Stress of Compound Nouns and Noun Phrases in English- Arabic Consecutive Interpreting
Abstract
This study investigates the meaning perception of compound nouns and noun phrases according to their stress placement in consecutive interpreting. This is achieved by showing the procedures whereby their meanings are rendered into Arabic. Consecutive interpreting means the interpreter receives successive messages from the speaker and the intended meaning has to be reformulated instantly. Stress is among the most problematic areas for non-native speakers. Thus, students should pay attention to stress patterns of compound nouns and noun phrases. Inadequate knowledge of such stress patterns in English may cause misunderstanding leading to incapability of rendering them appropriately in the target language which may result in inappropriate spoken discourse. It is hypothesized that stress patterns of compound nouns and noun phrases are perceived improperly and cannot be distinguished and rendered into target language appropriately. It is hoped that this study will enhance the students' awareness of compound nouns and nouns phrases stress. The study shows that most students' translations of compound nouns and noun phrases are inappropriate, due to their inability to make a distinction between them. They adopt different