Pre-task Cultural Knowledge Preparation and Its Effects on Consecutive Interpreting Quality: An Empirical Study Among Chinese Postgraduates

Jin Sun^*

• School of Foreign Studies, Nankai University, Tianjin, China

Pre-task cultural knowledge preparation is crucial for ensuring the quality of interpreting. This study investigates the relationship between cultural knowledge preparation and the quality of consecutive interpreting, as well as the common methods used for such preparation. An A-B single group experiment was conducted with 30 postgraduates majoring in English interpreting in China, followed by one-on-one interviews with 8 participants. The experimental recordings were analyzed using SPSS, while the interview transcripts were subjected to content analysis. The findings indicate that overall interpreting quality improved after cultural preparation. Specifically, participants showed significantly higher levels of information accuracy and technique usage, though professionalism saw no significant improvement. Participants reported that preparation reduced mental stress, enhanced speech comprehension, facilitated content anticipation, and allowed for better coordination. The most effective method of cultural knowledge preparation involved obtaining relevant materials about the speaker, topics, and schedules from clients. When self-preparation was required, participants preferred bilingual audiovisual materials from authentic sources.