Interpreting: February 2004 Archives

Hmmm, its been awhile now, but I was thinking about a conversation I had after a job with a new Deaf person...she was telling me she had "a bad habit of teasing the interpreters" and I said I had "a bad habit of interpreting so that the hearing people know what's going on." My team interpreter raised her eyebrows at me, but since then we've both been voicing those comments and the Deaf person is being more integrated into the class as others get to experience her sense of humor.

Then, there was the time a student was waiting to talk to a professor and right when it was her turn another hearing student walked up and even though I was already voicing her comments this guy just started talking right over me! And the teacher turned to him! It could have been a gender thing in addition to the Deaf/hearing thing...at any rate, I wasn't very graceful: I immediately said, "Excuse me, its her turn" and resumed the interpretation. The student apologized but the instructor didn't. Unfortunately, I was just subbing that day, so the intervention probably didn't "stick." :-(

More positively, the interpreter confidentiality bill is making progress in the Vermont House and looks like it will get passed on to the State Senate in time for a vote to happen this year. Yeah!

It's really true! Check this out (from their promotional materials) :-)

The Art of Juggling Conference
April 23rd, 24th, 25th, 2004
At the Anchorage Hilton Downtown
Deaf Interpreter Presenters: Julie Simon & Steve Walker
ASL Language Presenter: Trix Bruce
Interpreting Presenter: Stephanie Jo Kent

Stephanie Jo Kent, CI, MS, has been interpreting for a decade. She earned a masterís degree in social justice education in 1996 and is in her second year of doctoral studies in communication.

Steph has worked at two residential deaf schools, was a member of the planning team for the Allies conferences from 1997-1999, and co-presented ìDaring to Depathologize,î a keynote presentation with Laurene Gallimore for the National Association of Multicultural Education in 1998.

Steph will teach the same material to both groups. One day to advanced interpreters, and the other to beginner/intermediate interpreters. Her workshop is Interpreting as Interaction: The Interpreter and Group Dynamics. The focus will be on the practical management of the communication process ñ for example, when, how, and why interpreters seek to manage the turn-taking process, and what are the outcomes of intervening ñ or not ñ when several people start talking at the same time. Video of an actual interpreted meeting will illustrate these challenging group dynamics and serve as the starting point of our discussion. We will also watch some interviews with Deaf people talking about why they criticize interpretersí management of the communication process. These will serve as context for deeply self-reflective analysis of how our own needs and desires may actually interfere with the communication and relational process among Deaf and hearing consumers.

At the end of the workshop, each participant will have a better understanding of their own individual (personal) contribution to group dynamics while interpreting as well as how their responses to Deaf criticism may interfere with effective interpreting practice.