One of the definitions of the word 鈥渃ulture鈥 given in the dictionaries goes as follows: 鈥渃ulture is the characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people, encompassing language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts鈥[1]. Indeed, every nation conceives the world form different perspective. In our daily life we follow certain rules while we socialize, behave ourselves and even when we eat. These 鈥渋nvisible鈥 rules vary from nation to nation. These rules are not made up within a year or a decade, it took centuries to form up and to become an ineluctable part of our life.
Considering culture in the framework of interpreting we come to the conclusion that any speaker consequently, led by human nature, is driven by the culture. The impact of the latest can be seen in behaviour, gestures, the way of speech delivery and the language.
As we know culture is also reflected in the language. When addressing speeches to the audience orators not only convince listeners of what they deliver but also represent their culture, proven experience gathered through centuries. We may easily come across in any speech at least a small tint of culture to which the orator belongs.
If you listen to a Russian speaker, you can notice that the speech is full of patriotic feelings and commitments, if you listen to an Uzbek speaker鈥檚 statements then you may find out the huge respect to ancestors鈥 achievements.
In this speech we would like to dwell on Russian and Uzbek speakers in the light of common behaviour of the speakers.
The behavior of Uzbek orator changes according to the styles of speech. For instance, if there is a congratulatory speech you might hear the common clich茅s like 鈥Sizga sihat-salomatlik, oilaviy baxt, ishingizga rivoj va muvaffaqiyatlar tilayman!鈥. Clich茅s of this sort sometimes may cause interpreter to get distracted from the main idea. However, we should not forget that interpreters鈥 main target is the 鈥渋dea鈥 of any statement which must be delivered distinctly. Furthermore, Uzbek speakers seem to inadvertently make their speech long using ornate expressions, long and convoluted sentences whereas they could have conveyed the essence of their message through pair of short sentences. Of course we do not want to restrict them to express themselves in an impressive way. It is their discretion to decide how to write and deliver speech as they are orators whose aim is, as was mentioned above, to convince the audience.
As for the behavior of Russian speakers they tend to be serious from the very outset and try first to pay tribute to 鈥渃eremonial functions鈥. Still in the middle of their speeches very often a frivolous joke or funny saying can clear the air. They also like to address the acquaintances during the speeches with phrases like 鈥袧褍 胁芯褌, 袠胁邪薪 袩械褌褉芯胁懈褔 锌芯写褌胁械褉写懈褌鈥鈥, 鈥袦褘 褋 袥懈写懈械泄 袙邪褋懈谢褜械胁薪芯泄 锌褉芯褕谢懈 芯谐芯薪褜, 胁芯写褍 懈 屑械写薪褘械 褌褉褍斜褘鈥芯薪邪 薪械 芯斜屑邪薪械褌鈥.
Russian speakers usually feel free to use critical comments, but having learnt well the experience of Russian poets and novelists of the past consciously or not try to use masked hints, comparisons as in fables and so on.
Usually, when an Uzbek orator criticizes something in his speech he is not straightforward as western speakers, instead you hear subtle criticism in the form of proverbs, metaphors, sarcasm, irony etc. for instance: 鈥淨arang-a, oramizda shunday 鈥渁qilli鈥 insonlar bor ekanda鈥, or 鈥淏ir balosi bo鈥榣masa shudgorda quyruq na qilur鈥. It is of greatest importance for the interpreter to be able to feel this kind of wrapped criticism and get the gist of it across to the audience without doing violence to the meaning.
Gestures as we know can give us up to 30% of the information the person wants to share. In the framework of usual conversation people listen to the words and sentences which are subject to be subconsciously analyzed by the interlocutors. 聽Intonation, pauses, emotions and facial expression provide them with additional information. As for interpreters, they do it consciously and try to get as much information as they can from any auxiliary source. The Russians do not use gestures much. (The biggest exception is Vladimir Zhirinovsky).
The last point to be thoroughly considered is the language and the way of its delivery.
It is a rare thing to see an Uzbek orator to be excessively emotional. 鈥淓venly-tempered鈥, 鈥渟erious鈥 this is the common definition given to most of them. Another feature to be mentioned here is deviation from the speech structure which consequently make this type of delivery long and excessive. For instance, they might use an example to leave an indelible impression but then they tend to focus on that too much which can cause listeners to get confused.
The Russians use proverbs, sayings and phrases from novels, fables, popular Russian films, poetry, sweeping comparisons etc. Interpreter should be ready to interpret combinations of the following kind: 鈥溞澬感盒拘承葱 薪械 蟹邪褉械泻邪泄褋褟鈥 or 芦小薪邪褔邪谢邪 写械薪褜谐懈, 锌芯褌芯屑 褋褌褍谢褜褟禄
For example, a couple of months ago I had been engaged into simultaneous interpreting of a serious international round-table held in Tashkent. There were experts and specialists from a big number of different countries. There were several specialists from the Russian Federation. While interpreting them I stumbled across some difficulties connected with their way of expressing themselves. One of the Russian experts suddenly while delivering the speech decided to compare using the phrase: 鈥溞捫狙 锌芯锌褉芯斜褍泄褌械 褋谢芯屑邪褌褜 泻邪褉邪薪写邪褕 芯 泻芯谢械薪芯? 袧褍, 胁芯褌 褌邪泻 卸械 懈 胁 写邪薪薪芯泄 褋懈褌褍邪褑懈懈鈥. It was difficult to understand whether he meant easiness or a complication of the process. Of course, in this case a great help comes from the background knowledge and the context which accompany a statement of this sort.
Proverbs, quotes of the greatest poets of the East are widely used by Uzbek orators as a tool for easy delivery of the content of the speech. Proverbs are not only used in speeches but also in everyday life: 鈥淏u masalani hal qilishdan oldin yetti o鈥榣chab bir kesish kerak鈥, 鈥淵ugurganniki emas, buyurganniki鈥.
We would like to reiterate that cultural awareness paves the way for the successful interpretation. It helps to discharge the duty of the interpreter as a bridge between cultures.
Maybe Culture is not seen but is very well felt. Not knowing the cultural intricacies means to become vulnerable to the unexpected outcomes during the interpretation.
Thus continuous enrichment of cultural background, doing justice to cultural values provides the desired accomplishment of interpreters鈥 job.
Norkuvatov Sanjar
Raximova Sitora
[1]Source: www.livescience.com
