Prosody in simultaneous interpretation (SI) is a recent research field receiving increasing
attention but still insufficiently explored for certain language pairs. The present contribution
discusses the prosodic features of interpreted texts as such and in relation to the
source text (ST) for the German-Italian language pair.
The target texts (TTs) of six professional interpreters were transcribed and analysed
according to the following analysis criteria: speech rate, pauses (filled and unfilled and
their position in the text) and syllable lengthening, intonation and prominence.
The objective of the study was to analyse the prosody of professional interpreters
through the perceptual method, assessing the features of prosody as observed in interpreting
practitioners. Since the ST is an example of impromptu speech, the study also aimed at
understanding the role played by spontaneous speech in the interpreting process.
The results concerning interpreters’ speech rate and intonation confirmed consolidated
theories in SI, whereas categories such as pauses, stress on words and the sub-category
of syllable lengthening raised new points, showing that some specific behaviour is intentionally
produced by interpreters to deal with difficult portions of text through the use of
prosodic features.
