Aptitude for Conference Interpreting: A proposal for a testing methodology based on paraphrase

The methodology proposed aims at detecting the linguistic and cognitive strategies which can help predict “school efficiency” in students wishing to attend a conference interpreting course. The aim of the present paper is to explain the theoretical framework for choosing an oral paraphrasing exercise as a diagnostic tool for aptitude to interpreting. Our model to analyse students’oral paraphrases at three levels, i.e. syntax, semantics, and pragmatics, will also be discussed. The paper is divided into two parts. The first part presents an overview of aptitude criteria and tests implemented world-wide and tackles the issue of the need for an objective measurement of abilities. The second part focuses on paraphrase and our analytical three-tier models and categories.