IW 155: InterpreTips: Just Interpret-Don't Fuss-But I Must

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As sign language interpreters we deal with difficult situations, emotional decisions, and hard tasks. In addition, we work with people who can be unpleasant. How do we balance our professional role, our ally-based role, and our moral compass with having to accommodate frustrating demands from annoying people-situations??

Wow, that's a very difficult topic to discuss. Let's do it with our professional and transparent respect. Shall we?

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Transcript

IW 155: InterpreTips: Just Interpret-Don't Fuss-But I Must

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[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.

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00:00:34

And now the quote of the day by two authors.

00:00:39

The first one by Isaac Asimov.

00:00:43

“People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.”

00:00:51

And the second quote by Charles Dickens.

00:00:56

“Do all the good you can. And make as little fuss about it as possible.”

00:01:03

Well, today we're going to fuss just a little bit. Not about the good that we do, but more about the people we work with.

00:01:14

Being in a service industry like sign language interpreting, we get to enjoy some wonderful jobs and wonderful places, sometimes with some wonderful people, and sometimes with [pause] people.

00:01:31

People, people. People.

00:01:34

Some people understand a little bit of what we do, some people don't.

00:01:41

Many people think they do.

00:01:43

But they don't.

00:01:45

So today we're going to talk about how do we deal with all of that.

00:01:50

So, let's get fussy. I mean, let's get started.

[SHORT TRANSITION MUSIC]

00:01:59

Many people show us that they think they know more about our job than we do.

00:02:05

They don't always come right out and say it.

00:02:08

But by what they tell us to do, or the questions they ask us, it's obvious they think they know what's best.

00:02:18

Many times, people will tell us where to stand, where to sit, whether to sit or stand.

00:02:26

Many times, they won't allow us to decide these things, or even come into the room at the appropriate time without them telling us what to do.

00:02:37

Or they'll say don't interpret this part.

00:02:41

Just take a break right now. We're just going to read here together.

00:02:46

I've already passed out papers that have the information, a summary of what I'm going to talk about so they can just read that and that way you can sit in the back and if they have questions, they can ask you or I'll just pass notes back and forth. We don't need you.

00:03:01

Can you interrupt the speaker and ask him where he found the blah blah blah blah blah? And I'm like, but he's in the middle of a lecture. Yeah, but I need to ask him where to get the book that he talked about last week. I need to know that. Yeah, but he's trying to teach now. He's teaching. You see, I'm interpreting what he's saying.

00:03:23

And he's in the middle of the lecture about a totally different topic. But you want me to interrupt and ask about a book last week? Yes. Just interpret. OKaaaay.

00:03:36

Or can you interrupt him and just like, whisper to him and tell him I have to leave early?

00:03:42

Ohh that's, that story that, that, that's exactly what happened to me once, in fact…

00:03:49

Ohh you want me to just interrupt him and tell him that this story is what you wanna? Yeah. Yeah, he needs to know. You know, I I I wanted to let him know because what his he's talking about is exactly what happened to me. OK. He is in the middle of talking with somebody else at the moment. I know, but…

00:04:10

OK. I will interrupt and tell him your story, even though he's in the middle of having a conversation with someone completely different and you've never met this person before, but sure I can, I can do that.

00:04:27

Many people do think they know what's best.

00:04:32

They don't understand the situation of interpreting. They don't understand how conversations work.

00:04:40

I should say how interpreted conversations work and they just want us to interpret.

00:04:47

What does that mean? Because obviously, if I was just interpreting, I would be doing all these things already.

00:04:55

Because what is the role of interpreter - managing the conversation in a way that it can be interpreted correctly, with the correct intentions, the correct… We're heading towards each of the goals that everyone has, and we're working and managing all of that…

00:05:16

…in our interpretation process.

00:05:19

But not everybody wants that. So how do we handle that? What do we do? Do we just say, “OK, I give up. I'm not going to be the interpreter role. I'm just going to be a machine and a robot and give you information.”?

00:05:33

Yeah, sometimes we do. And we know it's not going to come out in the best possible way.

00:05:39

And it also means that we get the feeling that we're not doing the best job we can. Hmm. How do we handle it every day? In other words, at the moment, we may make a decision and say the customer, the client, is always right. Let them deal with the consequences.

00:06:00

However, we know that as the interpreter, we are usually the ones who are blamed for any consequences.

00:06:08

Which means, as an interpreter, we sometimes have to suck it up and take the consequences. Take the blame, but that can wear on us, and it can help lead towards pushing towards burnout. 

00:06:26

Because working with people means several different personalities, several different attitudes about the role of the interpreter or even about life in general.

00:06:39

Most of the time it works out just fine, but not always.

[SHORT TRANSITION MUSIC]

00:06:48

Several years ago, I had a discussion with Thomas K. Holcomb, a deaf presenter at a conference who is introducing his concept of Deam, D-E-A-M. It was a mixture of the words Deaf, Dream, and Team.

00:07:07

And it was a concept of deaf-centered interpreting, a concept with the goal of improving the interpreting experience for everyone, the interpreters and deaf people.

00:07:21

And at that time, I asked him many questions about how we could do that, how that interaction, the engagement could change. So, look for a new episode on the Deam concept.

00:07:36

This might be one way to handle a little bit of what we're talking about today.

[ROCK TRANSITION MUSIC STARTS]

00:07:42

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]

So, let's talk a little bit more about clients who only want us to interpret who don't like small talk, who don't want our opinions or viewpoints or advice.

00:08:14

Advice about what is happening in the environment or about how we are going to be working that day, how we're going to handle a situation or even asking how they want us to handle a situation. Sometimes we're just shut down.

00:08:30

Sometimes when we're trying to be an ally in the best possible way by allowing them to be a part of the decision-making process for the interpreting situation.

00:08:43

Sometimes we're shut down, which means we're stopped. That door for us is closed. We can't interact. We shouldn't interact. We are told not to.

00:08:56

And we're just treated as “interpreter”, the robot, the machine, the information tunnel.

00:09:05

And that can leave us sometimes feeling a bit – at a loss.

00:09:10

Knowing that we could improve this situation, this matter by just making this or that decision or having a decision from them because we know the situation from our viewpoint, from all different sides of the world views who we're working with in that room. We have a little understanding from this side, from this side, that side.

00:09:37

We understand the intentions here, the intentions there, and that's not always known to the different clients.

00:09:46

And many times, as an ally, it means we want to involve the clients in the decision-making process so that they know and they have that feeling of determining what will happen.

00:09:59

And when they don't allow us to interact with them as a person to person as a service provider, when we're told to stop, just interpret, it makes us feel less valued.

00:10:17

It makes us feel as though OK, I'm being paid to do this job, but I am more than just an information gatherer and giver.

00:10:27

“Gatherer-er-er”, yes.

00:10:31

I am a professional interpreter, which means I can make decisions, which means I know how to interact with my client in a way that can serve better.

00:10:45

And when that's not allowed, that part of our role is not allowed, it can be frustrating, annoying and we can get a little fussy inside.

00:10:56

But it's all connected with the fact that we work with people.

00:11:03

And everyone is different. Different personalities, introverts, extroverts, arrogant people, narcissistic people, shy people, humble people...

00:11:16

You name it. They're all there. Hearing, Deaf - doesn't matter.

00:11:21

They all are.

00:11:23

They all are different.

[SHORT TRANSITION MUSIC]

00:11:30

So how do we improve this relationship?

00:11:34

When our role, our experience, our skills, our professionalism is stunted, how do we handle it?

00:11:42

Do we just say in the back of our minds I will never work with this client again?

00:11:47

Or do I say, “suck it up buttercup and be the professional who gives the service that is asked for”?

00:11:57

Because we all know there are consequences for every decision, positive or negative consequences for every decision. And it's not just our decisions, but it's also the clients.

00:12:10

In my experience, I have merely done my job and adapted flexibly to what the client needs and wants.

00:12:19

The preferences that they desire, how I do my job, is affected by what they say they need.

00:12:28

And yes, this can be hard, hard to handle in a, an emotional way as a person.

00:12:36

Because we know, or rather we think we know what's best in certain situations.

00:12:43

Even though we think we understand the situation, the environment, the intentions and goals of each individual, we don't know their full experience nor their full knowledge of the information that we are giving.

00:13:02

Which means they may understand it more than we think they do.

00:13:07

But like I said, just because someone is hearing just because someone is Deaf does not mean they're perfect. They make mistakes too. And there are people who are arrogant or perhaps don't like interpreters.

00:13:21

And when we are treated badly as a person or an interpreter or a professional, the consequences can be influenced by how we react.

00:13:33

Being confident on the inside can shield us from those frustrations, those annoyances, those emotional outbursts.

00:13:43

We don't always get to choose who we work with – so profound.

00:13:48

Even our own friends or acquaintances that happen to be in the situation can also frustrate us.

00:13:57

But in the end, we have to remember, it's not about us.

00:14:02

And there will be another day.

[ROCK TRANSITION MUSIC STARTS]

00:14:05

And with another day comes another cup of coffee, especially if you buy me one to support the podcast. Check out the links in the show notes and I'll appreciate every cup you buy. I sincerely thank you. Now let's go back.

[ROCK TRANSITION MUSIC ENDS]

00:14:21

How do we actually remedy this? How do we fix this problem?

00:14:26

We all know that our clients do not fully understand what we do as an interpreter. That's why hearing people ask us some ridiculous questions from our point of view.

00:14:39

They don't understand what will happen in the situation through our eyes.

00:14:45

It has been discussed many times how do we create Deaf awareness in society and the community through the nation, through the world. We have deaf awareness, we Deaf Awareness Day, Sign Language Day, all of those wonderful Awareness Days. 

00:15:03

But on the ground in the interpreting the world we don't see a whole lot of difference. We still encounter the same questions, the same ignorance to the topics in our professional world.

00:15:19

So, we could say we need to also have the deaf clients discuss these issues with us. The deaf community should have Interpreting Awareness Day or Professional Interpreters Day, something to explain what we do and how we do it.

00:15:39

You know what? I don't think that's gonna go over very well.

00:15:43

Though it's very difficult to have an interest in what we do because once we get into the nitty gritty, the details way deep down inside of interpreting it can get boring rather quickly for a lot of people.

00:16:00

We're talking about interpreters. How do we deal with our clients?

00:16:05

I think the real question is…

[SHORT TRANSITION MUSIC]

00:16:12

How do we deal with ourselves?

00:16:16

As interpreters, we need to have the confidence, the maturity, the professionalism to handle difficult clients, difficult situations, difficult interpretations.

00:16:30

And part of our mental health, our self-care has to be working through the feelings that we have concerning difficult clients.

00:16:44

One way is to discuss it with the deaf community members that you trust. Ask them what would you do? What should I do? How would you like someone to approach you about how you treated them as an interpreter?

00:17:01

And give them the questions, the viewpoints, the idea, the feelings that we get, and how that affects us, how that influences us. So, talk to your friends, colleagues, deaf interpreters, other interpreters within your community.

00:17:20

Find out what really should you do.

00:17:23

Transparency can help. It's a difficult subject to talk about but understanding how our clients want us to be defines the role that we are allowed to have.

00:17:38

And like I said earlier, we have to adapt, be flexible, because every client, every individual is well, individually different.

[SHORT TRANSITION MUSIC]

[ROCK EXIT MUSIC STARTS]

00:17:56

What a greatly difficult topic to talk about. I hope you started thinking what would you do? Maybe you've already done this. Maybe you've already talked to people about how to handle such a situation. That'd be great to know what you said, what you learned. There's a place you can share it.

00:18:15

You can send me a voicemail, click in the links below, or you can join the IW Community where we discuss such things anytime we want, from anywhere. Check out the links in the show notes.

00:18:30

Until then, keep calm. Keep interpreting without the fuss. I'll see you next week. Take care now.

[ROCK EXIT MUSIC ENDS AT 00:19:15]