INTERPRETATION AND THE MENTAL STATE OF AUDIENCE

Abstract

The person reading this research now, may have read a comic book or a fashion magazine a few hours earlier, yet if one expected the reader to have the same attention spam in both readings, one would be terribly wrong. Understanding the receiver’s mental state is the key in all kinds of communication. Specifically noted, the communication between the instructor and the student, and between the interpreter and the visitor. As is pointed out, interpretive communications do not only deal with presenting information; instead, they incorporate an unique communication technique to enable people to grasp technical material in terms they can understand. (Veverka,2011) About this communication strategy, Sam H. Ham’s concept of captive and noncaptive audiences is displayed as his following quote:

“interpretationis, norwasitinthekindsofaudiencesthatvisitorsare. Rather it lay in the psychological state they brought with them to the interpretive encounter.” (Ham,2005)

In addition to Ham, the light was also cast on Freeman Tilden, who was the first to identify the line between facts and interpretation as a result of his worry that fact-finding interpreters might confuse the two. And as a result, their intention of being at the event was not met because it did not meet their expectations (Ham, 2005). This research will study different interpretation atmospheres and discuss on the captivity of audience in each of them.