Best practices concering
sign language
 Introduction
 Some history
 Deaf culture and the interpreter
 Sign language, something goes wrong
 What do the interpreters need?
 Special groups withing deaf culture
 Beste practices, yet again
Me, Suzanne Heuft.
Interpreter since 1996, member of
NBTG/EFSLI
Teacher of interpreters since 2001,
post Doc level
Workshop leader and trainer at
EFSLI, SIGV and deaf communictie.
Certified (one of 4) Judiciary
interpreter in Holland
Part of the national police register
being an interpreter of covert
video’s with a team of lipreaders
Dutch,(grand) mother of 2
History facts language
interperters
Court interpreting as a profession
started at Nuremberg
Bilingual person is NOT perse
interpreter
BP1 use trained interpreters
Training in language is possible
Professionals and seen as such
History facts Sign
Language interpreters
THE oldest profession in the world
Language very young (1960 W.Stokoe) and hard
to study
DO HAVE: code of ethics!!
BP2: code of ethics
SLI is young profession in a visual language
Looked upon as HELPERS, part of the community
BP3: set us free
Bonding?
The language
 Visual language
 Belongs to the deaf
 Up and downside
 BP4:seating is very important, across of deaf person
‘something goes wrong....’
Training, schooling and
preparation
 The interpreters want and need schooling
BP6: train the interpreters
 The interpreters needs preparation
BP7: prepare the interpreter and give them all the
materials they need
 Courts should make lists or work together with a
register.
Special needs within deaf
community
 Cerebral palsy
 Deaf Blind
 Foreign sign languages
Deaf interpreter
Som it all up:
1
Use a trained justice interpreter for all situations.
2
Make, borrow or set up a code of ethics.
3
Communicate about the reason the JUSTICE SYSTEM has the interpreters working for THEM.
(set us free)
4
Right seating for the interpreter
5
Make sure the client drinks the coffee you serve  work together with your interpreter. Expect
professional conduct and invite it.
6
Train the interpreters you want to work with and make a list of trained interpreters.
7
Give the interpreter time to prepare and give them all the materials they ask for
8
Special needs and situations need special interpreters. Ask the deaf or interpreters who would
be the best for the job.
9
Payment should be coming without problems, it is a JOB not a hobby.
Thank you.
[email protected]