When I first started this major, I did not have a full understanding of what it meant to be an interpreter. I had seen spoken language interpreters from the time I was young and I had seen sign language interpreters on and off throughout my life. I thought I knew what they did, but I was wrong.
When I started taking my American Sign Language (ASL) classes, I thought interpreting would be easy. It was simply doing word for word from English to sign and sign to English, right? No. Then I attended my first Deaf event. I was a level 1 ASL student which is the equivalent to level 0. I had very basic understanding. When I arrived, I was lost. I found the table, but I had no idea what was going on.
It seemed very loud, but when I looked around it was quiet in the restaurant. The visual noise sounded like auditory noise to me. The ASL 4 student that saw me there was impressed because I came. Almost nobody from my level would come to the Deaf events. I had a very basic understanding of sign. That day I learned so many new signs and my receptive skills were tested. I loved it. But it wasn't interpreting.
When I got to ASL 3+4 (combo class) I was considered talented in my receptive. I could understand at a level 6 level but could only produce at a level 4 level. It appears that my ability with oral languages has translated into my signed languages. An ability to understand and retain, but an inability to produce.
When I finally got to the college I am at now, I did pass all my ASL classes and still have. But when I started my first real interpreting class, I started to drown. The process of interpreting is very difficult and is not for the weak of heart or mind. You need an exceptional grasp of the vocabulary and vocal range.
Interpreting isn't just language mediation. It is also cultural mediation, expressing emotions accurately, conveying jokes that might not translate, and making human connections. If you aren't good at one of those things, it can skew the entire message.
Interpreting is hard, exhausting, but rewarding. Everyone should have the opportunity to take interpreting classes, even if they never become interpreters.
When I started taking my American Sign Language (ASL) classes, I thought interpreting would be easy. It was simply doing word for word from English to sign and sign to English, right? No. Then I attended my first Deaf event. I was a level 1 ASL student which is the equivalent to level 0. I had very basic understanding. When I arrived, I was lost. I found the table, but I had no idea what was going on.
It seemed very loud, but when I looked around it was quiet in the restaurant. The visual noise sounded like auditory noise to me. The ASL 4 student that saw me there was impressed because I came. Almost nobody from my level would come to the Deaf events. I had a very basic understanding of sign. That day I learned so many new signs and my receptive skills were tested. I loved it. But it wasn't interpreting.
When I got to ASL 3+4 (combo class) I was considered talented in my receptive. I could understand at a level 6 level but could only produce at a level 4 level. It appears that my ability with oral languages has translated into my signed languages. An ability to understand and retain, but an inability to produce.
When I finally got to the college I am at now, I did pass all my ASL classes and still have. But when I started my first real interpreting class, I started to drown. The process of interpreting is very difficult and is not for the weak of heart or mind. You need an exceptional grasp of the vocabulary and vocal range.
Interpreting isn't just language mediation. It is also cultural mediation, expressing emotions accurately, conveying jokes that might not translate, and making human connections. If you aren't good at one of those things, it can skew the entire message.
Interpreting is hard, exhausting, but rewarding. Everyone should have the opportunity to take interpreting classes, even if they never become interpreters.
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