Profiling Interpreters of Cross-Cultural Market Research Focus Group Interviews

跨文化市場研究焦點團體口譯員之剖析

李眉君(Priya Lalwani Purswaney)

《翻譯學研究集刊》 19輯 (2015/12) Pp. 123-140

摘要

在質性市場研究的領域中，消費者焦點團體（也稱為市調座談會）是很常使用的工具。進行跨國或跨文化研究時，參與座談會的人員常會有溝通上的障礙；因此這些會議需要透過同步口譯員來進行。本文將探討跨語言市調座談會及口譯員在此情境下工作的情形。首先介紹全球化市場研究，以及如何使用市調座談會來深入了解各國消費者的意見。筆者也將探討在這特殊的跨文化場合中，同步口譯所呈現的獨特之處以及口譯員在整個溝通活動裡所扮演的居間角色。主要使用的研究方法為質性訪談與問卷調查，對象分為有多年經驗的市調座談會主持人和有經驗的市調座談會口譯員。另外，筆者本身即為資深市調口譯員，因此個人觀察加上與其他口譯員的深入訪談，將使內容更加豐富。雖然本討論或許也可以適用於任何國家的雙語質性研究，但所有資料主要還是有關具備英進中同步口譯服務的中文市調座談會。本研究目的在於深入介紹這種特殊的同步口譯場合，並一一探討參加此溝通活動的所有參與者。筆者將提出市場調查座談會同步口譯員所面臨的特殊問題和挑戰，以及該如何評斷市調座談會的同步口譯員是否稱職。除了提供建議給口譯員，此跨領域研究也希望能建立口譯研究及行銷研究之間的橋梁，讓跨文化市場研究消費者座談會變成更有效的溝通交流活動。

關鍵字

市調座談會 ； 焦點團體 ； 消費者研究 ； 跨國行銷 ； 市場調查口譯

並列摘要

This paper is a brief descriptive look at a qualitative market research tool, the focus group interview, when conducted with two different languages and a simultaneous interpreter involved in the session. The growing trend of global market research and the use of focus group interviews in understanding the views of consumers in different countries are introduced. The unique aspects of simultaneous interpretation as a situated action in this special cross-cultural environment are explored, as well as the role played by the interpreter as a mediator in the communicative event. The method used is a qualitative survey of focus group moderators who have had vast experience in conducting interpreted focus groups and of interpreters who have had experience interpreting during focus groups. The author’s personal observations while working as a simultaneous interpreter for focus groups in Taiwan have further contributed to this report, as have in depth interviews with other interpreters. While the discussion can apply to bilingual qualitative research in any country, much of the data is specific to qualitative market research consumer focus groups held in Mandarin and interpreted into English. The purpose of this research is to shed light on the context in which the interpreting act takes place by presenting a schematic representation of the setting and the various participants involved in the communicative event. The role of the interpreter and the particular issues and challenges faced by him or her are also introduced. An attempt is made to use the data collected to identify some factors that define a good focus group interpreter. It is hoped that this study can be the first small step to filling the void currently existing in the exploration of language interpreting in the context of cross-cultural focus groups conducted for market research. In addition to developing recommendations for focus group interpreters, this interdisciplinary report aims to be a bridge between Interpreting Studies and Marketing Studies, helping to make the cross-cultural focus group interview a more productive communicative interaction from both an interpreting and a market research point of view.

並列關鍵字

market research focus group ； consumer research ； global marketing ； interpreted focus group interview ； interpreter-mediated qualitative research

參考文獻

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