becoming and Interpreter

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It is my serious goal to eventual become and ASL/English interpreter someday (most likely within the next few years). Does anyone have any advice or tips as to how to become a good interpreter? Are there any good books/movies to read/watch on this subject? Is there some type of practice (other than just signing a lot) that you would suggest doing? Tell me tell me tell me! I must know :run: :giggle:

The Rab. :ily:
 
The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) has a good page called How to Become an Interpreter that I recommend reading.

Similar to medicine, law, and other professions, interpreting is something you have to go to school for. Just because somebody is fluent in ASL does not mean they will be a good interpreter. There is a lot to learn about ethics, mechanics, theory, and settings.

A good book to get is So You Want to Be an Interpreter by Janice Humphrey. It's kind of expensive but you can buy it used at Amazon for about $35.
 
Thank you. I was just on that website a few minutes ago but didn't see that article!

I know a few interpreters and so I'm hoping I can learn much about interpreting from them... but I realize that it IS something that you must go to school for.

How long were you signing before you became one? What type of schooling did you go through, etc... if you want maybe we can PM/IM each other and talk more in-depth on the subject.

That book IS a little pricey, but in the long run I think $50 isn't that much money to spend if it helps me start a good career.
 
Signing and ethics aside...

You must be extremely proficient in English, both written and spoken. It's not enough just to have grown up speaking the language; you have to know how it works so that you can interpret into it and from it. You have to have a large English vocabulary, not just sign. And you should have a grasp of basic linguistics.

Also, you should know as much as you can about everything there is to know. Seriously. Interpreters encounter every topic imaginable and the more knowledge you have, the better interpreter you will be. Are you prepared to correctly fingerspell the names of the characters in "Oedipus Rex" when subbing in an English class? Or to frankly sign sexual material at a doctor's office? Obviously you can't know EVERYTHING...but you will be better at your job in numerous ways the more general knowledge you have.

In California they're changing the laws for educational interpreters, who first will be required to have an A.A. degree and later to have a bachelor's. I support this for the reasons I just stated. I will be honest: there were some students in my ITP who were fresh out of high school and no matter how good they were at ASL, their lack of knowledge in the liberal arts, sciences, and so forth limited them in their performance.
 
Etoile said:
The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) has a good page called How to Become an Interpreter that I recommend reading.

Similar to medicine, law, and other professions, interpreting is something you have to go to school for. Just because somebody is fluent in ASL does not mean they will be a good interpreter. There is a lot to learn about ethics, mechanics, theory, and settings.

A good book to get is So You Want to Be an Interpreter by Janice Humphrey. It's kind of expensive but you can buy it used at Amazon for about $35.
Click to expand...
All good recommendations.

I would just add that a good, well-rounded education and keeping up with current affairs are also necessary if you want to understand topical concepts and how to spell names.

It also helps to get a local mentor, if one is available.
 
Interpretrator said:
Signing and ethics aside...

You must be extremely proficient in English, both written and spoken. It's not enough just to have grown up speaking the language; you have to know how it works so that you can interpret into it and from it. You have to have a large English vocabulary, not just sign. And you should have a grasp of basic linguistics.

Also, you should know as much as you can about everything there is to know. Seriously. Interpreters encounter every topic imaginable and the more knowledge you have, the better interpreter you will be. Are you prepared to correctly fingerspell the names of the characters in "Oedipus Rex" when subbing in an English class? Or to frankly sign sexual material at a doctor's office? Obviously you can't know EVERYTHING...but you will be better at your job in numerous ways the more general knowledge you have.

In California they're changing the laws for educational interpreters, who first will be required to have an A.A. degree and later to have a bachelor's. I support this for the reasons I just stated. I will be honest: there were some students in my ITP who were fresh out of high school and no matter how good they were at ASL, their lack of knowledge in the liberal arts, sciences, and so forth limited them in their performance.
Click to expand...
Ha, ha, you did it again. You posted while I was typing my reply and beat me to the punch!

Well, great minds think alike anyway. ;)
 
California's not the only one requiring degrees - RID itself is going to be requiring them very soon. (I know you know this, Interpretrator - I'm just going over it for rabbit's sake!)

Pretty much anybody who is beginning interpreter school now is going to need a degree by the time they're done with it. Starting in June 2008, all hearing people who want to become interpreters must have an Associate's degree. Starting in June 2012, all hearing people who want to become interpreters must have a Bachelor's degree.

The degree does not have to be in interpreting. As far as I know, this new rule is to make sure that new interpreters have enough depth of knowledge, and variety of knowledge, to interpret effectively in the various situations we often find ourselves in.
 
Wow! All very good information, thank you all very much... it looks as if it's going to be a long hard road ahead... but I think I am up for the challenge. I've been a writer since I was 10 years old, and thus have a good grasp of the English language, spelling, grammar, and so on...

As for the requiring a degree... does it matter in what course you have a degree? For example: would it be fine if I had a degree in say... Environmental Science...? Or are there specific areas of education that you are required to be experienced in?

It seems to me that it would be good to get in the habit of keeping up with currant affairs, reading the newspaper, watching the news, and browsing websites such as this one so that I would be informed on currant matters that may come up in conversation.
 
I start my classes in a few weeks and i am very excited! ASL 1 here i come. I have been signing for 4 or 5 months now and i am with my Deaf friends ALL THE TIME and that has helped my signing and receptive skills A LOT!!! I sign in English though rather than ASL and i will be ahead of the class but i have so much to learn i am really excited. I have a very large vocab i love new words. I love learning new cultures and history and art so that stuff is no problem. My big problem, spelling. I have always been horrible at it. Everyone says this will help in that. We'll see. =)
 
Crossword puzzles. They are an interpreter's best friend. They improve...

1. Your recall of vocabulary
2. Your knowledge of synonyms and antonyms
3. Your spelling
4. Your knowledge of unusual and specialized terminology
5. Your knowledge of facts from a wide variety of disciplines, like science, history, the arts, and pop culture.
6. Your cloze skills (i.e. you see only part of the word and are able to figure out what the entire word is, useful for fingerspelling where often you don't see every letter)
7. General brain functions like memory and cognition

Go for the best: The New York Times crossword puzzle. It appears daily and starts out easy on Mondays and gets progessively harder during the week. Thursday usually has a gimmick of some kind and Sunday is a larger puzzle with about midweek difficulty.

Get a book like this:

Amazon.com: New York Times Easiest Crossword Puzzles, Volume 1 (NY Times): Books: Will Shortz

Those are taken from Monday and Tuesday. They'll still be hard at first, but keep trying them and looking up the solutions when you've done as much as you can. You'll get the hang of it. They'll work your mind much better than the puzzles in TV Guide.

I recommend puzzle books with Will Shortz as the editor; many people think he's the best crossword puzzle editor ever.

(Yes, I am a puzzle geek!)
 
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