Sign Language and Oral Interpreters

Many books about sign language and interpreting have been published and can give students a good idea of the demands of the job. To find publications on sign language and interpreting, visit the local library, or contact the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf for its list of publications. Train Go Sorry: Inside a Deaf World (Vintage Books, 1995), by Leah Hager Cohen, is a vivid and authentic account of life as a hearing person within the deaf community. Cohen also describes her experiences as an interpreter and the particular problems with which she was confronted.

Some exposure to American Sign Language will help you decide if interpreting is for you. Try to learn some sign language, or visit a place in your community (such as a religious service, town meeting, or community-sponsored event) where signing is used. If courses in ASL are not available, you should study Spanish, German, French, or any foreign language course, as learning another language will help to improve your translating and comprehension skills.

An excellent way to gain insight into the career of an interpreter is to talk to an interpreter, a teacher of deaf students, or any other professional who works with deaf people. In some cases, you may be allowed to watch an interpreter at work in the courtroom, classroom, or at a presentation.