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Person-reference in interpreting
Thread poster: macripiper (X)
macripiper (X)
macripiper (X)
Brazil
May 11, 2010

Hi interpreters colleagues!

I am a sign language interpreter, from Brazil, and my doctoral thesis is about this topic: person-reference during sign language interpreting mediated conversations (specially 3rd person-reference versus 1st person-reference). I think it is a subject not only related to sign language, but to vocal language interpreting as well.

What do you think and what do you? And why...

Cause there is a clear prescription to "speak in the fi... See more
Hi interpreters colleagues!

I am a sign language interpreter, from Brazil, and my doctoral thesis is about this topic: person-reference during sign language interpreting mediated conversations (specially 3rd person-reference versus 1st person-reference). I think it is a subject not only related to sign language, but to vocal language interpreting as well.

What do you think and what do you? And why...

Cause there is a clear prescription to "speak in the fisrt person" in many web sites, interpreter organizations and sectors (medical, legal/court...).

Thank you very much!
Cristina

p.s.: I would like to ask your permission to reproduce your comments in this forum (with nicknames), translated into Brazilian Portuguese, in my thesis and articles derived from it. ▲ Collapse
 
akots
akots  Identity Verified
Greek to English
+ ...
Simultaneous vs chuchotage/consecutive May 11, 2010

Hello!

I've been working as an interpreter (vocal languages only) for ten years now, and here's what I usually do: when working in a booth (simultaneous interpreting), iI stick to the first person. Most times it's inevitable, since speakers tend to say 'Personally-speaking', 'as far as I'm concerned', etc a lot. Plus, it makes everything easier to understand and follow in Q&A sessions.

I might switch to the third person when 'whispering' to a single client (chuchotage i... See more
Hello!

I've been working as an interpreter (vocal languages only) for ten years now, and here's what I usually do: when working in a booth (simultaneous interpreting), iI stick to the first person. Most times it's inevitable, since speakers tend to say 'Personally-speaking', 'as far as I'm concerned', etc a lot. Plus, it makes everything easier to understand and follow in Q&A sessions.

I might switch to the third person when 'whispering' to a single client (chuchotage interpreting) or if I'm interpreting (consecutive) e.g. at a press conference and various members of the panel engage in dialogue: in that case it will be "Mr X pointed out that" and "Ms Y replied that", merely because the audience needs to know who said what within the time period when I was taking notes.

I've worked with signing interpreters, but never thought of asking them what they do in this case. It might help your thesis if you contact directly national sign language interpreter associations (I'm pretty sure there's one in the UK - you might want to check with the BDA). You might also try the World Association of Sign Language Interpreters (WASLI).

Good luck! ▲ Collapse
 
macripiper (X)
macripiper (X)
Brazil
TOPIC STARTER
Field reseach and some thoughts May 12, 2010

akots wrote:

Hello!

(...)
I've worked with signing interpreters, but never thought of asking them what they do in this case. It might help your thesis if you contact directly national sign language interpreter associations (I'm pretty sure there's one in the UK - you might want to check with the BDA). You might also try the World Association of Sign Language Interpreters (WASLI).

Good luck!


Thanks for your reply, Akots! Is that what I want...but it`s for our consideration as well, as terps.

For instance, you say "..when working in a booth (simultaneous interpreting), iI stick to the first person. Most times it's inevitable, since speakers tend to say 'Personally-speaking', 'as far as I'm concerned', etc a lot. Plus, it makes everything easier to understand and follow in Q&A sessions." When you`re in a booth your body is not visible, it`s easy to associate the speaker body with your voice and refere in first person seems to be the most appropriate way.

But

when you say that you "..might switch to the third person when 'whispering' to a single client (chuchotage interpreting) or if I'm interpreting (consecutive) e.g. at a press conference and various members of the panel engage in dialogue: in that case it will be "Mr X pointed out that" and "Ms Y replied that", merely because the audience needs to know who said what within the time period when I was taking notes." In both situations you are present, generally in consecutive too, then clients see your body, your corporally presence and you tend to mark both: you and the primary speaker.

Does it make sense, don`t you think?

About sign language interpreters, my field research will be made with Brazilian ones. I`m using Proz forum cause we have (as far as I know) only one interpreter`s list here (vocal), and this question were already posted to the Brazilian sign language mailling list. I think that our similitudes are bigger then our differences, vocal and sign language think in theirselves as two different professions, but we just work with two different languages (and modalities), but we (sign language interpreters - SLI) also perform simultaneous, consecutive, whispering, etc...unfortunately, in Brazil, at least, we don`t use booths (unfortunatelly) to conference SLI...It wold improve a lot our performance...anyway...one day...one day...

Thanks for your posting!
 


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Person-reference in interpreting







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