What are some different ways that Deaf persons work with interpreters?

Communication Methods: Ways that Deaf persons work with an interpreter. ASL is one of the top languages used within Deaf communities. Interpreters need to follow each Deaf individual's language preference, such as American Sign Language, PSE ("contact sign," which is a mix of ASL signs and English-like signing), or Signing Exact English ("SEE," a manual code for English words). If a school requires ASL, and then a Deaf student transfers from another school that uses SEE, it could take some time for this individual to pick up ASL.

We are not always able to determine which interpreter's skills will best fit a particular Deaf consumer's preferences. Some Deaf people communicate with visual gestures, and these individuals may not fully understand English. In this situation, using a lot of ASL vocabulary may not be as effective in the interpreting situation. Sometimes, educational interpreters must use juggle both ASL and PSE, while a Deaf student struggles to strengthen his or her ASL and English skills. With a student who lacks fluency in language and in manual codes, an educational interpreter may rely primarily on visual-gestural communication.

A deaf person with "high-visual-gestural" skills and limited ASL and English skills may need more than an interpretation in order to learn. He or she may derive more benefit from special educational instruction than from sitting in a class watching an interpreter. Sometimes, one-on-one assignments may offer the chance for an interpreter and a deaf person to work out the most effective communication methods for their situation.

When deaf students join clubs, sports teams, and before-and-after-school activities, this participation with hearing students may be of benefit in expanding language and communication skills. Watching an interpreter who is using a language or code that is not understood may cause a student to feel lost. Interpreters with skills in various communication methods can provide opportunities for deaf students to better understand and communicate.

Who should hire interpreters? Should this be the responsibility of a Human Resources or Special Education department? Can a person who doesn't know any sign language select an interpreter capable of working effectively with deaf students who use differing communication styles? The IEAP brought up the challenge of situations in which the deaf person does not let the interpreter know that he or she does not understand the messages. Sometimes an interpreter feels it is their duty to just "interpret" rather than to ensure that communication messages are getting through. I work to evaluate interpreters to assess their abilities in communicating through visual-gestural styles, as well as through ASL, PSE, and manual codes for English. I work to make sure that interpreters are capable of providing clear communication for individuals and groups with differing communication styles.  

What are some secrets that you would love to share with your fans?!

 

Ha! I've got several secrets: working out, modeling, photography, and flower gardening. Modeling is something that gives me an opportunity to show that “Deaf people can do anything!” However, communicating with the photographers is challenging. I'm looking forward to getting a chance to work with Deaf photographers someday! I like taking good care of myself, drinking plenty of water, keeping in shape, and spending some relaxing time at a spa or pampering myself at a salon. Oh, and I'm a chocolate lover, too!

One of my least favorite moments in life is trying to catch the 2^nd flight after a quick layover! Often, I've had to run from gate to gate not to miss the 2^nd flight. I hate the feeling of getting all “out of breath”. Airlines and hospitality services are often not very accommodating about communicating with Deaf customers. When there are annoying lapses in customer services, I always try to write about my concerns so that these industries will become more well-educated! Hopefully, then they'll treat their next Deaf consumers BETTER!!!
 

Photography is a lot of fun, very peaceful and a great stress reliever! I love taking nature photos, especially animals, flowers, forests, and sunsets at the beach. I love wiggling my toes in the sand along the beach! Perhaps I'm a beach gal, I have always dreamed of owning a beach house. Maybe one day it will happen.

Why is Professional Development so Important to ASL Interpreters?

New discoveries must always be made to keep pace with the current standards of interpreting audiences, to maintain and enhance interpreters' knowledge and skills, and to stay relevant and up-to-date in the profession. Awareness of changing trends and directions in both the interpreting profession and Deaf culture will always be necessary. Likewise, it is important to understand the differences between Deaf and hearing cultures and to professionally and appropriately interpret the respective languages and cultural expressions.

An interpreter who continues to use obsolete signs, and to rely on outdated knowledge, will see that the Deaf community loses respect for that interpreter’s professional skills. New signs are constantly evolving, and the Deaf community continues to create new signs to keep up with new terminology and technological advances. I advocate for professional development that keeps pace with these emerging trends. This is especially vital in specialized interpreting fields (e.g., educational, legal, and mental health contexts). Professional development allows interpreters to keep up with new terms and phrases used by the general community, and new signs that keep in sync with trends in the Deaf community. Maintaining a professional profile requires professional development.

In my training sessions, I enjoy seeing participants update their sign inventory. In training, I have to code switch, choosing signs carefully to keep interpreters current. I may choose to sign more slowly in order to help interpreters grasp particular concepts. As I teach, I provide demonstrations in order to make sure the participants get all the information they need.

I work with both interpreters and the Deaf community, and I conduct “research” in both communities to keep up-to-date. Some deaf consumers have no idea how to work with their interpreters on matters concerning linguistic studies, the CPC, or placement during an assignment. I provide additional training for the Deaf community to ease their interactions with interpreters. Different Deaf communities come from varied socioeconomic levels and there are groups that may have greater strengths in American Sign Language or in the English language. I demonstrate current natural language trends in both ASL and English. Professional interpreters must understand and customize interpreting for their audiences. For example, ASL dialects have a big impact on the quality of VRS interpreting. To aid interpreters, I continuously keep alert to changing English expressions and to evolving ASL adaptations. I demonstrate these in my video clips and workshops. In any profession, and certainly in a language-related profession, it is important to attend training sessions and stay up-to-date with linguistic changes.

My goal is to make a meaningful contribution, helping interpreters become more effective in the workplace, and encouraging them to advance their careers. This may involve moving into specialized fields like educational interpreting, signing for VRS companies, and increasing knowledge in medical, legal, and other types of interpreting. As I train interpreters, I see that they gain experience with new possibilities, new knowledge, and new skills, such as how classifiers have been used with current concepts, and how best to translate English idioms.

I deliver a deeper understanding of what it means to be a professional. I have always enjoyed sharing cultural exchanges through storytelling and through providing examples of exactly how to improve voiced interpreting. Also, by advancing our body of knowledge and deploying technology (e.g., YouTube, mobile videos, etc.), I can help to lower public apprehension and to increase public confidence in individual professionals. Professional development of this caliber raises interpreting standards.

I also share many interpreters’ real-life stories, including their tales of accidental sign bloopers that have led to negative results. I train participants to successfully endure many challenges and to avoid mistakes. Sharing real-life stories allows participants the opportunity to realize that they are not alone. Stories and examples from working interpreters support hard-working professionals and the lessons learned please interpreting audiences. 

There are numerous specific meanings that may require sensitivity in interpreting.

Examples:

•       “sleeping together”: This phrase may convey that two people slept in a single, shared bed. Perhaps there is an implication that the two people had sex, but this is not necessarily the meaning that is intended.

•       "mammogram": The old-fashioned sign could look scary to some people. A better alternative is to sign “breast x-ray” at first, followed by a brief explanation of the procedure, and then subsequently using the correct sign.

ASL semantics as used in various contexts:

•       vibration: This depends on what is vibrating. A vibrating phone looks much different than vibrating, buzzing bees.

•       sex: Again, this depends on what or who is having sex. Sex between dogs looks very different than reproductive processes between flowers.

•       cut: Instead of a single, generic sign used to represent all kinds of cuts, this verb requires agreement, as it is directional and location-specific. Thus, it should be signed on the specifically-affected area of the body.

Some words need to be fingerspelled rather than “signed” because there are many meanings attached to the concepts and their context is quite sensitive. Some examples of words that should be fingerspelled include: weapons, drugs, suicide, abuse, victim, terrorism, and cancer.

Sensitivity while voice interpreting: Many interpreters have asked me about the appropriate terms to use while voice-interpreting, especially on the platform at conferences. Voice interpreting in a culturally sensitive manner at these functions is important, yet many interpreters have never had an opportunity to learn culturally appropriate terminology for these situations. To address these concerns, I put together a chart for my "Voice Interpreting" workshop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall, I love working with interpreters and I enjoy guiding them as they upgrade their professional skills and knowledge. Appreciation for professional interpreters strengthens our Deaf world!  ~ Trix