Yue Ruiying

The article discusses the development of the Interpretive Theory in China and its impact on scientific research and practical translation activities in China from Chinese researchers’ perspective. It also describes the author’s point of view about the causes of the spread of the Interpretive theory in China, as well as the establishment of a complete interpretation theory system in China.

This article examines the main features of the modern Russian school of interpreting. The relevance of Chinese researchers’ attention to the Russian translation school is primarily due to the rapid development of relations between the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China in the field of politics, economy, culture, science and education, the need to ensure mutual understanding in the dialogue between Russia and China, and also professional translators’ interest in the formation of new approaches and effective teaching methods. The purposes of the article are to consider the main periods of the formation of the Russian school of interpreting, to build a history of the development of interpreting in Russia in the 20th and 21st centuries. On the basis of the analysis, the author concludes that the Soviet school as well as the modern Russian school which has inherited educational traditions from the Soviet one, both have unique features that distinguish them from Western translation/interpreting schools.

With the development of interpretation teaching activities in China, Chinese scholars have begun to actively study the specialization of interpretation training methods as well as the scientific pedagogical design of interpretation disciplines to train professional interpreters in China. The article deals with a number of didactic concepts, principles and models of interpretation training programs suggested by Chinese researchers.

The article develops the idea that theoretical research work on interpretation in China began relatively late compared to the West. The Chinese theory of interpretation has been influenced by Western interpretation theories, among which the French translation school has had a particularly great influence on the Chinese theoretical foundations for interpretation didactics. The Chinese interpretation didactics has incorporated the most advanced Western theories of interpretation and is now moving toward scientification, systematization and professionalism, which has laid a solid foundation for professional training in the field of interpretation.

Ryurik Konstantinovich Minyar-Beloruchev (1922–2000) was one of the most famous Soviet and Russian scholars and of the founders of the general theory of translation. He laid the theoretical basis for interpretation and devised methods of teaching consecutive and simultaneous interpretation. His numerous works, based on his rich personal experience, research, teaching and experimental work, have become a model to follow in the field of interpretation studies and practical training of interpreters.

Due to the high demand for interpretation in the modern world, MinyarBeloruchev’s works deserve a close study not only by Russian interpretation researchers and educators, but also by experts from other countries. Currently, research into the interpretation theory in China is still at the initial stage of its development, and the need for highly qualified interpreters in China is constantly growing. Chinese researchers should study the theory developed by Ryurik K. Minyar-Beloruchev when setting up training programs for interpreters in China.