For deaf and hearing individuals, American sign language (ASL) interpreters professionally bridge language barriers. They are constantly making sure that the deaf community has a proper means of communication. We all have witnessed the active presence of professional ASL interpreters in political campaigns and federal announcements, but you can only imagine how much ASL interpreters mean to the deaf community. Not only this but the scope of American sign language interpretation services is far more diverse, its scope extends to fields like education, cultural understanding, medical consultations, legal settings, etc. Just like any other language, ASL is a living language and has its evolution, and the practitioners of ASL, are required to have relevant qualifications, and certifications in their respective fields (legal, corporate, medical, business, cultural).
The ASL language is linked with professional interpretation services because to become an ASL interpreter, one must have the professional ability to sign the language and understand the other person’s signing as well. To perform both tasks, an ASL professional has to perform interpretation from spoken/written English to ASL and vice versa. Moreover, the ASL interpreter is required to be proficient in more than one language. To understand the language is one thing and to convey linguistically and culturally accurate meaning in sign language is another skill. That is why, many professional institutes offer ASL certifications in different fields.
Deaf and hard of hearing people deserve the right to education, legal representation, and other civic rights. To make them equally eligible for all civil rights, the ASL language and the role of interpreters are very important. They bridge the language barriers and are required to be well-versed in their sign expressions according to the occasion, understanding of the audience, and field. The impartiality of the ASL interpreter and expertise in choosing the most relevant signs play a constructive role in the communication of the original information.
The Beginning and Evolution of ASL
The education for deaf people started in Hartford, Connecticut by Dr. Thomas Gallaude and Laurent Clerc. (a deaf teacher) in 1817. With time the scope and ways of communication of American sign language evolved. However, ASL is not a universal language but it is one of the most used sign languages across the world. There are more or less 300 sign languages with their distinctive style, vocabulary, and grammatical structure. Moreover, unlike any other spoken language, there is no written form of ASL. ASL is a visual-spatial language with a unique grammatical structure different from any other spoken language. Another note-worthy element of ASL is, when signing, facial movements are not facial expressions but are used to convey grammatical information.
Facial Expressions in American Sign Language
In American Sign Language, facial movements play an imperative role. They work as the punctuation indication after a question, describing the what, when, and who of the communicated information. Moreover, facial expressions also provide the adjectives and other descriptive elements of the ASL. Below are some facial movements of ASL and their respective expressions.
| Facial Movement | Grammatical Expression |
| Raising Eyebrows | Question mark and yes or no question. |
| Lowering Eyebrows | Furrowed eyebrows represent, who, what, when, where, why, and how. |
| “Ch” Mouth Shape | Used for expressing the scale of something, bigger, huge, bulky, etc. |
| “O” Mouth Shape | Used to express the smallness of something. |
| “O” Mouth Shape while Blowing Air | Used to express frustration, anger, and relief. |
| Air Filled Cheeks | Depicts, size, emotions, and animals like monkeys. |
| Sucked-in Cheeks | Depicts the smallness, weakness, and skinniness of something, or some animals like fish. |
Why ASL Interpreters Are Important
A large community of deaf and hard to hear Americans use ASL as their first language. You might be wondering why can’t they communicate with hearing individuals in writing or voice or with the English language. Are they illiterate? Do they not understand English? Why do they need to rely on another language? (sign language, e.g. ASL) If they use the available information in the English language, they can’t communicate with deaf people.
That restricts their communication with only hearing people. Besides, a major portion of the hard to hear or deaf community relies on sign language for communication. These are some of the reasons why these communities prefer to use sign languages and ASL provides a centralized set of rules to accommodate every field and information. These things make the role of ASL interpreters very important and practical.
Difference between ASL Translators and ASL Interpreters
Most people think that translation and interpretation are the same thing but it is not correct. There is a key difference between the two. Before we delve into the differences between ASL translations and interpretations, let’s clear up another confusion on ASL multilingualism. American Sign Language is considered a complete language. Most of the ASL translators and interpreters are multilingual professionals. So, the best multilingual translation services include the expertise of American Sign Language professionals.
These professionals are not only fluent in more than one language but also extensively use visual-spatial and orad-auditory techniques. Moreover, as far as the role of a translator is concerned, ASL translators are mainly focused on converting books, and other written materials from English into sign language.
Conclusion
The role of American Sign Language is paramount in terms of providing and supporting the deaf and hard to hear communities in America and all over the world. That is why the role of ASL translators and interpreters is very important. Because America is a land of the free and home of the brave and here everyone has a fundamental right to access information.
