Deaf Eyes On Interpreting

Deaf Eyes On Interpreting

As the ASL-English interpreting field has become professionalized, there is a growing disconnect between interpreters and the Deaf consumers they serve. Whereas interpreting used to be a community-based practice, the field is growing into a research-based profession that begins in a classroom rather than in the Deaf community. Despite the many gains being made in the interpreting services profession, with an emphasis on the accuracy of the interpreted work, the perspectives of Deaf individuals are rarely documented in the literature. Opportunities for enhanced participation and full inclusion need to be considered in order for Deaf people to best represent themselves to the hearing, nonsigning public as competent and intelligent individuals.

Deaf Eyes on Interpreting brings Deaf people to the forefront of the discussions about what constitutes quality interpreting services. The contributors are all Deaf professionals who use interpreters on a regular basis, and their insights and recommendations are based on research as well as on personal experiences. These multiple perspectives reveal strategies to maximize access to interpreted work and hearing environments and to facilitate trust and understanding between interpreters and Deaf consumers. Interpreter educators, interpreting students, professional interpreters, and Deaf individuals will all benefit from the approaches offered in this collection.

About The Authors

Thomas K. Holcomb is a Professor of Deaf Studies at Ohlone College in Fremont, California, where he teaches both Deaf and hearing students in courses on Deaf culture, Deaf education, and ASL/English Interpretation.

David H. Smith is an associate professor and director of the Center on Deafness at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Reviews About The book:

• Byron W. Bridges:This book will be an extremely valuable resource for interpreters-in-training and those who do not have much contact with members of the deaf community. The book engages in a crucial discussion of disempowerment, shared experiences, trust issues, ADA, professionalism, discourse, cultural sensitivity, and understanding through Deaf Eyes On Interpreting.
• Theresa Schmechel:If you are a sign language interpreter, this is a must-read Deaf Eyes On Interpreting. I would recommend this as a curriculum for any Interpreter training program.
• Rebekah Heilinger:Deaf Eyes On Interpreting Book is an excellent addition to any professional interpreter‘s knowledge base who is seeking to better understand and work within the Deaf community. The perspectives in the book provide a much-needed insight into how interpreting services and interpreters themselves impact the lives of those they work for.
• Jade:Deaf Eyes On Interpreting is Perfect.
• Terri Manning:The wisdom within the pages –revealing Deaf authors’ points of view on receiving interpreting services– affirms an imperative to advance Sign Language interpreting by centralizing the consumer experience and shifting to a Deaf-centric model of interpreting. The much-needed messages in the book hold the field in check and balance the equation. The Book Deaf Eyes On Interpreting is well-written, well-researched, well-cited, and a major contribution to the field of interpreting. Signing Naturally Units 1-6.