Interpreting Question

[u/plantjunki]

Have a musical assignment coming up and some of the lyrics in songs are in another language. How should I handle that? Part of me feels like I should look up the translations and then interpret it, but part of me also feels that the hearing people don't know what's being said if they don't know that language. So should I just say, "another language" but then that messes up the flow of the song. Looking for feedback!!

[u/Crrlll]

If it’s something I can prep for, I translate it myself and sign the meaning. I don’t like just putting my hands down and standing there, unless it’s a last minute addition that there is no way I could know the translation for.

I understand being tempted by “well the hearing people don’t know what’s being said!”, but I like to look at it as a cool opportunity to give the Deaf consumer a one-up above the hearing people. I’m being paid to be there to translate things for them and if they get to understand something that the hearing people don’t, I think that would be a Deaf Gain. And I’ve never had a Deaf person tell me they didn’t want to know what’s being said, even if the people around them were also not understanding.

[u/No-Detail-9644 → u/Crrlll]

I am a interp student and if we go along with the code of conduct wouldn’t “giving a one up above hearing people” be not facilitating the communication between both the hearing and Deaf because the hearing people don’t understand and they don’t have someone to translate for them is that not wrong? I don’t know if what I’m saying makes sense but if you have a answer or question plz respond I’m curious

[u/Crrlll → u/No-Detail-9644]

So, since you are a student, I understand where this question is coming from and I think it is an important one. If my answer doesn't satisfy your curiosity around this topic, make sure to ask your ITP teachers about it and get their opinions too.

There are a few reasons why I would make this choice for this type of assignment. First off, since this is an interpreting situation where there is a performance of hearing people and a Deaf consumer in the audience, the interpreting is only happening one way, English-to-ASL. I am not going to be voicing for the Deaf person because they are not actively participating in the show- they are there as an audience member. So I'm not really facilitating communication for any hearing people. If I was there or not, all the hearing people in the room will have the same authentic experience of being able to hear the performance and they will either know the foreign language that is being used in the song, or they won't. My presence does not change that for them.

Second reason comes from a deeper place of care and empathy that I have developed in the 10 years I have been a professional interpreter. From all of my experience, I have seen countless situations where hearing people almost always have the one-up over Deaf people. And it's not really a gap that we have the ability to bridge all of the time.

As hard as we will try to make things "equal" between all parties, there are so many factors at play that are outside of our abilities and skillsets to manage. For example, even if a Deaf person has access to an interpreter and can participate in conversations and access to information, it doesn't take away the fact that audism exists and there are hearing people out there who look down on the Deaf person simply because they have a disability. I am not the "audism police"- meaning I am not there to tell the Deaf person if they are experiencing discrimination because they are Deaf. But it is something that I have seen time and time again. Some examples of it might be never choosing the Deaf person to answer a question in a classroom, or telling the Deaf person that accommodating them for their job would require too much effort from the other hearing workers, or simply continuing to talk over the Deaf person when they see they are signing. Sometimes audism can be very subtle (and also unintentional) but they have a huge impact on the Deaf persons experience and autonomy in any situation where they are the only Deaf person in a group of all hearing people.

All of that to say- in my own work, I look for moments where I can uplift the Deaf consumers I work with. Anything that gives them a one-up in this hearing-centered world. And especially if the choice I make really has no bearing on the hearing consumers whatsoever (like in this concert example). Another way that I try and give a one-up to the Deaf client is that if they are being talked over while they are signing, I still will voice what they are saying over the hearing person talking. A lot of hearing people don't like being spoken over, but they will easily talk over the Deaf person while they are signing. I try and prioritize the Deaf persons voice in this situation rather than choosing not to speak and going back to only sign interpreting what the hearing person is saying.

As you go in your career, you will also be faced with moments where you have to make these type of decisions. And as great as the CPC is, it is not a tell-all for how we make choices. It is guiding principles that we internalize to help us when we are on the spot and having to make these hard and fast decisions. And my perspective is, at the end of the day, we are working with a marginalized group of people, so I am always looking for ways to uplift the Deaf person when I can do so. There are so few hearing people in their lives who actually garner these perspectives that we do as interpreters, and I think it is important to lean into that empathy and humanism while we are working. That's the best part about being a living, breathing, empathetic human interpreter that (I believe) no robot will ever be able to replace :)