Examining Disfluencies in Translation Students: The Effects of Anxiety on English-Persian Consecutive Interpreting

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 M.A. in Translation Studies, Department of Foreign Languages, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Iran

2 Assistant professor of Translation Studies, Department of Foreign Languages, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Iran

Abstract

Given the cognitive demands of consecutive interpreting and the psychological pressures faced by novice interpreters, the present quantitative study aims to identify the most frequently occurring disfluencies in the output of English-Persian interpreter trainees and to explore how interpreting anxiety influences different types of disfluencies. A total of 23 translation trainee students were selected based on convenience sampling. Data were gathered through the Interpreting Classroom Anxiety Scale and a CI exam. After classifying the disfluencies =, it was revealed that hesitation, silent pauses, and prolongation are the predominant disfluency features. These types of disfluencies indicate cognitive overload and failures in language planning. Statistical analyses showed a significant correlation between high levels of anxiety and an increased frequency of these disfluencies; however, no meaningful relationship was found between interpreting anxiety and disfluency in general. This suggests that anxiety adversely affects fluency and overall interpreting performance. This study highlights the critical role of psychological factors, particularly anxiety, in interpreter performance and training. The findings call for the inclusion of anxiety-reduction techniques in interpreter education and suggest future research on experience-based disfluency patterns and Persian-specific disfluency classification.

Keywords

References

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Applied Linguistics Inquiry
Volume 3, Issue 2
September 2025
Pages 131-141

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History

  • Receive Date: 20 April 2025
  • Revise Date: 02 July 2025
  • Accept Date: 21 July 2025

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