Deaf Interpreters

The notion of Deaf people working as interpreters has not been widely recognized or recorded in research until the last fifteen years (Napier, 2002; Boudrealt, 2005; Forestal, 2005 and 2011; Adam et al, 2010, 2011 and 2014). However this concept is not entirely new concept given how Deaf people have often engaged in interpreting and translation tasks voluntarily or otherwise. Their work has been ever present in the history of Deaf communities throughout the world (Bienvenu & Colonomos, 1992). Yet very little research has been undertaken on a study of any aspect of Deaf interpreting as a profession due to a myriad of factors including lack of awareness of their work, a tendency to regard them in a supporting role and a history of power relations

which I will explore in Chapter Three.

Long before the emergence of professional training courses for Deaf interpreters, Deaf people have been performing as ‘language brokers’ without ever receiving the recognition that they were actually doing the task of interpreters (ibid).

Adam, Carty & Stone (2011), discussing the origin and historical development of ‘Deaf interpreting’, indicate that Deaf people have had an inherent ability to translate spoken and written language into Deaf culture in various settings such as residential school (classroom), family, and Deaf club centres. Stone & Russell (2013) identify the Paris banquets of 1834 as a key moment in history where Deaf people performed as interpreters. Amongst the attendance of the event organised by Deaf people, were hearing people who needed the support of interpreters to access conversation conducted in sign language. Delegates came from England, Germany and Italy and communication was in International Sign (IS) as it is currently known. French Deaf people employed hearing interpreters to translate from IS into spoken French (Ibid). Carty, Macready and Sayers (2009: 309) discovered “a historical record of a woman born in 1640 whose Deaf husband wrote down what she said so that she could become a member of her

church.”

These examples show evidence that sign language interpreting was always present in the Deaf community. As an example, Deaf people have been asked for assistance in translating letters, newspapers and other information. In some cases they offered their service in exchange for services such as tailoring (Adam, Carty & Stone, 2011). The reciprocal sharing of such knowledge and skills and knowledge have been a regular feature of Deaf community life in the past (Ladd, 2003). In current language use, Deaf people have for hundreds of years engaged as ‘language brokers’, ‘ghost writers’, ‘relay interpreters’ and ‘translators’(Adam, Carty & Stone, 2011). These terms are explored later in this chapter. Thus the language brokering experience has allowed Deaf people develop better understanding of the needs of the Deaf community to which they belong to.

By the late 1980s, Deaf interpreters began to attract attention from researchers and historians around the world.

At the first ever European Forum of Sign Language Interpreters (efsli) seminar held in Glasgow in 1988, British Sign Language (BSL) activist and scholar, Clark Denmark, delivered a presentation on the importance of recognising Deaf people’s role as sign language interpreter. Denmark’s presentation focussed on the professional development of Deaf people for careers as interpreters at local and international levels. His concern relate to the barriers facing Deaf interpreters in terms of access to training and employment opportunities and lack of qualifications. In 2008, John Walker’s presentation at the efsli conference called Third Language Interpreting explores the dynamics of interpreting and the journey towards professionalization of Deaf interpreting. He concludes that training opportunities should be available to both Deaf and hearing interpreters in order for them to learn how to work together effectively as a team. Finally, Walker (2008).advocated for an establishment of a national association of Deaf interpreters which would develop criteria required for membership of this

group.