November 13, 2017 - 19:17
Cohen's experience as an interpreter and her reflection of interpreters' roles are both very insightful. I had never considered the toll it could take on one’s mental wellness. While working as an interpreter, Cohen was effectively silenced while on the job, not conveying her thoughts, feelings, or personal identity. Although she was working for other people, Cohen was very isolated while on the job. She was also absorbing the experiences she was interpreting while not being allowed to disclose anything because of the interpreter’s code of ethics. And after work, she was often left with the feeling that her interpreting was not sufficient. In these ways interpreting took a toll. Beyond this, Cohen also brings up a very good point about the unsettling nature of the role of the interpreter. Interpreters are hearing, with very few exceptions, and they harness ASL to gain a profit from deaf people. Realistically, very few interpreters can have a solid grasp on deaf culture, and when conveying meaning between hearing and deaf culture is a part of their role, it demonstrates an inherent shortcoming in the role of the interpreter. They cannot present deaf culture at a level equal to hearing culture. Are there ways in which this inequality can be minimized?
Ref: Ch 16 Interpreting