We all like a good interpreter, don’t we? Who isn’t instantly uplifted upon meeting their communication assistant and realising that they not only know their stuff, they know yours too?
Recently, I have worked with a number of interpreters I had never met before. This is due to a number of reasons, none of them particularly interesting, but what is interesting is the huge amount of differences between each one.
Everyone who is a qualified British Sign Language interpreter, or communication support worker, has achieved a certain level of skill in both their understanding and usage of the language.
They will all have been trained in deaf awareness, interpreting, effective communication and confidentiality. And yet they are like snowflakes; no two are the same.
A short time ago, I was working on a television film set. The interpreter was somebody I had never heard of, drafted in at the last minute when the company realised I really was deaf and not just trying to claim extra expenses.
She walked in and within minutes we were gossiping about the famous faces around us and being mutually horrified by the behaviour of some of the assistants. Within hours (television stuff takes forever and a day to complete) we had covered the whole of the Roman Empire, via Coronation Street and the current (crappy) Governmental attitude towards disabled people. I was genuinely sad to say my thanks and goodbyes at the end.
Even less time ago, I was asked to cover an English lesson (I know; deaf teaching English? There should be laws against it!) for a class of college students who were all hearing.
I have two interpreters I usually call on for these classes, but both were busy (damn them to Hell). The man who came instead was fully qualified and lovely. But I couldn’t work with him. There was literally no relationship between us, and his style of signing was jerky and, to me, distracting.
I actually found myself thinking, “How on earth is this man an interpreter? He’s not even interested in working with me; he’s just some kind of language robot!”
How self-centred is that?
This man, who would have gone through several years and considerable personal expense to become qualified to help anybody with a hearing loss who needed him – I was writing him off because I didn’t think he was making an effort? Because he signed in a different way to me, he was useless?
I reckon that’s probably equal to refusing to work with someone from Newcastle, because you don’t like listening to a Geordie accent and therefore don’t hear the genius in what they’re saying.
I understand that there are certain circumstances where we need specific interpreters, or people we know. I have a friend who simply insists on having nobody other than her most favourite interpreter go with her when she needs fitting for bras (she ended up marrying him actually, though I’m sure that’s unrelated). But I also think there’s a lovely element of surprise in working with new, different people with their new, different styles.
Plus, the more fantastic interpreters you work with, the more people you have to call on when you need assistance. Even though they might not all make that instant connection with you, they’ve chosen this career for a reason. It’s probably nice to be thankful for them. Occasionally.
And, you never know; you might learn something new from them. Signs for Roman Legion General, anyone?
Emily Howlett is a Contributing Editor to this site. She is a profoundly Deaf actress, writer, horsewoman and new mum. Emily used to be found all over the place, but motherhood has turned her into somewhat of a self-confessed homebody. She now has not one, but four grey eyebrow hairs. C’est la vie.
Emily tweets as @ehowlett
Check out what our supporters provide: Phonak: innovative technology and products in hearing acoustics. Ai-Live: Live captions and transcripts. Deaf Umbrella: sign language interpreting and communications support. 121 Captions: captioning and speech-to-text services. Signworld: online BSL learning and teaching materials. STAGETEXT: theatre captioning. Krazy Kat: visual theatre with BSL. SignHealth: healthcare support for Deaf people. Deafinitely Theatre: theatre from a Deaf perspective. Lipspeaker UK: specialist lipspeaking support. SDHH: Deaf television programmes online. Sign Solutions:, language and learning. Lexicon Signstream: BSL interpreting and communication services. Action Deafness Communications: sign language and Red Dot online video interpreting. Hamilton Lodge School in Brighton: education for Deaf children. RAD Deaf Law Centre: and legal advice for Deaf people.
Enjoying our eggs? Support The Limping Chicken:
The Limping Chicken is the world's most popular Deaf blog, and is edited by Deaf journalist, screenwriter and director Charlie Swinbourne.
Our posts represent the opinions of blog authors, they do not represent the site's views or those of the site's editor. Posting a blog does not imply agreement with a blog's content. Read our disclaimer here and read our privacy policy here.
Find out how to write for us by clicking here, and how to follow us by clicking here.
The site exists thanks to our supporters. Check them out below:
- BSL Zone: TV programmes in BSL for the Deaf community
- Deaf Umbrella: what support is available for deaf students?
- Bellman & Symfon: home alerting solutions, including the mobile phone transceiver!
- SignVideo: Instant BSL video interpreting online
- SignHealth: check out the BSL health library
- 999 BSL: call 999 in an emergency, in BSL
- Appa: Looking for RSLIs, TSLIs and CSWs, apply here!
- Signly: Adding BSL to websites
- Signworld: Learn BSL online!
- DCAL: world-class research into deafness, cognition and language
- Action Deafness: “A Deaf-Led Charity” – interpreting & community support services
- Sign Solutions: Instant access to Interpreters, training and BSL translation nationwide
- InterpretersLive: On demand BSL video interpretation
- Lipspeaker UK: specialist lipspeaking support
- BID: Deaf services, including advice and support, interpreting, employment and letters
- Performance Interpreting: BSL interpreting at concerts
- National Deaf Children's Society: The leading charity for deaf children
Linda Richards
December 10, 2013
Hello…. I have recently been writing and asking colleagues and friends about the issue of ‘inaccessible’ interpreters/translators. Those who know me know that interpreting and translation issues are subjects I have written about, delivered training in and been involved with for many years. The provision of ‘access’ should not be ‘inaccessible’ nor a waste of public money. Unfortunately, this is a growing problem. If interpreters/translators are not bilingual, never mind functionally bilingual, then they are not up to the job. There are many issues but I suppose the one that’s pertinent here is that anybody working in this field is, by definition, doing so in a very visual way. If therefore, the person is ‘jerky’, this impacts on your relationship with them and your ability to take in the message and is not the smooth seamless communication that should exist with an interpreter. Such behviour also reflects on you in the wider group, gives misleading and limited information about the speaker/source language and shapes people’s perceptions of you and of sign language. The tragedy is not that one is being selfish but that this person was ‘allowed’ to proceed so far down the line. It was a disservice to them and ultimately to the rest of the field and other Deaf people who may not have your abilities to devise ‘strategies’ to cope or function with the service presented. It’s Christmas, it’s the feel good season, goodwill to men and all that, but I can’t agree with the premise that such practitioners can be excused as “they’ve spent all this money and are trying their best”. By the same token, Deaf tutors and others need to stop saying “you sign well, why don’t you become an interpreter?” I don’t say to someone “you drive well, ever thought of becoming a driving instructor?” And never to someone who ‘veers’ all over the road.
Natalya Dell
December 10, 2013
While not totally the same, I’ve recently started using STTR (speech to text reporting aka Palantypy) support and while it’s not BSL interpreting in that they don’t translate tone etc, I have found I like some people’s output more than others. I am currently making notes to myself to try and work out specifically what it is I prefer or don’t prefer so I can be clearer in what I ask for and how I ask for it to be produced (where possible) as I’m theoretically the one in charge and can do that (oooh the power etc).
Interestingly while I take Linda Richards’s points above, I find with the few BSL users I know that one person’s favourite BSL interpreter is another person’s “oh I don’t like X” so I don’t think it’s always down to people being allowed to progress too far and I think it may well be down to something akin to accents.
I don’t think most hearing people are used to every speaker being different in the way deaf (signers and non signers) are, to us a small change in accent, cadence, volume or way of speaking can make a huge difference to how much we understand them. I think for BSL it’s known to be even more that way, partly because of how most of us have learned it (I mean how many of us are BSL natives? Hardly any. How many of us got BSL officially in our education? Loads of people I know learned BSL in our teens and twenties and later)…
I would like to see more Deaf/deaf ledness in qualification for communication professionals as it does seem to be some people can pass the exams and not be easy to understand by a range of deaf people and others who are loved by deaf clients find it much harder to “pass the exams”. I think it’s lipspeakers who have to be assessed by a panel of deaf people as well as passing some exams stuff.. Does that happen for BSL interpreters?
Dave Wycherley
December 10, 2013
I organise (some say dis-organise ) a website of BSL interpreters in Yorkshire. One of the features that Deaf people like is the photos that pop up when you click on an interpreters name. However this does lead to some interesting discussions as to why the Deaf person prefers one interpreter to another. Surprisingly it’s not because they think one person looks better than another (gasp!), but usually to do with signing style, personality and attitude.
Emily writes that she has two preferred interpreters to work with her when she is teaching. Well, there’s a case in point, it makes a great deal of sense to work with someone who you are comfortable with and can trust to get on with the job. Those of us who get these repeat bookings recognise that it’s a privileged position to be in too.
However we do get to interpret for a new Deaf face from time to time, and it can be nerve wracking to try and work out exactly what their preferences are. Do they prefer the language robot? Or a bit of banter? Or Not! Maybe they want someone who shares their passion in stamp collecting as that’s their main topic of conversation with their pals. Some love to discuss what’s going on in the latest soaps (don’t book me then, I don’t ‘do’ soaps).
Nationally, interpreter training programs cover a lot of issues regarding language, translating, and interpreting. But I’m afraid to say the one module I’ve not yet seen advertised is “Telepathy”.
So, if you are a Deaf person, meeting an interpreter for the first time. Why not sit down with a cuppa for 5 minutes and talk about how you like to work. And if something isn’t working for you, talk to us.
We aren’t telepathic.
Sorry!
DeafScooby
December 10, 2013
I totally understand Emily having interpreters she knows and trusts. One of the most important things I need from interpreters is FULL information. I worked with one interpreter for many months before I became aware that he was missing out bits of what was said. If an interpreter is not relaying full information this puts me at a disadvantage compared to everyone else in the room. I can work with different signing styles, I can work with interpreters from out the area who use different regional signs, however I cannot work with incompetent interpreters who don’t give me full information. This is why I try to book interpreters I know and trust as much as possible.