Page 225 - Reading Between the Sign Intercultural Communication for Sign Language Interpreters

210 Reading Between the Signs

there is great controversy regarding the best way to educate deaf
children. Studies have shown, and a preponderance of culturally
Deaf people maintain, that ASL should be the primary language
of education for deaf children. Then, using a bilingual approach,
teachers apply the medium of ASL to teach written English skills
(Lane 1992).
The question of why we learned sign language can be seen as
a test of our attitude. Does our answer show respect for ASL and
for Deaf people as capable adults? If the phrase “to help deaf
people” is part of our response, it may suggest a patronizing atti-
tude, even if the interpreter denies having any such feeling. Al-
though our initial reason for learning sign language may not in-
volve the respect the Deaf community desires, there is always a
chance for enlightenment, once we have gotten to know Deaf
people individually and collectively. I happen to know two inter-
preters who, though they learned sign language for the “wrong”
reasons, went through a transformation once they became involved
with the Deaf community. One, whose initial reason for learning
sign language was that he was a member of a church that had a
missionary effort aimed at the deaf, later quit that church, be-
came involved with Deaf theater, and eventually became an ex-
cellent interpreter. The other initially learned SEE signs because
that was the only sign language class offered in his small commu-
nity college, but later, through a deep involvement with the Deaf
community, he acquired native-like fluency in ASL and became a
highly respected leader in his field.

Giving Credit to Our Deaf Teachers
After giving our initial reason for learning sign language, the next
part of our story usually explains how we accomplished that task.
Whether or not we began with formal classes at an educational
institution in order to become fluent enough to work as interpret-
ers, we must have interacted with members of the Deaf commu-
nity, trying their patience with our awkward first attempts at sign-
ing. Probably there were one or two Deaf individuals who acted
as cultural brokers, taking us under their wings, correcting our
mistakes, introducing us to their Deaf friends, and sharing their
knowledge of Deaf culture. It seems only right that we give them
credit. While we may be justly proud of our accomplishment in
learning ASL, we probably could not have done it without Deaf
people’s guidance. By mentioning their names when appropriate,

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