Interpreting: All Work and No Play?
Wednesday August 27, 2008
At my work picnic, I asked an interpreter what was important for new interpreters to know. She immediately replied, "Socialize in the deaf community. Don't just come to work and interpret." Do you agree or disagree with that statement? When I think about it, I almost never see interpreters socializing, only working, when I go to deaf related events.
Related at About.com: Interpreting for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Comments
While I think it is important for them (interpreters) to maintain some sense of professional distance, I also feel that the best interpreters are the ones who allow the deaf community to get to know them and vice versa. It fosters a better understanding not only of each’s role in the relationship, but also allows a sense of community and for the interpreters to see not only their impact and receive tangible feedback on their performance, but also to allow the interpreters to see that each deaf individual is just that….an individual perhaps with different preferences in signing style, vernacular, etc. Good topic!!
I know there’s a lot of interpreters who feel that they are “above” deaf people and refuse to socialize with deaf people because of some nonexistent ethics rule or something. But the best interpreters I have had are the ones who take some time to socialize and have fun with deaf people.
I have to agree with the two of you here. I like to see an interpreter out of their work environment into a social environment, getting to know those for whom they interpret and possible future clients. It’s a learning experience for everyone. For the interpreters, they can learn new signs and what’s going on in the deaf community. For the deaf, they get to know the interpreter who could help them out in the future.
Jamie and I were talking about this earlier and I posed a question… If an interpreter is under the employment of an interpreter agency, are they allowed to go to deaf events? What are the agency’s rules related to this outside agency time, if any?
I am a professional interpreter and I do associate with the Deaf especially for the reasons mentioned above.
I (a male) interpret in some ‘embarrassing’ for the Deaf situations… pregnant women, court….
So I want them to be comfortable with me, so they need to know me! Yes I go to their BBQs etc, so the Deaf know me, but also I enjoy associating with them, they are my friends!!
Any Deaf want to travel to townsville Australia, contact me (see website) and I will get you in contact with the Deaf here..
You are all welcome!!!!
Hello to everyone! I am a professional sl interpreter coming from a relatively small Eu country, Greece. In my country interpreters that also socialize in the deaf community are mostly CODA or people having other family relations with deaf people. I agree with all comments mentioned above. Socializing in the deaf community is the best way to get in touch with the “deaf culture” and various styles of communication, let alone you get in touch with a very interesting point of view of life, in my opinion. It also prevents prejudice against one another. But the opposite never exists in my country, deaf persons socializing in groups of hearing sign language users. We should do something about that too. And there is always another danger for the interpreters socializing in the deaf community, to get “too close” with their clients, so deaf clients hesitate to hire them afterwards because they know too much! And sometimes it happens for someone (hearing or deaf, doesn’t matter) to misunderstand this socializing effort, cause it rarely happens,for a trial to have a more intimate relationship. All kinds of problems occur after that and all this affects the professional relationship, not only for the persons involved but for all the deaf community and interpreters group. Small groups, news travel fast… I would very much like to have your opinion and experience in this. Thank you very much for the time and space and Jamie keep up with the good work!