INTERPRETACIÓN I – Notes 3.

SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION

Definition of key terms:
Signed languages: Signed languages are visual-gestural languages. Signed languages evolve
naturally in deaf communities, and signers use conventional and mutually agreed-upon symbols
(that is, signs) to communicate with each other. Signed languages have their own grammar and
lexicon, not based on the spoken language of the country or region where the community is
located. Signed languages are not universal. They are real languages, with a complete set of
linguistic structures, complex and highly nuanced, and are as sophisticated as natural spoken
languages.
Signed language interpreting: It is the facilitation of communication between parties who do
not share the same language. Frequently the interpretation occurs between signed and spoken
language users (e.g. deaf and hearing people); however, at times signed language interpreters will
also work between different signed languages, for example, interpreting from Auslan (Australian
Sign Language) to ASL (American Sign Language), or trilingually between two spoken languages
and a signed language (e.g. between English, Maori, and NZSL – New Zealand Sign Language).
Signed language interpreters are typically hearing, although deaf interpreters are becoming
increasingly common in some countries, often specializing in working between signed language
pairs and bringing an innate understanding of signed languages and of deaf culture to the work,
as deaf people themselves.
Bimodal: Signed language interpreters work bimodally in that they typically operate between a
signed language (using a visual-gestural modality) and a spoken language (using an aural-oral
modality). Spoken language interpreters, on the other hand, operate unimodally, whereby both
working languages are perceived by the same sensory system (audition).
Deaf/deaf: In referring to deaf people who belong to a linguistic and cultural minority known as
the Deaf community, the ‘D’ may be capitalized in reference to the individual or the group in
order to accord respect and deference, e.g., Deaf people. When referring simply to audiological
status, i.e., a person with a hearing loss in general, the lower case ‘d’ as in ‘deaf’ is the more
common usage.
Signed language acronyms: National and regional signed languages are commonly referred to
in the form of acronyms, for example: BSL is British Sign Language; LSF is Langue de Signes
Française (French Sign Language), and so on.

Lengua de señas argentina (LSA):

(http://www.fhycs.unam.edu.ar/carreras/wpcontent/uploads/2018/02/Cuaderno-Lengua-de-
Se%C3%B1as)
La Lengua de Señas es una lengua natural, es la lengua de la Comunidad Sorda
Argentina y no es universal, es decir que cada país posee su propia lengua de señas que
se adquiere y se transmite de generación en generación. La característica más relevante
es la de utilizar un canal de transmisión alternativo, en lugar del canal auditivo fonológico
que usan las lenguas habladas, utiliza el canal viso-gestual. En la Lengua de Señas se

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 INTERPRETACIÓN I – Notes 3.

utiliza todo el cuerpo; en general lo que más “llama la atención” es el movimiento de las
manos, pero existen en esta lengua muchos elementos que están presentes en todo el
cuerpo del hablante, que tienen implicancias gramaticales en la lengua.
La Lengua de Señas crece en el seno de esta comunidad, desarrollándose como lengua
natural. Se transmite de generación en generación a través de un proceso de
socialización que se da dentro de las asociaciones de sordos, generalmente entre pares.
Tiene una organización gramatical que sigue principios de otras lenguas pero que, sin
embargo, presenta patrones de estructuración únicos para cada Lengua. La misma no es
internacional y su carácter regional, hace que existan diferencias en las señas. “La
Lengua de Señas Argentina no es una representación manual del español, sino que
consta de una estructura independiente, es entonces una lengua natural que posee todas
las propiedades que los lingüistas describen para las lenguas humanas, una estructura
gramatical tan compleja como la de cualquier lengua hablada, y la misma organización
estructural que cualquier otra lengua” (Massone y Machado, 1991). Aprender la lengua de
la comunidad sorda nos pone en el lugar del otro, pudiendo colaborar con su inclusión
dentro de la sociedad.
Características de la Lengua de Señas:
∼ Completa: Se puede decir todo
∼ Viva: Se modifica permanentemente con el uso de la comunidad Sorda
∼ Difícil: No es la representación gestual del discurso hablado
Elementos de la Lengua de Señas:
∼ Movimiento
∼ Lugar en el espacio
∼ Orientación
∼ Configuraciones manuales
∼ Rasgos No manuales

[Wikipedia] El origen de la LSA se remonta a las primeras escuelas para sordos de Bs As, entre
1880 y 1910. Surgieron por iniciativa del Instituto Nacional de Sordomudos.
El LSA tiene una sintaxis distinta al español, lo cual ha causado conflictos con la comunidad
sorda cuando docentes, artistas o intérpretes ajenos a la comunidad realizan señas en el orden
gramatical del español, lo cual se denomina "español señado" (transliteración).
El orden canónico del español es sujeto–verbo–objeto mientras que para el LSA es sujeto-
objeto-verbo (en ambos casos se aceptan algunas desviaciones). En LSA el verbo va siempre
luego del sujeto y el objeto y si la oración es una pregunta, esta se expresa al final. El sujeto
tácito y los artículos no existen en LSA.

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Comparing signed and spoken language interpreting

The professional practices of spoken and signed language interpreters are slightly different in
terms of language modality, interpreting mode, and directionality.
Spoken language interpreters work unimodally, that is, the two languages between which they
interpret are in the same mode: the languages are audio-verbal languages that are produced and
heard one word at a time in a linear fashion. Signed language interpreters, however, work
bimodally. Signed languages are not visual representations of the spoken word, but have their own
grammatically distinct structures that are capable of complex and abstract expression, equivalent
to (but different from) any spoken language. So signed language interpreters work between two
languages that function in different modalities: a spoken language (linear), and a signed language,
which is visual-gestural and simultaneously incorporates the use of various articulators including
the head, facial features (eyes, eyebrows, mouths, lips, cheeks), shoulders, body, both hands and
fingers, and the space in front of their body to co-construct lexical (content) signs and convey
temporal and grammatical information.

Bimodal interpreting also has an influence on the interpreting mode used by signed language
interpreters. In order to avoid the audio ‘clash’ between two spoken languages being used at the
same time, spoken language interpreters typically work simultaneously in conference settings
when appropriate equipment is available, and in consecutive mode in face-to-face dialogic
communication in community settings. Occasionally simultaneous whispering (chuchotage) is
used in smaller conferences or seminars. For signed language interpreters, however, one
language is silent so there is no interference between the two working languages. For this reason,
signed language interpreters commonly work simultaneously in all contexts.
This comparison between unimodal and bimodal practices of spoken language and signed
language interpreters is made with the assumption that the signed language interpreters can hear,
and thus are working between a spoken and a signed language. However, there are some signed
language interpreters that do work unimodally between two signed languages. These are deaf
interpreters who work in a variety of contexts.

Deaf interpreters work in conference settings either by reading from written speech-to-text
autocue (teleprompter), or by ‘reading’ the message in another signed language where the hearing
interpreter is in a relay* function. In community settings, deaf interpreters typically work from
another relay interpreter. For example, a spoken English presentation may be relayed from English
into BSL by a hearing interpreter, and then interpreted from BSL into American Sign Language
(ASL) by the deaf interpreter for the American conference audience.

[* Relay interpreting (or indirect interpreting): During relay interpreting, the interpreter listens
to the source language speaker and renders the message into a language common to all the other
interpreters. These other interpreters then render the message to their target language groups.]

What provides the most interesting point of comparison with spoken language interpreters,
however, is the fact that deaf interpreters working in community settings (e.g., medical) often

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work intra-lingually within one signed language. A deaf interpreter is typically employed in these
settings along with a hearing interpreter when the hearing interpreter is unable to effectively
communicate directly with a deaf client, e.g., where the client uses idiosyncratic signs or gestures,
or ‘home signs’ which are unique to a family; uses a foreign sign language; has minimal or limited
language skills; is deafblind or deaf with limited vision; uses signs particular to a given region,
ethnic or age group that are not known by the hearing interpreter; or is in a mental state that makes
ordinary interpreted communication especially difficult. Deaf people’s experience of making
themselves understood non-verbally, their first-hand knowledge of diverse communication and
personal backgrounds in the Deaf community, and their ability to conceptualize experiences and
ideas through the eyes of a deaf person can give them a repertoire of visual communication skills
that hearing interpreters cannot necessarily emulate. In these contexts, the deaf interpreter takes
the message from a hearing interpreter, who is signing in an established sign language (such as
BSL), and reframes the message into a different form within the same signed language. For
example, a doctor speaks in English / relayed from English into BSL by a hearing interpreter /
interpreted from BSL into a more basic, visual form of BSL by the deaf interpreter for a deaf
patient who has limited language skills.

COMPONENTS OF INTERPRETING SKILLS

Language competence. It is evidenced in the ability to: 1) produce a variety of analogous

expressions in both languages, 2) capture and reproduce register variations, 3) combine verbal
and non-verbal communication, 4) identify and exploit rhythm and tone patterns of the
languages in order to determine and use the “chunks” of speech so as to maximize the efficiency
of the interpreting, 5) analyze the utterance in the context of the communication in order to
anticipate the direction in which the argument is proceeding (predictability) and the strategy
being used to develop the argument.

Cultural competence. It is formed by the group of elements which include the possession of the
knowledge which enables the interpreter to comprehend the totality of the communicative intent
of the speaker, such as social conventions, institutional practices, taboos, and any other
historically relevant elements of the cultures involved.

↓ The following two apply mostly to consecutive interpreting:

Appropriate techniques. They include knowledge of the dynamics of communication. This

allows the interpreter to consider the following aspects: 1) the spatial arrangement between
participants; 2) techniques for dealing with aspects of control of the situation (how to interrupt
the speaker, how to make participants speak one at a time, etc., etc.); 3) note taking; 4) ordering
the information; 5) techniques related to voice production and modulation in order to make the
interpretation audible, clear and unambiguous; 6) a good handling of repetitions on the part of
the speaker and redundancy in speech; 7) techniques related to the best use of short-term
memory.

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Memory. This component is often subject of heated debate. Breakdowns in interpreting cannot
only be attributed to memory; they are generally caused by problems of comprehension. The
role of memory in interpreting is complex as there are different types of memory involved.

- Information that cannot be transferred to the next stage is forgotten –

Stimulus: stimuli can be perceived by any of the 5 senses

1. Sensory Register: stimuli and information filter. Concentration and good judgement are
vital to dismiss useless information/stimuli.
2. Short-term Memory: There is a matching process which brings along the data from the
long-term memory to the short-term memory when new information appears. If there is no
match, the information is lost. Short-term memory has a physical limit of 5 to 9 units of
meaning and a time limit of 30 secs. If the information is not used within that limit or exceeds
the stated number of units of meaning (overload), the information is lost.
3. Long-Term Memory: it is believed to be unlimited. Retrieval and rehearsal are
necessary for the information to be stored in the long-term memory.

Retrieval is a process of recovering information from a memory store.

Factors such as how the information was learned and how frequently it was rehearsed play a
role in how quickly memories/stimuli are lost.

TECHNIQUES USED TO TRAIN INTERPRETERS (SIMULT. INTERPRETATION)

Shadowing. Repetition of what a speaker says in the same language. This exercise allows students
to become used to speaking and listening at the same time. It is also used particularly in the second
language since it helps improve pronunciation, enunciation and speed. This parrot-style repetition
can adopt two forms: a) phonemic shadowing: which involves the repetition of each sound as it is
heard without waiting for a complete unit of meaning or even an entire word (the shadower stays
right “on top” of the speaker, i.e., there is minimal lag), and b) phrase shadowing: which requires
repeating the speech at longer latencies and lag behind the speaker, waiting for a chunk or unit of
meaning before beginning to shadow, as is the case with simultaneous interpretation. The rationale
is that this auditory-verbal task involves the same basic cognitive processes as simultaneous
interpreting, that is, information processing and divided attention between listening and speaking,
but shadowing is a monolingual task.

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Clozing. In the cloze drill, subjects fill in the blanks in a recorded speech prepared beforehand.
The missing parts are ignored or compensated for by projections based on past experience. It is
useful to evaluate the predictability of a text. Anticipation and prediction are constantly called
into play during simultaneous interpretation.

Paraphrasing. It is to change the wording of a message wherever possible without altering the
meaning. It is very useful because 1) it forces students to build their decalage while they wait to
hear something meaningful before rewording it, 2) it builds vocabulary, and 3) it increases
mental and problem solving agility.

Types of interpreting:

Liaison/bilateral interpreting: Interpreting in two language directions by the same person,

used in court cases, group therapy and police interviews.

Characteristics: Physical proximity of the interpreter, information gap between clients, the
need to interpret into both languages and working individually and not as a team.

Conference interpreting: Interpreting to a big audience (simultaneous interpretation).

Summary interpreting: Paraphrasing and condensing statements in another language.

Intermediary interpreting: Involves more than one interpreter to reach people who have
idiosyncratic speech characteristics or who employ gestures or other sign varieties.

Legal interpreting: Service rendered strictly within the operation of the legal system
(consecutive/liaison).

Whisper/chuchotage: Less formal simultaneous interpretation where one or a few members

of the audience need to be informed of what is being said but their own intervention is
inappropriate or impossible.

Media interpreting: Mainly in TV, most of the time there’s no visual contact with the
speaker, only sometimes via monitor.

Video conferencing interpreting: Takes place when it is impossible to gather people far apart
and when rooms booked for the conference are too small for booths and equipment.

Community interpreting is generally in the hands of people who are not professionals
(liaison interpreting). The typical consultation is the one held between an immigrant and a
medical practitioner, lawyer, social worker, etc.

Interpretation in business settings: Takes place when two or more business people discuss
matters through an interpreter, for example in importing/exporting negotiations. Consecutive
interpretation is used almost all the time and simultaneous (chuchotage) when there is an
individual interpretation for the visiting party or just a few people who cannot follow the

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negotiations within a bigger group. Tension is typical of interpreting in business settings and
very often negotiations become difficult or deadlocked.

Interpretation in medical settings: Interpreters work in hospital, clinics, doctor’s offices

and quasi-legal proceedings such as medical legal evaluations for workers’ compensation
claims and hearings to determine mental competence or eligibility for benefits. As it is
difficult to predict what matters will arise in any given setting, the interpreter needs to be
prepared for anything and everything. The main types of interpreting used are liaison and
on-sight interpreting.