Enhancing Sign Language Interpretation: Lexical Resource Strategies

Lexical Resources for Sign Language Interpreters

For several decades, the use of sign language has often been restricted to domestic settings or communication solely among deaf individuals. Although extensive research and systematic efforts are currently being undertaken by the Deaf community in collaboration with experts, academics and Sign Language Interpreters (SLIs) still face certain vocabulary limitations. While these limitations are being addressed and are expected to be remedied in the near future, they currently necessitate supplementation through other techniques and resources to temporarily alleviate communication challenges.

In interpretation, several useful resources can be employed, but their use must always be guided by the consensus of native Sign Language (LS) users, LS teachers, and LS researchers. It is imperative that SLIs continuously update their resources and stay abreast of new developments in LS research to incorporate them into their lexicon. The most commonly used resources include:

• Periphrasis

  According to the RAE (Royal Spanish Academy), periphrasis is defined as circumlocution. In Sign Language (LS), periphrasis involves explaining the meaning of a particular term. In consecutive interpretation, interpreters usually have more time to utilize this resource, whereas in simultaneous interpretation, this is often not feasible. The decision to use periphrasis is also conditioned by the interpreter's skill. The interpreter must balance the available time with their mastery of short-term memory to ensure that the inclusion of periphrasis does not come at the expense of new information. A crucial element in mastering periphrasis is a deep knowledge of the languages being used and a rich vocabulary.

• Classifiers

  Depending on the word in question, classifiers can describe its shape, texture, use, etc., effectively converting auditory information into visual representations.

• Fingerspelling

  Another resource that Sign Language Interpreters (SLIs) can use to cover lexical gaps in interpretation is fingerspelling. However, there's a distinction in using fingerspelling to describe nouns. Here, SLIs use fingerspelling for academic or scientific terms that lack established signs. While circumlocution could also be used, it would only be appropriate in specific situations. Extensive fingerspelling by SLIs in simultaneous interpreting, where time is severely restricted, can be exhausting. An alternative resource is to fingerspell only the first letter of a spoken word while vocalizing it. This technique, however, should only be employed after the full term has been presented at least once or twice previously, and its understanding by the users has been confirmed.