VERY BLUNT: Interpreters in an Academic Setting

by An anonymous interpreter in Texas

I'm an interpreter at a University.

CARDINAL RULE 1: I'M NOT HERE. DON'T TALK TO ME, talk to my client. "Tell her/ask him" is really annoying for the interpreter and the Deaf client. And talk DIRECTLY to them. Don't look at me, look at THEM.

Don't ask the interpreter personal questions about the client. The interpreter can't answer, WHICH INCLUDES "What is their name." I really CAN'T answer that. I can't answer a SINGLE question about that person.

Don't ask an interpreter to not sign something. They're going to anyway, and it's only going to make you look stupid. On top of that, you're talking about someone behind their back WHILE THEY'RE IN THE ROOM! If you want to say something in private, leave the room. If I hear it, my client hears it.

If you're the professor, DO NOT ask the interpreter to do anything else. "Close that door" "hand me that stapler" "watch them to make sure they don't cheat" is not part of my job. I do one thing only. Interpret. How would you like doing a mentally and physically complicated task and then be asked to juggle live snakes. That's a pretty good equivalent, and puts the interpreter in an awkward position.

If you want the door closed and ask me, I'm just going to stare at it. Same with the stapler. And the "watch them" scenario has resulted only in numerous occasions where I see an entire class cheating. Know what I do during tests? I read the latest Patricia Cornwell novel. And no, I'm not going to tell you if they cheated or not. That's not my job.

Don't make cute little "sympathy smiles" at the Deaf person. They're not cute little characters. They're people who do NOT have a disability. Even if they DID it's not appropriate.

Do NOT ask the Deaf person how much hearing they have. It's none of your business and along the same lines of asking a guy if he's circumcised, and a woman how much she weighs. It's highly personal. (I'm also Hard of Hearing and that is a sore spot for me. My level of hearing has been a source of peoples curiosity since childhood.) Compare this to if you've had weight problems throughout your life and every time you go to class some loud mouth in front of everyone screams at you HOW MUCH DO YOU WEIGH!!!!!

If a class is an hour and a half: I'm fine. No break necessary. ANY class more than an hour and a half necessitates a break. You HAVE to provide that break. It's an accommodation. Would you like to hold your arms up for two hours straight, and on top of that translate one language to another? Holding class without me in the room: you just violated the ADA.

In work groups in classes: TALK ONE AT A TIME!

Do NOT tell me where I can and can't stand/sit. It's your class, but that's not your call, it's mine and my clients. A note on that: if you tell me that I'm "distracting" your class... you're telling me that that Deaf students presence is an annoyance for you. There's a word for that: bigotry. Once I hear the D word, I know you, Mr. or Mrs. Professor are one of "Those Kinds of Professors" and I will report you to the University's behavior officer for violating the University's Diversity policy. (During my career I've had three professors fired. And hate to point this out, but I'm more rare and valuable than you are.)

Going along with the last point, don't say "God Bless you" etc. 9 times out of 10 I make a LOT more money than you. I don't work for minimum wage. I average 7 grand a semester per class.

Finally, the most important thing to remember. If I'm working for a person who doesn't voice for themselves, when you hear my voice, it's simply my body making the sounds, but it's NOT me talking. Don't look at me like I'm interrupting your class.

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VERY BLUNT: Interpreters in an Academic Setting

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Apr 15, 2012
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good to know NEW
by: Megz

Thank you for sharing this information with us. Im starting school in september to become an Interpreter and Im so glad I found this. Youre honest and Im sure there are 100's of people in the same field as you who feel the same way. To everyone telling this person to calm down and dont be negative......you need to simmer. I don't find her negative in the least but i find you haters annoying as hell.

Nov 28, 2011
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Blunt is Okay, but... NEW
by: Michelle Lamb Discher

Aptly titled, your submission begins on a strong and forthright note. But I'm a teacher and writer, and I know that there is a difference between being trenchant and being overbearing. Readers could learn a lot from you, but your last few lashes might distance them enough to forget all the helpful advice you offered earlier in the piece. The cardinal rule of persuasive writing is: never alienate your audience. There are good reasons for your bluster, but is venting through your writing an efficient strategy? If you want to be effective, dial down on the scolding. Try to smile as you write. Avoid the money issue altogether.
Reading through the comments here, I'm reminded of how tedious, frustrating, and (let's face it) awful being different is, how often one must continue to smile in the face of abject ignorance and insensitivity, how often one is called upon to answer the same questions, be agents of all the epiphanies of the ignorant, or be (insultingly) deemed a "good example" of that difference. Welcome to the world of the marginalized. Embrace it. You have no choice.

Retired Language teacher who "happens to be" black. :)

Aug 17, 2011
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Unbelievable
by: Anonymous

wow, you are a terrible person. And a definite annoyance in the classroom. I drop any class where theres a person flailing and clapping in the front of the room.

Mar 29, 2011
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Careful -- Everyone is Dispensible
by: Anonymous

I agree with the previous comment: Calm yourself; Take it easy...
Remember, before you became an interpreter you were a student and before becoming an interpreter student you were most likely as lost as the beginning students who make mistakes as they learn proper Deaf culture etiquette. Unless the educational institution provides literature to the beginning student -- where will they learn??? Shouldn't the classroom be conducive to students' questions??? Be nice -- you might be valuable now in your eyes -- but you never know others (including the university) views you -- just as you complaint about students or professors -- who knows who is complainting about you -- the upcoming students just may replace you in the near future -- careful -- no one is indispensable. Take care and continue learning.

Nov 06, 2010
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wow calm down
by: Anonymous

my son is Deaf. it seems like you view everything in a negative way. hearing people are just curious, it means they're human so cut them a little slack. they dont know all the 'rules' and how would they until someone teaches them but hopefully in a nicer, much more conducive to learning sort of way than you did.

Oct 27, 2010
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Thanks =)
by: Lori

Very helpful, thank you.

I'd like to speak for myself and say that Believer in God or not, when I say God Bless You its not a put-down. I say it out of love, not based on the person's salary. If people said it condescendingly please dont judge all believers on that experience. Everyone can use a blessing from God.

Sep 23, 2010
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Good point
by: Jess

That's really interesting. I am new to ASL and am learning all the time. I have heard some of this stuff before, but not really the explaination behind it. Thank you to whoever shared this!

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VERY BLUNT: Interpreters in an Academic Setting

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VERY BLUNT: Interpreters in an Academic Setting