Between Languages: What Interpreting Really Involves

The Role of Culture and Context In the first reflection, we politely but firmly escorted out the idea that languages map neatly onto one another like identical semis on a suburban estate. They don’t. There is no tidy “this equals that” in interpreting. Once that comforting illusion is dismantled, something rather more interesting appears. Interpreting is not simply linguistic work. It is cultural work. Every … Continue reading Between Languages: What Interpreting Really Involves

Barriers Are Not Accidental

A Deaf-Led View from the Interpreting Front Lines Let’s get one thing straight: as a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter, I operate in that magical sweet spot where Deaf and hearing worlds are meant to shake hands politely and get on with the business of mutual understanding. That’s the theory, anyway. In practice, it’s more like refereeing a game where only one team got the … Continue reading Barriers Are Not Accidental