Pre-Conference Events

Putting additional pieces in place:

Refining our interpretations through linguistic research

with M. Villanueva, M. Thumann and R. Hogue
9 AM - 12 PM

This workshop presents cutting edge research in American Sign Language linguistics and directly applies it to ASL/English interpreting pedagogy. As practicing professional interpreters, interpreter educators with experience teaching at the Associate, Bachelors and Masters levels, and doctoral students in ASL linguistics, all three presenters actively incorporate our own linguistics research into interpreting courses. Our experiences teaching interpreting also lead to new linguistics research questions, thereby fostering continued development and advances in our knowledge of both fields.

For this workshop, each of the three presenters will explain their original linguistics research, including their research questions, methodology, and findings. Participants will have a chance to apply the same analysis tools we used to ASL data clips, fostering a thorough understanding of the principles and features identified through our linguistics research. Each data presentation will be followed by a participatory activity in which workshop participants practice interpreting with special attention to the target features. We will wrap up the discussion of each research project by considering ways that these activities and analyses can be presented in courses that teach interpreting and language skills.

In the first section of the workshop, we will present linguistic research on the ways that native ASL signers shift focus away from the agent or actor in an event. These tactics create forms that are semantically similar to English passive and impersonal forms, which are typically difficult for interpreters to handle when working from English into ASL. Expanding our understanding of how ASL signers produce non-agent forms will foster our ability to create dynamically equivalent target messages.

The second portion of the workshop will focus on signers’ use of space and eye gaze during monologic discourse. Recognizing changes in the use of space and in the signer's eye gaze is a critical component in understanding the content of the discourse . These changes occur during presentation of information as well as during depiction of action (constructed action or role shifting) and are key to understanding where to attribute different statements and behaviors. This is key to the ability to accurately interpret a given message into English. Participants will analyze the use of space and eye gaze in an ASL presentation and explore options for English interpretations.

The third part of the workshop will present research on the use non-manual features, focused on individual mouth movements and postures specific to ASL (not English or English-based mouthing). For each non-manual, detailed information on will be provided on its form, meaning, and grammatical usage in native ASL. Participants will then analyze ASL video clips, identifying mouth non-manuals and categorizing them in terms of meaning and linguistic function. Complete understanding of their function and meaning in ASL leads to enhanced ability to accurately incorporate the information they provide into English interpretations.

Together, delving into the linguistic research and its application for three specific features of ASL, this workshop shows clearly how linguistic investigations can apply directly to the teaching of interpreting and encourages interpreter educators and practicing interpreters to formulate linguistic research questions. Putting interpreter education and linguistics together multiplies the benefits for both fields.

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