Page 209 - Reading Between the Sign Intercultural Communication for Sign Language Interpreters

194 Reading Between the Signs

self and others, loyalty to the group, and the insider/outsider dis-
tinction.
On the other side, one of the most common confusions oc-
curs when the hearing client expresses a veiled criticism or a nega-
tive remark that is covered in a positive coating in order to make
it more palatable. If we conclude that the underlying intent of a
comment is critical, we should try to bring that out.
A note of caution: since divining the intent underlying a state-
ment involves an intuitive guess, it is often a good idea to check
out your hunch before proceeding. Note that the relay interpreter
in “My, how you’ve changed” did so. In another circumstance a
more bicultural client could have conceivably answered, “Just in-
terpret what I signed, it’s this joke we have—every month we
tease each other about being fat.”

Highlighting the Point
We probably all have some kind of “third eye” that monitors our
interpretations to see if we are communicating effectively. It may
help us to identify the major point each of our clients is trying to
make and mentally check that the point is getting across. The
point may get lost due to a less direct style or different order of
presenting arguments than the participants are used to. Two ques-
tions we can ask ourselves are “Do I need to add an introduction,
a conclusion, or a summary in order to bring out the point?” and
“Do I need to stress the important points through emphasis in the
appropriate channel: vocal inflection, facial expression, sign choice,
or repetition?”
Sometimes you, as the interpreter, may have difficulty identi-
fying the point. You may therefore choose just to relay the muddy
thought and then translate the Deaf person’s puzzled expression
or the hearing person’s “Huh?” Or you may subtly insert a query
for clarification of the point. One interpreter told me that when
the doctor says “Your blood pressure is 150/80,” she feels she
cannot deliver that line without knowing if it’s good or bad news.
So she might ask “Is that good?” in order to be able to convey the
point of the statement.

08 MINDESS PMKR 194 10/18/04, 12:02 PM