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| "The mission of the Ohio Chapter of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf is to foster relationships which further the profession by providing opportunities for growth through development and support." |
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Sign Language Interpreting emerged as a profession in the
early 1960's. Until recently, most interpreters learned to sign and interpret by
interacting in the Deaf community. Many interpreters were, and still are, children
of Deaf adults who grew up surrounded by Deaf people and sign language.
While interacting in the Deaf community is still important
for developing strong skills as an interpreter, more and more people are becoming an
interpreter today by attending an interpreter training program (ITP). In these
programs, students learn and refine their skills as interpreters and become prepared to
begin a career in interpreting. Many interpreter training programs are two-year
courses of study at technical schools and community colleges. There are also
four-year programs available and a masters level program in interpreting is available at Gallaudet University. We also have ITPs in Ohio. You can search for an ITP anywhere in the U.S. at the
Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) website.
Interpreting involves a number of skills. As Nancy
Frishberg says in her book, Interpreting: An Introduction,
"Interpreting involves competence in at least two languages, an understanding of the
dynamics of human interaction in two quite different modalities, an appreciation of social
and cultural differences, the ability to concentrate and maintain one's attention, a good
deal of tact, judgment, stamina, and above all a sense of humor."
© The Ohio Chapter of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, 1999
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