stormpraiser91
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The Ten Commandments for Working with an ASL Interpreter
For the edification of the hearing brethren, that they might not incur the wrath of their interpreters by offending the client, annoying the interpreter, or generally being rude.
I. Thou shalt not address the interpreter directly, ever, under any circumstances, while he or she is interpreting. This is the first and greatest commandment.
II. And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt not do or say anything that would require the interpreter to participate in the discussion, interject his or her own opinion, or otherwise do anything except interpret.
III. Thou shalt not make tacky, ignorant statements about Deafness, Deaf people, or ASL.
IV. Thou shalt not use figurative language that no reasonable person would understand.
V. Thou shalt not walk, stand, or otherwise place thyself in between the interpreter and the Deaf client, such that the latter is unable to see the former. No, “ducking” does not make this okay.
VI. Thou shalt not wander off on gratuitous tangents. Straight should be the way, and narrow the gate, that leads to the point thou art trying to make.
VII. Thou shalt always speak in such a way that thy voice may be understood clearly by the interpreter. Thou shalt not mumble, nor distort thy voice intentionally, nor speak so quickly as to cause thine interpreter to develop tendonitis.
VIII. Thou shalt absolutely never communicate with the Deaf client by speaking to the interpreter about him or her in the third person. Thou shalt always address the Deaf client directly when speaking to him or her, and allow the interpreter to intercede as needed.
IX. Thou shalt not instruct the interpreter to refrain from interpreting something that thou hast said. Saying unto the interpreter, “Don’t interpret that!” or “Don’t sign this, but…” puts him or her in a very awkward position. The Deaf client has just as much right to know what is being said as the people who heard it.
X. Thou shalt not try to tell the interpreter how to do his or her job. For behold, I say unto you: having taken a semester of sign language in middle school does not make thee an interpreter.
And once these words were glossed onto the tablets, they were brought down from the mountain to be captioned and interpreted for all the brethren. And God saw that it was good.
For the edification of the hearing brethren, that they might not incur the wrath of their interpreters by offending the client, annoying the interpreter, or generally being rude.
I. Thou shalt not address the interpreter directly, ever, under any circumstances, while he or she is interpreting. This is the first and greatest commandment.
II. And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt not do or say anything that would require the interpreter to participate in the discussion, interject his or her own opinion, or otherwise do anything except interpret.
III. Thou shalt not make tacky, ignorant statements about Deafness, Deaf people, or ASL.
IV. Thou shalt not use figurative language that no reasonable person would understand.
V. Thou shalt not walk, stand, or otherwise place thyself in between the interpreter and the Deaf client, such that the latter is unable to see the former. No, “ducking” does not make this okay.
VI. Thou shalt not wander off on gratuitous tangents. Straight should be the way, and narrow the gate, that leads to the point thou art trying to make.
VII. Thou shalt always speak in such a way that thy voice may be understood clearly by the interpreter. Thou shalt not mumble, nor distort thy voice intentionally, nor speak so quickly as to cause thine interpreter to develop tendonitis.
VIII. Thou shalt absolutely never communicate with the Deaf client by speaking to the interpreter about him or her in the third person. Thou shalt always address the Deaf client directly when speaking to him or her, and allow the interpreter to intercede as needed.
IX. Thou shalt not instruct the interpreter to refrain from interpreting something that thou hast said. Saying unto the interpreter, “Don’t interpret that!” or “Don’t sign this, but…” puts him or her in a very awkward position. The Deaf client has just as much right to know what is being said as the people who heard it.
X. Thou shalt not try to tell the interpreter how to do his or her job. For behold, I say unto you: having taken a semester of sign language in middle school does not make thee an interpreter.
And once these words were glossed onto the tablets, they were brought down from the mountain to be captioned and interpreted for all the brethren. And God saw that it was good.
