Linguistic and cognitive index of security-based selection (IBS) in simultaneous interpreting: Evidence from wartime Ukrainian discourse
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29038/eejpl.2026.13.1.skrKeywords:
simultaneous interpreting , executive control, wartime communication, index of security-based selection, crisis discourseAbstract
This study introduces the Linguistic and Cognitive Index of Security-Based Selection (IBS) as a psycholinguistically grounded indicator of interpreters’ regulatory choices under heightened communicative risk. Building on an episode-based analytical design, the paper examines 500 English-Ukrainian simultaneous interpreting episodes produced in high-stakes institutional settings during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine (2022-2026), where discourse is shaped by crisis framing, emotional pressure, and escalation-sensitive evaluative language. From a psycholinguistic perspective, security-based selection is modelled as an interaction between attentional control, executive inhibition, and monitoring: interpreters dynamically suppress high-risk lexicalisations, reframe categorical judgments, and stabilise pragmatic meaning through controlled reformulation. IBS is considered as the proportion of risk-generating elements rendered in a security-appropriate manner and is analysed in relation to temporal coordination (EVS) and performance indicators. Quantitative analysis demonstrates a solid inverse association between temporal delay and security-based regulation (EVS–IBS), alongside a positive relationship between IBS and expert-rated overall quality. Qualitative micro-analysis of critical segments further shows that wartime discourse triggers a shift toward anticipatory-protective routines, where interpreters prioritise communicative stability and institutional appropriateness over maximal surface completeness. IBS contributes to resilience in crisis-driven multilingual communication reflecting adaptive psycholinguistic modulation under stress. The study expands cognitive accounts of simultaneous interpreting, accounting for crisis discourse constraints and developing measurable, episode-sensitive diagnostics, with implications for interpreter assessment and training in security-sensitive contexts.
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The author reported no potential conflicts of interest.
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