Camille Cox

May 27, 2018

Diagnostic: Week Four

Pre-Interpreting

I watched this video several times in order to make myself more familiar with the signer’s style and tendencies. A common

practice in my ITP was to create what we called an “ideal translation.” In essence, we would watch it once through and then try to

transcribe it into good English. I found that to be very helpful in this case, since it forced me to examine the signer very closely and try

to understand all the nuances of meaning that he intended. Still, in the end there were portions that I was still unable to comprehend.

For those portions I relied on the comments I got from my peers as well as their videos and comments to each other and finally, I

simply put them in the form that was most true to the overall goal (I ‘gished’ them, in other words). They were both invaluable in

helping me to understand the areas in which I was struggling. As well as applying their feedback to my interpretations I refreshed my

memory of the RID CPC and the laws the signer discussed at the end. I also looked on Street Leverage to see if I could find more

information about this particular video. I wasn’t able to find anything for this video specifically, however I did find some other useful

articles regarding CDIs.

How effective was the interpretation? What could have been more effective?

This was one of my more effective interpretations in many ways, save for the vocabulary. If I had formulated the message in a

more professional way I would have matched the speaker’s affect more closely. As it was, though I used some higher lexical items I
still did not sound as professional as I believe the signer should have. I had a few awkward phrases and long pauses that contributed to

the message’s overall choppy effect.

Furthermore, I feel that though my preparation for this interpretation was in large part beneficial, it was also detrimental in one

way. I had not made an ideal translation for a stimulus for a while and I feel that by creating one for this interpretation I was often

searching for the words I had written down instead of the words I should have used as I was interpreting. In future, I think that I might,

instead of making an idea translation, go through and find technical or difficult parts in an effort to find only the proper English

equivalents for those areas. Another issue I ran into while interpreting was the feedback voices I kept hearing in the back of my head.

For example, I remember distinctly thinking about one of the comments Frank left for Catherine about using first person in her

interpretation. While thinking about that I did not pay attention to the signer closely enough and lost some details because I was trying

to think of a way to avoid using first person.

Transcript RH

HELLO I FS: Jimmy Beldon I WRITE WITH OTHER ONE FS: Kelly Brick TWO-OF-US WRITE RELATED TO QUOTES WHAT

INTERPRETER (set up on the left, point) WITHOUT acronym: CDI CL: 2h fists come together TRU-BIZ Acronym: CPC BREAK

INFORM

Starting at 8 seconds
Hello! My name is Jimmy Beldon and I wrote an article with another researcher named Kelby Brick and our article was related to the

topic of interpreters who do not work with CDIs and how that can be a violation of the RID code of professional conduct – conduct -

the CPC.

Accurate
This introduction was accurate, if a little choppy.

Miscues
34d. Pitch is unvaried
18e. Acronym is stated but not linked to its referent in the interpretation. No explanation of CDI.

Topic RH
NOW STORY ARTICLE RELATE WHAT

I GIVE ONE STORY (point to the left) ONE TRU-BIZ TOP HEARING INTERPRETER (point to the left) BEFORE ENTER

INTERPRET FEEL INSIDE SOMETHING RELATE CRACKER SIGN CRACKER KNOW FS: cracker FOOD SOMETHING

FIGURE-OUT GO-AHEAD BETTER DECIDE CL: 2h fists right fist pulls from right DEAF INTERPRETER CL: index fingers meet

INTERACT OH++ CRACKER REALLY DIFFERENT MEANING FS: crack COCAINE FS: cocaine THAT CRACKER

MEANING THAT OH++ CONNECT+++ MORE INTERACT SUCCESSFUL INTERPRETATION THAT IMPORTANT WOW

IF CL: left open hand gestures all around U.S. TRU-BIZ EVERY DAY HEARING INTERPRETER ENTER JOB NONE DEAF

INTERPRETER CL: index fingers meet in the middle NONE MEAN LIFE CHAOS POSSIBLE DEAF INTERACT LANGUAGE

CULTURE EXPERIENCE EQUAL IMBALANCE DISCUSS CL: 2h open show a big ball

38 seconds
And there was a story in the article that was related to this. And it was about uh, an interpreter who really was a very skilled

interpreter. And she went into a situation where she felt uncertain about one sign, the sign for cracker, like the food cracker. And she

couldn’t figure out what the deaf client meant by that so she decided she would go ahead and have a CDI come into that situation. And

as soon as… upon arriving, the CDI realized that that sign for cracker actually meant crack, as in crack cocaine. And because of that,

that interpretation became really successful. And was… provided equal access to both clients. But really, that sort of situation happens

every day when interpreters go into jobs without CDIs and it means that deaf clients’ lives can be messed up, can be thrown into

chaos. And so, the article discussed that entire situation.

Accurate
The main point of this section was conveyed and the tone of the interpretation is appropriate.

Miscues
22a. ASL syntactic structure. The phrases ‘messed up,’ ‘very skilled,’ and ‘thrown into chaos,’ do not match the affect or the
speaker’s intent.
24d. 24b. Interpreter does not vary register enough to connect the signer to the audience and/or register is inappropriately
formal.
21d. Incomplete sentences
19e. Interpretation is unclear about referents
20b. Certain words are overused. ‘And’ is repeatedly used throughout this section

… 1:47 – 1:53

Miscues
26c. There is a marked difference between sections due to awkward pauses
32b. Pauses are present at awkward moments
NOW DISCUSS WHY RESISTENCE (left hand in fist, right hand points at fist) THAT DISCUSS MOST (left hand points in front

and around) HEARING FEEL IF (right hand fist pulls from right) DEAF PROBLEM HOW EXPLAIN #IF I WORST, I

AWKWARD, I LOUSY JOB, CL: 2h open move like they’re juggling THAT PROBLEM

KNOW-THAT FS: Carla Mathers TOP (point left) WOW LAW (point left) PLUS INTERPRET TRAVEL+++ LECTURE List hand:

five, gesture to all five

(Point left) FINISH EXPLAIN EXPERIENCE IMPORTANT DEAF INTERPRETER (right fist pulls from the right to stationary left

fist) FEEL THUMBS-UP KNOW-THAT EQUAL COMMUNICATION, INTERACTION, LINGUISTICS, CULTURAL

INTERACTION EQUAL WOW (point to the left) MEAN STANDARD POSSIBLE

1:53

Now, another thing we discussed was the resistance against CDIs. So some of you hearing interpreters, maybe you feel like if you

have to bring in a CDI you’re wondering how you’re going to explain what that means. Or maybe it makes you think you are doing a

lousy job or you’re not a good interpreter. But to counter that though is the interpreter, Carla Mathers, who travels around, she’s a

legal interpreter. She travels all over the place talking about her experience calling in CDIs to some of her jobs and how, it’s really a

positive experience, how she knows that if she has a CDI it is given equal access – the entire situation will be giving equal access.

Accurate
Main points are included

Miscues
24b. Register is inappropriately informal
24e. Inappropriate jargon is used throughout. Slang like ‘all over the place.’
 21d. Incomplete sentences
29f. Details are interpreted inaccurately

THAT List Hand: 1of1 SCARED WORST List Hand: 1of1

List Hand: 2of2 YOU SOME YOU-ALL I SCARED IF RS: right I HEY I NEED DEAF INTERPRETER (right fist pulls from right,

meets left hand fist)

RS: left FORGET-IT SEARCH YOU-ALL WHO TEND PERFECT ACCEPT+++ (left fist pulls from the left) WHO DON’T-NEED

CDI PERFECT ACCEPT++ WORSE CHAOS LUCKY ENDURE MORE SKILLED THAN YOU WHO ACCEPT+++ I PATIENT

CL: right hand open palm spread fingers, left hand wavers between fingers WITHOUT CDI WOW

2:44

Some of you maybe are also afraid that if you request a CDI, agencies and other companies will say – will think of you as less than

proficient and try to find someone else who is not going to request a CDI. And… they’ll try to find someone who’s maybe more

skilled than you but, just kind of gets by interpreting without a CDI.

Accurate
Main point is included.

Miscues
21d. Incomplete sentences
29f. Details are interpreted inaccurately. Some supporting ideas are not included.
25c. Transitional phrases are not used
32b. Pauses are present at awkward moments
Acronym: NCIEC FINISH RESEARCH (point forward and around++) KNOW IMPORTANT DEAF INTERPRETER (right fist pulls

from the right to stationary left fist) WOW HELP WHY CLEAR INFORMATION EXCHANGE SUPPORT TEAM EXCHANGE

LINGUISTIC CULTURAL CONFLICT LESS

NCIEC ALSO READ COMMENT INFORMATION BETTER YOU-ALL NOW TIME PROFESSIONAL STANDARD DO-DO

(right fist pulls from the right to stationary left fist) DEAF INTERPRETER BRUSH-OFF Acronym: CPC BREAK

3:11

But really, the NCIEC (the national consortium for Interpreter Education Center), they have researched this topic a great deal and they

have a lot of really great resources that show how important CDIs for – are for teams, how they can really lessen the cultural and

linguistic co – conflicts. And the NI – NCIEC also points out that this should be a professional standard. And that if interpreters don’t

request a CDI that’s a br – a breach of the code of ethics.

Accurate
I included the meaning behind the acronym and used proper vocabulary

Miscues
35a. Articulation is inconsistent.
21d. Incomplete sentences
29f. Details are interpreted inaccurately. Some supporting ideas are not included.

Acronym: RID NOW DO-DO NEED TIME MODIFY DEFINITION DEAF INTERPRETER NOW DEFINITION FIRST RID

KNOW-THAT CPC NEW MODIFICATIONS SINCE-THEN MANY MODIFICATIONS (left hand shows list of five, right hand

gestures to all five) COMMENTS++ CDI (point to the right) COMMENTS+++ HAVE PARALLEL BUT HEARING
INTERPRETERS NOT-YET MIND CONNECT NOT-YET CL: indexes point in and out at the separate comments COMMENTS

HAVE MANY EXAMPLES (left hand shows list of five, right hand gestures to all five) IMPORTANT

3:51

And so, to kind of facilitate that, I think it’s really time for RID to redefine CDIs. And for a long time, the RID code of professional

conduct has undergone a lot of modifications. And CDIs, who have a similar code, they’re kind of parallel codes with RID’s code. But

hearing interpreters really don’t connect those… the use of CDIs with their own code.

Accurate
Correctly identified the parties being discussed.

Miscues
20b. Certain words are overused. ‘And’ is repeatedly used throughout this section
32b. Pauses are present at awkward moments
21d. Incomplete sentences
22a. ASL syntactic structure. The phrase ‘thus far’ does not fit the context.

FOR EXAMPLE

2.2 (right hand points to left hand 2) IMPORTANT INTO JOB NEED ANALYZE BEFORE, DURING, AFTER NEED

ANALYZE++ HEART KNOW (right fist pulls from the right to stationary left fist) MANY TIME KNOW GUT-FEELING

BUMP-DOWN 2.3 IMPORTANT EXCHANGE INFORMATION, STORY EQUAL GOAL BEHIND (left hand shows list of five,

right hand gestures to all five) EQUAL MEANS SO-FAR IMBALANCE

4:22
So, for example, 2.2, it discusses how an interpreter should assess, uh, a situation before going in to figure out the client’s needs. And

maybe they can instinctually figure out if they need a CDI. 2.3 also says that there should be equal access of information, that there

should be equivalent messages but, thus far, in assignments, if it hasn’t been clear an interpreter needs to recognize that.

Accurate
Included both main points

Miscues
24b. Register is inappropriately informal
29f. Details are interpreted inaccurately. Some supporting ideas are not included.
25c. Transitional phrases are not used
25d. Transitions are made with filler words. ‘Uh’ is used more than once.

ALSO 2.4 (right hand points to left hand) IMPORTANT FEEL GO-AHEAD (right fist pulls from the right) REALLY #OK (right fist

pulls from the right) TEAM SUPPORT PROCESS HAVE

4:51

Also 2.4, which talks about asking – requesting help when you need it. It’s really okay to ask for a CDI in those sorts of situations.

Why wouldn’t you go ahead and do that if you knew you needed it?

Accurate
Main point was included, though extraneous details were inaccurate.

Miscues
21d. Incomplete Sentences
29f. Details are interpreted inaccurately. Some supporting ideas are not included.
24b. Register is inappropriately informal