likely cause confusion
• Rozan’s basic symbols:
: thought (consider, opinion, view, feeling)
“ speaking (talk, declare, state; speech, remarks etc)
 discussion (debate, examine, deal with agenda item)
OK approval (adopt, support, agree etc)
 movement towards; cause; send / convey; export etc
 receive; import; return; result from etc
 increase; progress; improve(ment) etc
 decrease; decline, fall; deterioration etc

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2. Abbreviations & Symbols [cont] 2. Abbreviations & Symbols [cont]

• Rozan’s basic symbols [cont]: • Symbols should cover commonly occurring ideas in own
/ relationship (especially subordinate one) field of work
= similarity + eg at EU: nation, national, country, political, etc
 difference • Develop symbols from a single ‘stem’
+ more  nation, country, state
– less al national
• All these form ‘intermediate symbolic language’ se nationalise
+ rather than being specific to one language • Truncating words
+ ‘symbol’ therefore covers words, abbrev’ns, initials, etc + needs to follow system
+ eg, con = contribution / connection / contemplate ?
+ need to include part of final syllable (as above)

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3. Strategic Omission
• Omitting detailed information not essential to major points
of speech
+ eg, omitting some information from a list
Most Australians know of someone with a mental illness.
It might be their spouse, child, or another close relative,
a friend or a work colleague.
+ may only be time to note spouse + child
+ regroup omitted items to a different level of generality:
... It might be their spouse, a child, or others closely
associated with them.
+ don’t just say ‘etcetera’ / ‘and so on’
– clear indication that something has been forgotten
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5. Diagonal Representation
• Gradual indentation of notes across the page
+ particularly, indicates hierarchy of ideas
– usually, some ideas are subordinate to others
– layout of notes should reflect this
+ beginning of each main idea is furthest to left
+ easier to read back
– because less writing on page
– makes structure visible at a glance
+ provides space for later additions of info
• LH margin created for linking words
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4. Cohesive Devices
• A speech must be cohesive to make sense
+ cohesive devices include pronouns & conjunctions
+ we must notice these in note-taking
+ otherwise we will have unconnected statements
+ many Eng conjunctions are short
for, as, so, if, but, tho
+ also mathematical symbols for therefore / because
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5. Diagonal Representation [cont]
Firstly, to outline the significance of this agreement. In
Australia, the average consumption of water per house-
hold is 250,000 litres per year. That’s about 30 percent
higher than the average for developed countries, even
though we live on the world’s driest continent ...
 signif agreet
Oz av consum / house
250KL / yr
= 30%  av develd 
tho live dry contint
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5. Diagonal Representation [cont] 6. Negation & Emphasis

If you approach us with a complaint about something • Negation indicated by ‘strikeout’
which we could and should investigate, we’ll investigate as + eg, I OK = I agree
quickly as possible, tell you how long the investigation is I OK = I disagree
likely to take, and give you the name of a person at our
office whom you can contact to check on progress. • Emphasis indicated by underline
+ eg, I OK = I agree
If bring complnt
I OK = I strongly agree
(can / should investig)
– will do fast as poss
– tell how long likely
– give name at office
contact re progress

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7. Verticality
• Used in conjunction with diagonal representation
+ means writing notes down the page
+ gives a picture of progression of ideas
+ helps to make notes clearer / easier to follow
• Best to use narrow, spiral-bound notebook
+ easier to flip pages over
+ only a few ideas per line