Interpreters mouthing words in English

Audrey Arndt

Audrey Arndt

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Hi, everyone! I have a question relating to an interpreter's habits. Does it bother you when an interpreter is signing ASL, but mouthing the English word equivalents at the same time? Example: (signing) STORE ME GO-TO (mouthing) store me go-to. They may be accurately portraying the message and following mouth morphemes relating to distance or emphasis, but otherwise mouthing words in English.

Basically, I've seen interpreters fall into two categories, regardless of skill level: those who mouth English words while they're signing (usually non-CODAs), and those who don't and resemble Deaf native ways of signing (usually CODAs or CDIs). I've asked a couple of Deaf people about this and the reaction has been mixed, so I wanted to open the question up to more people.




~ Audrey Arndt, hearing, ITP student
 
If an interpreter signed to me without moving their lips...then I'm totally lost. I've always left the intrepretor know ahead of time...that's just me tho'.
 
I've never seen an interpreter that didn't mouth words. I've had many interpreters in my life but all of them mouthed words to whatever they were signing.

It would annoy me if an interpreter didn't mouth words. Makes it harder for me to understand them. I would require them to mouth words so I can lip-read and watch signs.
 
I generally prefer for the interpreter to mouth the words because one sign can be the equivalent to so many words in English so it helps to understand which word was being actually used by the hearing person.
 
Every interpreter I've ever worked with has mouthed (to various extents) the English along with the ASL when they are interpreting.

One of the main reasons this is important is because the Hoh/Deaf client is able to learn the interpreters sign/word choices. If I'm working with the same interpreter for an extended time (I had the same interpreter team 3 times a week for a year in University) then the mouthing becomes less important except for "key words", technical terms and and fingerspelling.
 
I had interpreters interpreted with both signs and mouthing the words many times. It is really easy for me to do that because I was in mainstream school which forced me to lipread, no signs back then. I was very happy to sign a lot better than lipreading but when it comes to ASL interpreters with mouthing the words, I am really comfortable.

If a Deaf who went to Deaf school where they all signed and no lipreading, then he can relied only on signing if he or she prefer not to read lips while signing. It is up to whichever they want to choose to sign with or without mouthing the words. :)
 
Thanks, everyone! That helps me figure out who I am going to model myself after.


~ Audrey Arndt, hearing, ITP student
 
Personally I don't run across the need for terps often... However, in the times I have I don't believe I saw them moving their mouths. However, Now that I think about it... I think it would drive me crazy and be incredibly annoying! :laugh2: :hmm:
 
Cuz my asl still is pretty lame, i do word out what im saying. It get the deaf girl is my class super annoyed.
 
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