Reader differences in navigating English–Chinese sight interpreting/translation

Abstract Reading is key in sight interpreting/translation (SiT), a task in this study involving reading and orally rendering text at one’s own pace in a diplomatic interpreting scenario. However, little attention is given to how different reading processes are used. This study bridges this gap by investigating SiT reading processes, using silent reading (SR) and reading aloud (RA) for comparison to understand how reading varies between tasks and participants. Experienced interpreters, interpreting trainees, and untrained bilinguals were recruited to conduct SR, RA, and SiT. Their eye movement data underwent cluster analysis based on fixation duration and saccade length plus direction. Five distinct reading processes have been identified – skimming, rauding, two levels of problem-solving, and anchoring. While the overall reading pattern is similar, nuanced differences tell groups and tasks apart. Due to the limitation of space, this paper only reports findings centring on the participants. Significant differences exist only between the trained (i.e., interpreters and trainees combined) and untrained cohorts in three processes, namely skimming, rauding (normal reading), and problem-solving, almost exclusively in SiT. Our findings attest to the multifaceted SiT reading processes and offer an alternative account to associating fixation duration solely with cognitive load, helping us better understand SiT reading.