What is sign language interpreting?

by Target Language Translation Services

- September 27 2021

Sign languages are visual communication, using hand and finger shapes, movement, body language and facial expressions to convey meaning, which are the primary forms of communication of people who are deaf and hard of hearing. They are also effective communication techniques for people with disabilities such as Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, apraxia of speech, and autism.

Sign languages are natural languages that have evolved over time, and have the same features as spoken languages. One of the feature is that sign languages are not universal. For example, In Australia, people use the Australian Sign Language or Auslan and in India people use Indian Sign Language. Various sign languages have their own unique grammar, semantics and vocabulary. Even within a country, there are often regional dialects and variations in some of the signs used by various cultural groups. Some sign languages, such as British Sign Language (BSL), are languages in their own right with no direct mapping between the spoken language of the land and the local sign language. Other sign languages are more closely related to the spoken language or are a direct visual representation of a spoken language.

What is sign language interpreting?

Sign language interpreting is the use of a sign language to convey the information contained in the programme audio (speech and other important sounds) to facilitate the communication between deaf and hard-of-hearing people and the hearing community.

It is a commonly held misconception that the provision of subtitles removes the need for sign language interpreting on television. This is false for two reasons:

--Sign Language is the first language of deaf people who may be far less fluent in reading the written language,

especially for those who use sign languages which are substantially different from the spoken language in grammar, semantics and vocabulary. It is therefore just like a foreign translation of an English programme would be to a non-native English speaker.

--Language is not only about communicating speech, but also about emotion, concept formation, identity and belonging. To a person who learned sign language as a child and uses it as their primary form of

interaction with their peers, only sign language can communicate these vitally

important aspects.

When is sign language interpreting required?

Sign language interpreters are largely employed by educational institutions, courts and medical and healthcare organizations to comply with the rule to provide equal access to information to everyone, whether they can hear or they are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

Sign language interpreting is also provided at business events or during significant speeches and announcements, including missing person or criminal briefings, presidential speeches or any other significant address.

A sign interpreter may also be present during large events or in personal meetings to break down communication barriers between all sides in the conversation.

Types of sign language interpreting

There are some types of sign language interpreting based on the needs of the clients and the availability of interpreters as following:

Consecutive sign interpreting

The interpreter listens to a speaker or observes signing of several sentences and then renders them into the target language. The interpreter may take note while listening/observing the speaker in order to interpret the message more accurately.

Simultaneous sign interpreting

The interpreter simultaneously listens to the speaker and signs for the deaf or hard-of-hearing audience or observes the sign language user and renders their message by speaking to the target customer.

In some situations, the interpreter may not be on location and interpreting is conducted via video-conferencing technology. This service is gaining popularity as the demand for sign language interpreters has skyrocketed recently.

What do sign language interpreters do?

The role of the interpreters, regardless of the languages they speak, is always to facilitate the communication between two different parties that do not share the same language. The same goes for sign language interpreters who help deaf and hard-of-hearing people communicate with the hearing community in business meetings, events, conferences, lectures, and other similar activities.

The sign language interpreters do not work from a booth like other interpreters. They need to be close to the speaker so they can hear them. They need a high-quality audio feed to ensure clarity. When interpreting into other sign languages, the interpreter must have an excellent view of the signer.

It takes exceptional skills to be a sign language interpreter. The person must always fully comprehend the subject and can precisely translate the information. Aside from language proficiency, the interpreter must have excellent sign language skills with listening and communication skills. The interpreter must have an excellent memory as the interpreter needs to remember what the speaker said in detail so the interpreting is precise. In some situations, the interpreter will do advanced research if the subject is technical or complicated.

Sign language interpreters are professionals who facilitate communication and render the message from the source into the target language without changing the meaning or showing their personal bias towards the message.

Sign language interpreting is a vital service that is highly sought after today. It is valued by all communities, and these professionals play a critical role as mediators of communication for deaf and hard-of-hearing people.

This article is reprinted from CEUD, ICD Translation and eTS.

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