IW 152: InterpreComedy: You Might Be a Sign Language Interpreter IF

Comedy?! Really? Well, it's funny if you've lived it.

Here is a take on what we all know as sign language interpreters. Things people believe about us. Odd things we hear often. Things we know about ourselves that is just silly outside of our profession. Or things that just happen to pop in our minds.

Enjoy a laugh or two and I come back for more.

IW Community
A great place to meet regularly to laugh, learn, and lean on each other.

You get:

• 10 or 50% OFF of workshops, seminars. A great way to earn professional development hours.
• Online meetings to expand on the IW podcast episodes. Meet online with interviewees.
• Practice groups, Dilemma discussions.
• And more.

Transcript

IW 152: InterpreComedy: You Might Be a Sign Language Interpreter IF

Support the Podcast!

[ROCK INTRO MUSIC STARTS]

00:00:02 Tim [ONLY TIM SPEAKS IN THIS EPISODE]

Good morning, good evening, good afternoon. Wherever you are, this is the Interpreter's Workshop podcast. I'm Tim Curry, your host. Here we talk everything sign language interpreting the ins, the outs, the ups, the downs, the sideways of interpreting. If you're a student, a new interpreter, experienced interpreter, this is the place for you. If you want to know more, go to interpretersworkshop.com.

00:00:28

Let's start talking... interpreting.

[ROCK INTRO MUSIC ENDS]

00:00:34

And now the quote of the day by Jeff Foxworthy, American comedian famous for his jokes that started, “You might be a redneck if…”

00:00:46

“It's a weird sensation to be mad and learning at the same time.”

00:00:52

This quote reminds us that sometimes we're wrong and it may make us a little angry that we're learning something new or learning the fact that we were wrong. It also reminds us to be more open-minded to the truth, to communicate with others, and hear how they are communicating with us, to understand that we may make mistakes.

00:01:16

As sign language interpreters, we definitely understand that communication is key, that knowing and understanding what someone really means or intends is what it's all about.

00:01:29

We can see that social media, texting, or emails do not tell the full story, does not have the full language elements that give us the meaning. And so, we try to be flexible and empathetic to how someone may be trying to intend what their message means.

00:01:52

But as an interpreter, we face many moments, many situations, many people who can annoy us for various reasons.

00:02:02

This episode is to give us a laugh or two and to remind us that as a sign language interpreter we understand the world a little differently, all because of our profession, no matter what country you're from.

00:02:20

So hopefully, from this episode, remember that clear communication is important for all of us. But I truly hope you get some smiles and laughs from this episode.

00:02:31

So, let's get started to laugh.

[SHORT TRANSITION MUSIC]

00:02:38

If you open your closet and look at all of your clothes and you are secretly happy not to have to pick which color to wear… You might be a sign language interpreter.

00:02:53

If you walk down the street in Italy, constantly turning your head back and forth thinking, is that a deaf person? Is that a deaf person? Are they using sign language? You might be a sign language interpreter.

00:03:07

If you answer questions a lot with the phrase “well, actually” you might be a sign language interpreter.

00:03:17

If you laugh at jokes while having fun with friends, but inside, you're secretly saying, “Now how would I sign that?” you just might be a sign language interpreter.

00:03:29

If you try to avoid sitting next to the window in restaurants, you might be a sign language interpreter.

00:03:38

If you start rearranging the table at restaurants or at your friend's house, moving flowers off the table, moving big bowls, everything off the table… You just might be a sign language interpreter.

00:03:55

If you start ignoring music in restaurants, in malls, in the elevator, you just might be a sign language interpreter.

00:04:06

If you start analyzing social media posts thinking, “But what did they really mean? Why did they do this post? Where are they from?” You just might be a sign language interpreter.

00:04:21

If you ever get annoyed at people talking with small talk when they're presenting and you realize they haven't said anything of any value for at least a minute, you just might be a sign language interpreter.

00:04:36

If you listen to presenters, speakers, lecturers and hear every “umm”, every pause, every mistake, every half sentence, every sentence without a meaning, you just might be a sign language interpreter.

00:04:57

If you find yourself awkwardly clasping your hands in front of your belly in between sentences, you just might be a sign language interpreter.

00:05:09

When you're having a conversation and in your mind, you're thinking, “Yes, but what's the point? Get to the point. I don't understand yet. You, you haven't made a point. [sighs]” You just might be a sign language interpreter.

00:05:24

If you've ever watched a political statement, press release, and wondered, “Yes, but what does that really mean or why are you even saying that, or you just contradicted yourself three times in that paragraph”, you might just be normal.

00:05:45

If you live in a country where you have to drive a lot and you get in the car with a friend and they start apologizing for all of the food wrappers, papers laying here and there, and you say, “No, it's OK, I understand.”

00:06:01

You just might be a sign language interpreter.

00:06:06

If you live in a country with lots of public transportation and you have your favorite bag to carry with you, but you can't find anything in it quickly, you might be a sign language interpreter.

00:06:22

When you walk into a new place and quickly scan the area for where there might be a restroom... You just might be an experienced sign language interpreter.

[ROCK TRANSITION MUSIC STARTS]

00:06:34

A big thank you to everyone who shares this podcast with a colleague and friend. If you want to support the show even more, check out the show notes for links to buy me a coffee because it's very embarrassing to fall asleep during an interview. Thank you. Let's go back.

[ROCK TRANSITION MUSIC ENDS]

00:06:53

You may be a sign language interpreter if… when you meet new people and they ask you, what do you do for a living? You immediately pull out the folder full of all the questions they will ask you and you immediately try to answer those before they start to ask.

00:07:11

What are those questions? Huh, you already know.

00:07:15

I thought it was universal.

00:07:17

Why don't they make it a universal sign language, but they read lips, right? Well, can they drive? How do you make a living?

00:07:25

Why don't they just use Google Translate on their phones?

00:07:29

But what about those cool sign language gloves I saw on TikTok?

00:07:34

Can't they just wear glasses that give them subtitles of every conversation?

00:07:40

I think what you do is absolutely wonderful for those people.

00:07:45

How did you get started? Were your parents deaf?

00:07:49

How do I learn sign language? I wish I could do that. That would be so fun to do.

00:07:56

When did you learn Braille?

00:07:58

Can you teach me some signs real quick?

00:08:01

Are you going to take them home now?

00:08:04

Do you help with their children?

00:08:06

How can they hear their babies crying?

00:08:09

But they won’t hear the ambulance or the police.

00:08:13

But how could you ever interpret, you know, like math or science stuff?

00:08:21

But how are they going to understand it? Because this is really complicated and it’s high vocabulary.

00:08:27

We have a Braille menu.

00:08:30

Do they want a wheelchair to their next gate?

00:08:34

Are you traveling with them? That’s good. OK, so I need to open up my mouth very wide and clearly so they can read my lips, right?

[SHORT TRANSITION MUSIC]

00:08:48

Things you only say in your head if you're a sign language interpreter.

00:08:53

Yes, you can talk loudly and very big mouth movements if you want to look like an idiot.

00:09:00

Yes, we should have a universal language. How about English?

00:09:05

No, I am not their relative.

00:09:09

I'm sorry, I have no idea what their bank account is all about. I have no idea. No. Why would I know this person's bank account? [SIGHS]

00:09:19

No. Why would I know Spanish? I said I'm a sign language interpreter and I'm speaking in English. Why would you automatically think I would know Spanish?

00:09:30

No, I'm not going to speak Portuguese to them. I'm using sign language and speaking English, why do you think I would automatically know Portuguese? Just because this person is from Portugal and you're speaking English?

00:09:47

My definition of amazing and your definition of amazing is definitely different.

00:09:55

Yes, this person can read English. That's why they're actually looking at the letter that you just gave them, and they are reading it and asking you questions about it.

00:10:06

Yes, they can read. I think that's obvious when they are asking questions about the English letter they have in their hand right now.

00:10:17

Yes, my profession is amazing and very, very fulfilling. And the fact that you are very excited about that means that perhaps you need to rethink what you do if you're not as fulfilled as you think I am.

00:10:36

No, I can't take a break when you ask them to work with the others at their table. No, can't do that.

00:10:43

Have you been a public speaker very long where you actually have to give details and clear communication?

00:10:52

Yes, this is a big auditorium and everyone's talking at the same time. No, I cannot tell you what they're saying and interpret everything at the moment. Just. Yeah. Can't. I'm up here at the front. Those people are talking at the back of a 500 seat auditorium. Yep.

00:11:11

I really don't care if translator and interpreter in English is used interchangeably by most people. They are not the same. They are not the same.

00:11:23

Just because I'm interpreting everything does not mean I agree with everything.

00:11:30

Ally does not mean best friend.

00:11:34

Now go away.

[SHORT TRANSITION MUSIC]

00:11:40

If most of your text messages are actually video exchanges, you might be a sign language interpreter.

00:11:50

If many of your real text messages are filled with GIFs of extreme facial expressions, you might be a sign language interpreter.

00:12:02

If you have multiple social media apps for chatting, you might be an international sign language interpreter.

00:12:13

If you can write a clear e-mail, you might just be old.

00:12:19

If you secretly miss Skype, you are an older sign language interpreter.

00:12:27

If you start to touch someone on the shoulder to get their attention, you might be a sign language interpreter.

[SHORT TRANSITION MUSIC]

[ROCK EXIT MUSIC STARTS]

00:12:38

I hope these few repetitive little jokes gave you a smile, gave you something to think about and relaxed you just a little bit. It's those little connections that we have as sign language interpreters that we “get it”, that we know this is our profession.

00:12:58

And while those little things may annoy us, it is part of us. It is who we are, what we do, what we think. Well, mostly.

00:13:06

If you laughed out loud at some of these, then yes, you're an experienced interpreter.

00:13:12

If you didn't understand the majority of these jokes, it just means you're a new interpreter or you're not a sign language interpreter. And then why are you here? I mean, thank you for listening and learning about our profession. 

00:13:31

If you rolled your eyes at these jokes a lot, I know who you are.

00:13:35

So, honey, I'll have dinner ready when you get home, and everything will be fine. [coughs]

00:13:42

That was a joke for those of you who might be thinking he shouldn't be talking about his wife like that. Don't worry. You don't need to tell me. I'll be told later.

00:13:52

Until next time, keep calm. Keep chuckling inside, when you're interpreting, I'll see you next week.

00:14:00

Take care now.

[ROCK EXIT MUSIC ENDS AT 00:14:36]