Multimodal Affordances in Diplomatic Interpreting: An SF-MDA Approach

by Xinqiao Cen, Derek Irwin

Overview

This book offers an in-depth exploration of diplomatic interpreting as a complex form of multimodal interaction, drawing on examples from China–U.S. diplomatic interpreting activities to demonstrate the nuances of meaning transfer across modes and contexts.

The volume introduces the notion of interpreting being inherently multimodal through its employment of a range of semiotic repertoires, including linguistic modes, gesture, audial information, spatial arrangement, and visual imagery. Featuring case studies from China–U.S. diplomatic interpreting scenarios, Cen and Irwin examine the means and reasons by which interpreters mediate the range of multimodal semiotic resources in such situations in order to accommodate different meanings across varied contexts and their strategies for contextualizing and recontextualizing meaning while navigating different diplomatic interests and interpersonal relationships. Taken together, the book outlines a new framework for understanding and analyzing bilateral interpreting through a multimodal lens, with implications for interpreting in international studies on a wider scale.

This volume will be valuable reading for students and scholars in interpreting studies, applied linguistics, intercultural communication, and international relations.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781040377482
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	08/29/2025
Series:	Routledge Studies in Multimodality
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	242
File size:	12 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Xinqiao Cen is a lecturer at the Ningbo University of Technology. She completed her PhD at the School of Education and English at the University of Nottingham, Ningbo, China.

Derek Irwin is Associate Professor in Applied Linguistics at the School of Education and English at the University of Nottingham, Ningbo, China.

Table of Contents

List of figures

List of tables

List of examples

1. Introduction

1.1 Overview

1.2 Consecutive interpreting in diplomatic talks

1.3 Research background

1.3.1 From language service to multimodal interaction

1.3.2 From semiotic resources to semiotic system

1.4 Research nucleus and questions

1.5 Research significance

2. Interpreting performance evaluation in diplomatic settings and beyond

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Process-oriented interpreting studies

2.2.1 Interpreting as a sense-making process

2.2.2 Interpreting as social interaction

2.3 Product-oriented interpreting studies

2.3.1 Equivalence theory in translation and interpreting

2.3.2 From monomodal to multimodal

2.3.3 Interpreting as goal-achieving activity

2.4 Diplomatic interpreting as professional practice

2.4.1 Diplomatic translation and interpreting (T&I) codes in China

2.4.2 Diplomatic T&I codes on the international stage

2.4.3 The interpreter’s role in diplomatic talks

2.5 Chapter review

3. Interpreting as a multimodal cross-linguistic event

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Conceptual framework

3.2.1 From one-dimensional to multi-dimensional research

3.2.2 SF-MDA: A panoramic view on meaning transfer as recontextualization

3.2.3 Interpreting from decontextualization to recontextualization

3.3 Research design and instrument

3.3.1 Research design

3.3.2 Data collection

3.3.3 Multimodal classification, annotation, and transcription

3.3.4 Data presentation

4 Multimodal affordances and meaning recontextualization

4.1 Multimodal features in diplomatic talks

4.1.1 Linguistic features in diplomatic settings

4.1.2 Aural features in diplomatic settings

4.1.3 Visual and spatial features in diplomatic settings

4.1.4 Gestural features in diplomatic settings

4.1.5 Multimodal hierarchy in contextual reconfiguration

4.1.6 Synopsis on multimodal semiotic use in China–U.S. bilateral talks

4.2 Meaning recontextualization: Towards a multimodal interpretive model

4.2.1 MIM – a comprehensive toolkit

4.2.2 Meaning recontextualization patterns in China–U.S. diplomatic interpreting

4.3 Chapter review

5. Multimodal affordances in experiential meaning transfer

5.1 Experiential meaning realization and recontextualization by linguistic mode

5.1.1 Experiential meaning shift by addition

5.1.2 Experiential meaning shift via transformation

5.1.3 Experiential meaning shift via substitution of linguistic meaning

5.1.4 Experiential meaning shift caused by misinterpretation

5.2 Representational meaning realization and recontextualization by aural mode

5.3 Representational meaning realization and recontextualization by gestural mode

5.3 Representational meaning realization and recontextualization by visual mode and spatial mode

5.5 Representational meaning realization and recontextualization by multimodal synergies

6. Interpersonal meaning realization and recontextualization

6.1 Inntroduction

6.2 Interpersonal meaning realization and recontextualization by linguistic mode

6.3 Interactive meaning realization and recontextualization by aural mode

6.4 Interactive meaning realization and recontextualization by gestural mode

6.5 Interactive meaning realization and recontextualization by visual mode and spatial mode

6.6 Interpersonal meaning realization and recontextualization by multimodal synergies

6.7 Interactive meaning realization and recontextualization patterns

7. Multimodal affordances in compositional meaning transfer

7.1 Textual meaning realization and recontextualization

7.2 Textual meaning realization and recontextualization by linguistic mode

7.3 Compositional meaning realization and recontextualization by aural mode

7.4 Compositional meaning realization and recontextualization by gestural mode

7.5 Compositional meaning realization and recontextualization by visual mode and spatial mode

7.6 Compositional meaning realization and recontextualization by multimodal synergies

7.7 Compositional meaning realization and recontextualization patterns

8. Conclusion

8.1 Conclusions, implications, and limitations

8.1.1 Conclusions

8.1.2 Contributions

8.1.3 Limitations and future research directions

Appendices

Index