The Other Consumer

The Other Consumer

1. The Influence of Culture

   • The language a person uses is part of their culture
     • Written or spoken communication depends on prior experience
     • No experience with that language they use an interpreter
       • Responsibility of interpreter get passed that communication barrier
   • Culture
     • Ethnocentrism- the attitude that one's culture is superior to others, and that one's beliefs, values, and behaviors are more correct
     • Xenocentrism- the belief that anything foreign is best, and one's own lifestyle, products, or ideas are inferior to others
     • Cultural Relativism- Behaviors, lifestyles, and ideas of a certain culture that are judged within their own context rather than by the standards of another culture.

2. Culture Influences Meaning

   • Cokely, 1999
     • Deaf people place different meaning on words that was significantly different from hearing people
       • Hearing People- Pathological Perspective
       • Deaf People- Cultural Perspective
         • ASL interpreters need to be familiar with the way Deaf people look at these words and be able to give an equivalent meaning in the English interpretation
   • Spingarn, 2001
     • Study dealing with the knowledge an English speaker has of the Deaf community
       • Most average English speakers are not familiar with the same terms that ASL interpreters are familiar with
   • When people learn new information, they usually assume that others know that info as well
     • Interpreting students must keep that in mind
       • They know that information, not everyone else does

3. Implications for the interpretation

   • Interpreting from English to ASL
     • Drop form
     • Look for meaning
     • Seek Language equivilant
     • Simply explain what is meant by what is said
   • Interpreting ASL to English
     • Much the same as....
       • Interpreting from English to ASL
   • Interpreter must effectively give the message in a way that the hearing audience understands it
     • Know information about your audience
       • Age
       • Education background
         • Sophistication level
       • Occupations represented
       • Prior Knowledge about Deaf community
       • Ethnicity

4. English Language Differences

   • Language and experience of the hearing persons must be taken into consideration
   • Interpreters must make sure the interpretation is clear and accurate
     • Hearing people rely on interpreters differently then Deaf people
     • Don't add information that was not signed
       • Exception: Cultural modifications
       • Linguistic modifications

5. Evaluating the Need for Cultural Adjustments

   • Parallelism between the cultures
     • Content the same in both cultures, no need for cultural adjustment
   • Deaf client identify with Deaf or hearing culture
     • Depending on which culture they identify with, may need cultural adjustment
   • Biculturalism: Degree- low, moderate, high
     • Depending on the degree, may need some cultural adjustment
   • Ongoing relationship
     • Depending on if there is a relationship or not between the hearing and Deaf person(s): some cultural adjustments may be needed