American Sign Language Interpreting for Deaf Individuals with Disabilities

Undergraduate Theoretical Proposa

Deaf Interpreters’ Perception of Themselves as Professionals in Ireland: A Phenomenological Study

In the extensive literature on sign language interpreting, very little attention has been given to deaf interpreters’ understanding of themselves as professionals. This gap may be due to the fact that professional sign language interpreting is often seen to be synonymous with hearing people. The research therefore set out to gain an insight into how deaf interpreters’ view themselves as professionals, what their understanding of ‘being a professional’ is, and what issues are of concern to them. The authors present and discuss findings from an analysis, informed by professionalism theory, of data derived from interviews with 5 deaf interpreters in Ireland who agreed to participate in the study. A key finding is that deaf interpreters struggle with the idea of themselves as professionals due to a number of factors: First, the stigma of the sign language interpreting profession being a hearing dominion; Second, the lack of professional interpreting courses and qualifications available for deaf interpreters; and finally, the low number of interpreting assignments given to deaf interpreters. A second key finding is that deaf interpreters see themselves as autonomous professionals based on expert knowledge. These issues have implications for the recruitment and retention of deaf interpreters into the sign language interpreting profession in Ireland. We suggest that sign language interpreting agencies and institutions develop and facilitate professional training courses for deaf interpreters as an addition to existing programs of professional training and qualifications being offered to hearing students

Sign Language Interpreting: A Human Rights Issue

Viewed as isolated cases, sign language interpreters facilitate communication between 1 or more people. Viewed broadly, sign language interpreting may be seen as a tool to secure the human rights of sign language using deaf people. To fulfill this goal, interpreters must be provided with proper training and work according to a code of ethics. A recent international survey of 93 countries, mostly in the developing world (H. Haualand & C. Allen, 2009), found that very few respondents had an established sign language interpreter service, formal education and training opportunities for interpreters, or an endorsed code of ethics to regulate the practice of interpreters in their country. As a consequence of these limitations in the interpreting field around the world, there is potential for deaf people’s human rights to be violated. In this article, the accessibility and training of sign language interpreters are discussed from a human rights point of view within the context of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, and a snapshot of the previously unexplored interpreting scene in various countries around the world is given

Constructing linguistic identity and interpreting : a case study of SL interpreting on Chinese television for high-profile political conferences

This study examines the broader social and political implications of sign language interpreting as a social phenomenon in China by investigating – via analysis of news reports and semi-structured interviews with Deaf Chinese people and interpreters – stakeholders’ discourses arising from the presence of sign language interpreting on television for major Chinese political conferences in 2012. Adopting a social constructionist perspective, the analysis draws from media studies, translation studies, sociology, and Deaf studies, with particular attention to the ways in which aspects of interpreting provision are described and valorised. The results show that the interpreting was framed differently, primarily in terms of its quality and social and political value, by the media and by the signing community. Close analysis suggests that the existing construction of deafness primarily as a disability influences the delivery of sign language interpreting in what the target service-users report to be a semi-intelligible form. In the current Chinese social and cultural context, however, such a service is nevertheless prized by signers; they argue that it can provide a learning opportunity for the dominant hearing society, and creates a discursive space for the linguistic and cultural dimensions of Deaf identity to emerge

Examining Mentorship in the Field of Sign Language Interpreting: An Application of Relational Dialectics Theory

Using relational dialectics theory, this study examined mentoring approaches and dialectical tensions that occur in mentoring relationships in the field of sign language interpreting. The traditional function of a mentor is to provide guidance or support to someone who has less experience than themselves. This study focuses on a deeper understanding of the dynamics of mentoring relationships in the field of sign language interpreting. Using a qualitative approach, I conducted semi-structured interviews with sign language interpreters who have been in the role of mentor and mentee. The results, based on interviews with mentors and mentees, show that mentors and mentees prefer the friendship, nurturing, and apprenticeship model of mentorship. This study identified four tensions that impact mentoring relationships within the field of sign language interpreting: structure vs. flexibility, personal vs. professional, openness-to vs. closedness-to, and openness-with vs. closedness-with. Additionally, mentors and mentees noted that trust, commitment, and openness were key to the mentoring relationships. Results from this study support the notion that dialectical tensions and mismatch of mentoring style can have a negative impact on the mentorship and at times lead to termination of the relationship

Empowering marganalised culture : the institution of South African sign language at the University of the Free State

Published ArticleThis paper aims to describe the state of South African Sign Language (SASL) at the University of the Free State (UFS). It provides background to the development of SASL, the development of Deaf education, the teaching of sign language and sign language interpreting at the UFS, research and community development. SASL is one of the languages offered at the UFS. The University has been involved with ground-breaking research to implement a training course on all levels of tertiary education. Students can complete a degree in sign language and also do postgraduate studies in sign language and sign language interpreting. This article aims to indicate how teaching of SASLas an official language empowers marginalised culture