Prosodic features of simultaneous interpreting

We study the prosodic features of simultaneous conference interpreting in an attempt to describe its particular speaking style. We focus on the temporal organisation of the interpreters' speech (pauses, speech rate), as well as global prosodic properties (f0 range, melodic agitation). We also study similarity and convergence phenomena between the speaker and the interpreter, on prosodic features, and their dynamic evolution over time. The findings indicate that interpreters make longer silent pauses, less frequently than speakers and their speech rate is more variable. In most cases, interpreters had a narrower pitch range than speakers and do not mirror the pitch of their speakers.