Interpreters

The topic of interpreters… I’ve put this off for a while, after receiving some questions. So here I am, addressing some questions!

First of all, interpreters can be quite the discussion! We could talk all day long so I’ll keep it short for this blog. I have a strong appreciation for them as they help to facilitate communication between both worlds. Without them, it wouldn’t be possible for me to get the information or get my words across. They work hard interpreting for hours at times, with the constant signing (I can’t even write for hours without my hands cramping!). Interpreters also don’t come without some challenges. As the costs of hiring them can be daunting for some businesses/offices resulting in hiring non certified interpreters.

How do I know if my interpreter is certified? Most of time I can look up the registry database online. When I have medical appointments, I do not know who they call so it was common for me to go to my appointments not knowing if I will have a certified interpreter. I am stuck with whatever interpreter that is there that day. I often ask which agency they worked for to keep in mind if I want to request the same individual again.

Why is a certified interpreter important? It’s highly preferred as they completed a program and passed exams. No difference from you preferring a certified contractor to fix your broken porch over a self-taught contractor. This is an issue because most places will not hire a certified interpreter due to higher costs. If you’re certified, the more pay, right? As a result sometimes we end up with a lower caliber interpreter.

Have you seen two interpreters at the same time at an event, or sometimes there’s only one… and wondered why is that? The more interpreters you have, the better quality of information being interpreted. After 20 minutes, the quality of signing usually decreases. So if there’s a second person, that will allow them the rest they need. It is common for them to switch every 20 minutes to keep more accurate translation. I also like it when the resting interpreter sits, still pays attention to what is being said and adds whatever the interpreter forgot to translate. They definitely help to keep each other in check!

People don’t always realize that even with the interpreters translating for me, it’s not always my voice. Wait… what? Imagine this… you know the telephone/grapevine game? Where you have a group of 6 people… you tell one person at a time a sentence then it jumbles somewhere through the game and the last person says something completely different? Sometimes that’s what happens with interpreting. This leads to another question I’ve got… do I trust them? Sometimes. As much as I appreciate them being that bridge between both worlds, it is hard to put all of me in. I constantly am lip reading them to make sure they are repeating what I say. I have my husband with me most of time, so he’s also listening.

With that, has there been any embarrassing moments? Yes, several. The most recent memory I have is at a doctor’s appointment after having a sore throat for a week. I was sharing my sore throat remedies I had been doing at home. I said that I’m constantly eating cough drops. The interpreter translated “I’m constantly eating ice cream”. The doctor smiled at me and I saw my husband speak up. We laugh about it now, but imagine if he hadn’t been there!

I’ve shared that I’m not thrilled with the skill of interpreters in my area as I live in an area of few deaf people. The majority of interpreters are in metropolis cities an hour away. I’ve had my husband interpreting for me at all of my medical appointments for the last few years now. I know it’s not technically the right thing but I just had enough of the bad experiences. It’s hard because I know my decision of not requesting interpreters is not helping to educate the doctors and medical offices that they are supposed to provide me one. It’s also not fair that my husband is doing it for free too.

I don’t always love having my ‘words’ translated by someone else, but it’s the only way I can be a contributing member of the community. Well, the other option would be everyone knowing sign language… but not realistic! I also don’t like that people aren’t really getting to know me. They’re hearing my words through someone else’s voice. I even got that comment when I started this blog, how some were realizing and learning about MY VOICE. Imagine having your mom, husband/wife, brother or a stranger say everything you want. It doesn’t always match.

I’ve had interpreters since I was in elementary school. I was in a special education classroom with a teacher that signed but I still had an interpreter that came with me to my mainstreamed classes in the afternoons. When I transferred schools, I had one same interpreter with me all day long. She worked so hard to convey information and share my words. There was a misconception that she was my mom! Many classmates thought that. I noticed that it is a common misconception with permanent interpreters. How many of you thought Marlee’s interpreter is her husband or a family member?

When I moved to Rochester (NY) … home of one of the largest deaf communities, there were a boatload of interpreters compared to my rural hometown. Interpreters were not as much of an issue but it doesn’t mean that I still ran across some ‘bad’ ones but it was rare. I miss the quality of interpreters in Rochester all the time! I constantly had different interpreters for every class in college, always had two for each class. I saw the difference in having a team vs being solo. It made me appreciate my high school interpreter even more for her hard work!

The topic of interpreters could be discussed more in depth, both positivity and negatively. Despite the bad/challenges, they are a huge help! I get excited when I see an interpreter on TV for press briefings, at a concert, or anywhere really! I appreciate their effort in helping my community to be inclusive.