ASL interpreting comes with its unique set of responsibilities. To do justice to these responsibilities, interpreters must remain ethical in their professional conduct. Like every other profession with a code of conduct to govern the behavior of working individuals, ASL interpretation, too, has several ethical considerations.
Here are the top six ethical considerations that you must keep in mind as an ASL interpreter:
- Maintain accuracy
- Be impartial
- Adhere to confidentiality
- Demonstrate respect
- Remain professional
- Prioritize professional development
Maintain accuracy
The primary responsibility of an ASL interpreter is to accurately interpret the spoken word to ASL and ASL to the spoken word. By doing so, you help bridge the communication gap between the Deaf and the hearing communities.
An incorrect interpretation can change the meaning or only partially relay the intended meaning of the original message. Consequently, this can contribute to misunderstandings or a lack of understanding. It is, thus, imperative that you maintain accuracy while interpreting.
You can achieve accuracy by thoroughly researching the content and context regarding your interpreting project; this can help you gain clarity on the subject and prepare you for the job. Being prepared beforehand can take you a step closer to interpreting accurately.
Moreover, generally, communication involves a lot of visual cues that further help decipher the meaning. Since ASL is a language focused on visuals, you can also work on expressing the message through more than just your hands. While interpreting, use your facial expressions and body language to effectively and accurately communicate the meaning.
Be impartial
When you work as a connecting link between two parties, you become an essential part of their communication. However, it is important to remember your role in this kind of communication- your job is to aid communication by accurately interpreting messages.
A big part of this depends on your ability to keep your personal biases and opinions from interjecting the interpretation. When you include your opinions in interpretations, your clients can’t differentiate between your opinion and that of the other party. Thus, any interjection can lead to miscommunication between both parties. As an interpreter, even when you don’t agree with the content of the conversation, you can’t give your opinion or advice to either of the parties.
When you let your personal biases and judgment cloud your interpretation, you are being dishonest to your clients. If you are partial to any of the parties or find it hard to not interject on certain topics, it is best to let another interpreter take over.
Adhere to confidentiality
When you become a part of your client’s communication with others, you might become privy to sensitive and confidential information. Maintaining this confidentiality is of paramount importance. Unless your client has clearly and expressly permitted you to share the contents of their communication, you can’t share it with other people. With the exception of legal requirements and safety concerns, you must not breach confidentiality under any circumstances.
Demonstrate Respect
For clients
As an interpreter, you must respect your client’s preference for how you must interpret. They might prefer the tone of voice, language proficiency, and style of interpreting, among other things. You must respect your client by keeping their preferences in mind while interpreting.
For the Deaf community
As someone who works to simplify communication for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing people, you must show empathy and consideration for them. You need to gain cultural competence to understand them and their culture. Actively participating in the Deaf community is an excellent way to show solidarity and respect toward them.
ALT Text: A group of people joining hands to show solidarity
Remain professional
Accepting projects
As a representative of the interpreting community, you must display professionalism. This involves only accepting projects that fall within your area of expertise and training. Depending on the project, interpreters need to have varied levels of language proficiency, training, and certifications.
For instance, it is best to reject assignments related to healthcare interpreting if you are not qualified to do the same. You can refer the client to another interpreter with the required qualifications to effectively finish the project, or you can simply pass on the opportunity.
Moreover, don’t lie about your qualifications and certifications to get an interpreting job. Be honest about what you can and can’t do, and act accordingly.
Appropriately presenting yourself
A key to maintaining professionalism lies in presenting yourself well. Your demeanor and appearance must be in line with your work. As an interpreter, you act as a representative of your client. The way you dress will have an impact on the way people perceive your client.
You must maintain a tidy appearance and wear clothes that won’t be distracting as you interpret. Generally speaking, ASL interpreters are recommended to wear muted colors, like black, while on the job. Also, solid-colored tops are preferred over tops with distracting patterns and shiny material. Since facial expressions are essential to ASL interpreting, interpreters must also keep their hair from falling on their faces.
The way you present yourself may have to alter, depending on the type of client. For instance, the appropriate dress code for legal interpreting would be different than that for healthcare interpreting.
Prioritize professional development
To interpret to the best of your abilities, you must be committed to continual learning. Cultures, languages, contexts, and practices keep evolving. To maintain your competence as a professional, you must focus on honing your skills by attending workshops, and training programs, getting a mentor, or learning by yourself.
Further, you must remain aware of the latest updates and developments in the interpreting industry. This can help you ascertain which areas of interpreting you can improve on. Enhancing your knowledge and upskilling can help you interpret more effectively.
Conclusion
These ethical considerations will make you a better interpreter, leading to more success in your career. If you are an ASL interpreter and are ready to take the next step toward a fulfilling career in interpreting, join Unspoken Language Services. We are looking for professionals who are committed to serving their clients with the utmost sincerity. If you pride yourself on your professional conduct and skill, our agency is the right fit for you. To learn more about becoming an Unspoken Interpreter, contact us.
Thumbnail Credit: Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko
