Page 212 - Reading Between the Sign Intercultural Communication for Sign Language Interpreters

Techniques for Cultural Adjustments 197

Although we may feel that conveying information back and
forth is the goal of our interpreting, many Deaf people have told
me that often they consider cues to the emotional undertones to
be of equal or greater importance than the content of the infor-
mation. In ASL, affect is often conveyed by facial expression, at
which we may or may not be natively proficient. Sometimes it
may be necessary, therefore, for us to add an explicit comment to
make sure that the affect is getting across. Since we are not psy-
chologists, it may be safer to preface this comment with SEEMS
(e.g., SEEMS ANGRY, SEEMS UPSET).
Empathy. Besides supplying back-channel feedback and cues
to emotional and functional aspects of a conversation, there is
one more area of cultural adjustment that I would like to discuss.
It has to do with an expectation of what is polite and appropriate
in conversations in Deaf culture. Because of the importance of
relationships and the frequent sharing of personal information,
there seems to be an expectation of expressing understanding
and empathy.
It was not until I analyzed the polite function of such expres-
sions that I understood why I observed myself and other inter-
preters exhibiting a type of empathetic behavior in certain situa-
tions. The setting could be an impersonal office transaction such
as getting a replacement TTY from the local phone company or
discussing an alleged overpayment from the Social Security Ad-
ministration. The Deaf person tells his or her story and makes a
request. The hearing worker coldly cites the rules as the last word
on the subject and denies the request. I have observed many in-
stances where the interpreter just mirrors the uninvolved distance
of the hearing worker and relays the fact that “The rule says no,
so I must deny your request.” This would often bring about a
strong reaction from the Deaf person, who it seemed to me was
insulted not by the denial itself but by the manner in which it was
presented. I have also observed other interpreters, including my-
self, who would preface the denial of the request with UH-HUH,
UNDERSTAND or SORRY. As I watched myself do this, I was puzzled
as to why I had added a sign when the worker did not specifically
express understanding. It just felt right to do so. Finally it hit me:
not to show an empathetic response is just as rude in Deaf culture
as a direct comment on one’s personal appearance is in hearing
culture. If the hearing worker, in our opinion, is intentionally be-

08 MINDESS PMKR 197 10/18/04, 12:02 PM