Hello, I’m Daryl Jackson and I’m here to talk about Deaf ‘Relay’ interpreters. Not speech to sign but sign to sign.
The Deaf Relay Interpreting field has shown huge growth in recent years, but, where did it all start?
Well you probably wouldn’t have realised this but historically, when a Deaf person couldn’t follow someone’s speech or sign, they would naturally nudge a friend sat beside them and ask, “What was that?” The friend would then offer a translation, modified to their specific needs. This is what’s known as ‘Relay Interpreting’ Another example is when one deaf person is able to weigh up a situation and translate what they see to another.
So what is the process and why is it required? Well there are occasions where a traditional Sign to Voice or Voice to Sign Interpreter does not meet the needs of a particular person. This is where you would use a Relay Interpreter who can offer further explanation and clarify understanding.
A typical need for Relay Interpreters would be a specialist setting where someone with Mental Health may use language with particular nuances which is not familiar to an Interpreter. That’s where I come in. I am able to receive the information and clarify its meaning before relaying it to the Interpreter to be translated to the medical professionals and vice-versa.
During this process, the interpretation is clearly visible to the Client by using a modification of their own language, enabling them to monitor the service that they are receiving and offering the opportunity for additional clarity.
This process is valuable in many specialist settings such as; Court, Medical assessments and Mental Health among others and is vital in promoting the clients wellbeing.
If you would like to find out more, i.e. how to book, get involved or become a relay interpreter, Why not get in touch?
