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Chapter 11. Beyond the professional scope?

Sign language translation as a new challenge in the field
  • Nadja Grbić
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Non-professional Interpreting and Translation
This chapter is in the book Non-professional Interpreting and Translation

Abstract

Traditionally, research on interlingual occurrences of sign language has focused on sign language interpreting. However, social practice has changed, not least as a result of the development in communication technologies and the increasing accessibility of audiovisual media. In this context, sign language translation, i.e. the production of recorded signed texts based on written source texts, has witnessed a steady increase, particularly in translations of websites, tests, literature, etc. This paper begins with a short description of the development of sign language translation, leading to a presentation of some typological questions related to sign language translation with a focus on some of the problems that arise when activities span the supposed boundary between translation and interpreting. The second part of the paper is a presentation of a case study demonstrating the textual and social challenges faced by a team of untrained and inexperienced sign language translators in the course of their first translation assignment. The project in question was the translation of the Austrian Jewish Museum’s website into Austrian Sign Language.

Abstract

Traditionally, research on interlingual occurrences of sign language has focused on sign language interpreting. However, social practice has changed, not least as a result of the development in communication technologies and the increasing accessibility of audiovisual media. In this context, sign language translation, i.e. the production of recorded signed texts based on written source texts, has witnessed a steady increase, particularly in translations of websites, tests, literature, etc. This paper begins with a short description of the development of sign language translation, leading to a presentation of some typological questions related to sign language translation with a focus on some of the problems that arise when activities span the supposed boundary between translation and interpreting. The second part of the paper is a presentation of a case study demonstrating the textual and social challenges faced by a team of untrained and inexperienced sign language translators in the course of their first translation assignment. The project in question was the translation of the Austrian Jewish Museum’s website into Austrian Sign Language.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Chapter 1. Introducing NPIT studies 1
  4. Part 1. State of the art of research on NPIT and general issues
  5. Chapter 2. Unprofessional translation 29
  6. Chapter 3. We are all translators 45
  7. Chapter 4. Dialoguing across differences 65
  8. Part 2. NPIT in healthcare, community and public services
  9. Chapter 5. Intercultural mediation and “(non)professional” interpreting in Italian healthcare institutions 83
  10. Chapter 6. More than mere translators 107
  11. Chapter 7. Issues of terminology in public service interpreting 131
  12. Chapter 8. From confinement to community service 157
  13. Chapter 9. The role and self-regulation of non-professional interpreters in religious settings 177
  14. Chapter 10. Simultaneous interpreting and religious experience 195
  15. Chapter 11. Beyond the professional scope? 213
  16. Chapter 12. Language-related disaster relief in Haiti 231
  17. Part 3. NPIT performed by children
  18. Chapter 13. Bilingual youngsters’ perceptions of their role as family interpreters 259
  19. Chapter 14. Child language brokers’ representations of parent–child relationships 281
  20. Chapter 15. Child language brokering in private and public settings 295
  21. Chapter 16. Through the children’s voice 315
  22. Chapter 17. Seeing brokering in bright colours 337
  23. Chapter 18. Language brokering 359
  24. Chapter 19. Not just child’s play 381
  25. Index 411
https://doi.org/10.1075/btl.129.11grb

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Chapter 1. Introducing NPIT studies 1
  4. Part 1. State of the art of research on NPIT and general issues
  5. Chapter 2. Unprofessional translation 29
  6. Chapter 3. We are all translators 45
  7. Chapter 4. Dialoguing across differences 65
  8. Part 2. NPIT in healthcare, community and public services
  9. Chapter 5. Intercultural mediation and “(non)professional” interpreting in Italian healthcare institutions 83
  10. Chapter 6. More than mere translators 107
  11. Chapter 7. Issues of terminology in public service interpreting 131
  12. Chapter 8. From confinement to community service 157
  13. Chapter 9. The role and self-regulation of non-professional interpreters in religious settings 177
  14. Chapter 10. Simultaneous interpreting and religious experience 195
  15. Chapter 11. Beyond the professional scope? 213
  16. Chapter 12. Language-related disaster relief in Haiti 231
  17. Part 3. NPIT performed by children
  18. Chapter 13. Bilingual youngsters’ perceptions of their role as family interpreters 259
  19. Chapter 14. Child language brokers’ representations of parent–child relationships 281
  20. Chapter 15. Child language brokering in private and public settings 295
  21. Chapter 16. Through the children’s voice 315
  22. Chapter 17. Seeing brokering in bright colours 337
  23. Chapter 18. Language brokering 359
  24. Chapter 19. Not just child’s play 381
  25. Index 411
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