A Bibliometric Analysis of Domestic and International Research on Cognitive Interpreting Studies

Abstract

This bibliometric analysis examines domestic and international core journal articles to map the thematic contours and overall development of cognitive interpreting studies (CIS) over the past two decades. Data were obtained from central databases, including China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Taiwan Humanities and Social Sciences Citation Index, Translation Studies Bibliography, Web of Science, and EBSCO. Visualized network maps generated by CiteSpace and traditional literature review provided multidimensional insights into research hotspots and frontiers, as evidenced by co-word frequencies, h-indices, citation counts, publication years, institutional distributions, authorship, and other metrics. Differences in philosophical paradigms, theoretical perspectives, methodologies, and research techniques are highlighted. Research has mostly focused on interpreting pedagogy, language comprehension, working memory, and interpreter capabilities. Looking ahead, fMRI studies, corpus-based analyses, eye-tracking experiments, and inquiries into simultaneous interpretation and sign language interpreting may emerge as new research trends in CIS. Current gaps point to strategies and recommendations for future inquiries to advance this burgeoning field.