The Deaf Interpreter demonstrates ability to use engagement, analytic, production, monitoring, and decision-making skills and strategies in the co-construction of meaningful interpretation for all consumers involved.

  • Engaging the Deaf consumer in the interpreting process in order to effect the most accurate and meaningful communication.
  • Elicitation strategies to draw out information and seek clarification of meaning (e.g. prompting, probing, questioning, referencing previous comments, paraphrasing, verifying interpreter’s comprehension of the Deaf consumer’s message);
  • Contextual strategies to infer implied meaning and discern meaning in spite of production interference in such areas as sentence structures, pronominal reference, surrogate roles, reporting of events, description, use of tense and spatial reference;
  • Strategies to maintain Deaf consumer’s focus on information relevant to the discourse (e.g. reiterating previous remark/question, making connections to earlier discussion, clarifying the point of remark/question).
  • Production strategies aimed at a target language/communication form consistent with the experiential and linguistic framework of the Deaf consumer including:
  • Adapting syntactic form (e.g. temporal sequencing, spatial representation, temporal referencing, pronominal referencing, constructed action, restructuring of question forms to narrow possible responses, adjusting register);
  • Managing flow of information (e.g. pacing, parsing of content);
  • Providing contextual information (e.g. visual description, linkages among concepts discussed, added redundancy, reframing, analogies, examples, definitions, cultural information, and explanation of situational protocol);
  • Monitoring consumer feedback to determine alternative modes of communication and other interventions (e.g. tactual communication, close-vision communication, international signs, adopting Deaf consumer’s preferred signs, culture-specific or idiosyncratic gestures, and home signs, use of props, drawing, mime, etc.);
  • Seeking clarification from all parties involved concerning details as needed to accomplish above.
  • Demonstrate ability to recognize when stakeholders may use ancillary aspects or imprinted messages in ways that do not represent an intended consequence of the linguistic interaction (see Language, Culture, and Communication Foundations, 6d. above).
  • Demonstrate ability to monitor interaction to determine whether interpreting is effective; determine when it might be appropriate to stop the proceedings and offer appropriate alternative resources.
  • Identify, recognize, and differentiate roles as an interpreter and as an advocate including boundaries expected within the profession and the Deaf community.
  • When working as a team with a hearing interpreter, demonstrate ability to effectively negotiate aspects of the conjoint work with all parties involved:
  • Foster a collaborative interpreting process, working together to verify meaning, gather clarifying information, manage information flow within the team, and effect a mutual monitoring process in the co-construction of complete and accurate interpretation for all consumers involved.
  • Agree in advance with team interpreter on language use, techniques and strategies for routine and complex interpreting situations and how to adapt and change course as needed;
  • Agree in advance with team interpreter on the use of consecutive and/or simultaneous interpretation and management of switching between consecutive and simultaneous interpreting as needed;
  • Discuss in advance with team interpreter how to manage potential communication breakdowns between team members, including requesting for brief team conferences, adapting language use, techniques, strategies, and replacing members of the team, when necessary, in a professional manner;
  • Recognize and effectively navigate potential power dynamics (e.g. perceived roles, cultural disparities, discrimination, oppression, audism) within the team process.
  • When two or more teams are at work, plan how and when to switch so that each team will utilize and build upon existing linguistic concepts to keep the transition from one team to another linguistically clear to all consumers involved.