Page 236 - Reading Between the Sign Intercultural Communication for Sign Language Interpreters

Cultural Sensitivity Shouldn’t End at Five O’Clock 221

After the Assignment
One of the most common complaints I have heard from Deaf
people about interpreters is that we rush off too quickly after the
interpreting job is finished. In chapter 8, we discussed the ques-
tion of what is the interpreter’s responsibility if he or she discov-
ers there was an incomplete understanding of the interpreted situ-
ation. In this section we will focus on what is culturally appropri-
ate behavior after the assignment is completed from the Deaf
perspective and what to do if we cannot fulfill this expectation. As
was mentioned earlier, Deaf culture follows a longer, more elabo-
rate leave-taking process than does hearing American culture. At
a party, good-byes, last bits of news, and hugs can easily last more
than half an hour. A work assignment is not a party, but the cul-
tural tendencies remain.
We should not be surprised if, after completing the interpret-
ing assignment, as we walk out of the building with the Deaf per-
son, he or she asks us what we think about what just took place. It
does not violate the RID Code of Ethics to cultivate a few neutral
yet human responses to this type of question. Daniel says that if
he has just given a lecture or a presentation, he appreciates a
comment from the interpreter such as “Nice working with you”
or “That was a tough audience.” If, on the other hand, as is more
often the case, the Deaf person has been on the receiving end of
the services and is worried about what has transpired, the inter-
preter can give a noncommittal response such as “Just have to
wait and see what happens.” Sometimes we can make use of our
knowledge of having been in these situations many times. For
example, if after a job interview the Deaf person asks if he or she
appeared to be overly anxious, we could remark that everyone,
deaf and hearing, is nervous in job interviews.
In general, it is not hard for us to learn to assume a slower
pace as we say good-bye, restate when the next meeting will be,
perhaps accept thanks from the Deaf person or even a hug. A
problem most often arises, however, because of the nature of our
work lives as freelance interpreters. In order to earn a living, we
must predict how long an assignment will take so that we can
plan when we may accept our next one. Sometimes it is not even
up to us. When we work through agencies, they give us the esti-
mate (or guarantee) that such and such an assignment will last
one hour. It is not unusual, therefore, to have three or four assign-
ments in one day, each of which we must leave at the anticipated

09 MINDESS PMKR 221 10/18/04, 12:03 PM