ABSTRACT
The history of conference interpreting begins with the introduction of simultaneous interpreting, and the two terms are therefore closely connected in the literature. However, other modalities of interpreting, specifically consecutive and whispered, are also used in conference settings, and simultaneous interpreting occurs in settings other than conferences, such as multilingual court hearings and churches. From the 1950s and well into the 1990s, simultaneous conference interpreting remained the most visible type of interpreting and the main focus of attention in interpreting research. A much more varied landscape of research on has emerged, with several important strands that render the traditional distinction between cognitive and sociological perspectives less relevant and draw on a broad range of methodologies. An interesting strand of emerging research that merits more attention in the engages with fictional portrayals of conference interpreters to reflect on issues of identity, positioning and agency.
