Sign Language Interpreters are highly skilled professionals who are fluent in two or more languages. Their primary role is to interpret between a signed language such as British Sign Language (BSL) or Irish Sign Language (ISL) and spoken English. They also play a vital role in mediating across cultures and facilitating communication neutrally, ensuring that everyone has equal access to information and can fully participate in the interaction.
Intralingual Interpreters, (commonly known as Deaf Relay Interpreters), facilitate communication for Deaf people with specific or complex language needs.
Intralingual interpreters are essential when Deaf clients use non-standardised sign language, have limited language development, or exhibit idiosyncratic signing.
Where Inter-lingual interpreters interpret between different languages, intra-lingual interpreters work within the same language, British Sign Language to a modified Sign Language.
Intralingual interpreters use their lived experience as a Deaf Visual Language user and intrinsic cultural awareness to accurately render BSL into other forms of sign language or vice versa.
They may clarify complex language structures, ensuring effective communication for Deaf clients with diverse linguistic needs.
Interpreters for Deafblind people are professionals who assist Deafblind clients in communicating through either the Deafblind Manual Alphabet, Block Alphabet, Hands-On Signing or Visual Frame Signing. The method used to communicate is dependent on the client’s residual hearing and sight, as well as individual preferences.
The interpreter also relays auditory and visual information such as reactions to what has been said and the movement of other people.
Sign Language Translators are professionals who work with a written language and convert written materials from one language into sign language. Sign Language Translators typically work in domains such as translating website and social media content into British Sign Language. Regulated Trainee Sign Language Translators must not be booked to work in mental health or criminal justice settings.
Lipspeakers are hearing people who have been professionally trained to be easy to lipread. Lipspeakers reproduce clearly the shapes of the words and the natural rhythm and stress used by the speaker without using their voice.
Notetakers take notes for deaf people in a wide range of situations. There are two types of notetakers on the NRCPD registers:
Manual Notetakers are trained to take a clear set of notes handwritten in English for the deaf client to read later.
Electronic Notetakers produce a real-time summary of what is said using a laptop or computer which is linked to a second laptop for the client to read from.
