Discourse
Workshop Topic : DISCOURSE
THE ROLE OF AFFECT IN MESSAGE EQUIVALENCE
Betty M. Colonomos
Historically, interpreters have viewed the feelings of the speaker as less important than the content of the message. Often one hears that the interpreter considers showing the speaker’s feelings as "icing on the cake" and possible only when time and comfort in the assignment allows dealing with it. Receptively, interpreters may analyze the speaker's affect through their own filter(s) and misrepresent the true intent. This workshop, offered in half-day, one-day, and two-day formats, examines the role of speaker and interpreter affect (emotion) in various ways. Tools will be offered to analyze affect and hands-on practice will occupy most of the session.
ASL
EXPANSION: DISCOURSE ANALYSIS
Shelley Lawrence
Most Sign Language interpreters do not have native-like competency in ASL. It seems that even though our syntax may follow that of ASL, our production of the language still does not resemble that of native users. In analyzing ASL discourse, it seems there are specific applications of language use and language phrasing in ASL that do not occur in spoken English. These features have not been addressed in the teaching of ASL to non-native users. These unique applications are what I call "Expansion." I use this term because it is descriptive of what happens in native ASL signing. To date, I have identified seven Expansion Features utilized by native signers. Identifying and practicing the Expansion Features gives students of interpretation the facility to produce a more natural form of ASL discourse that is not only more accurate, but also allows Deaf consumers the ease of understanding the message in a more native-like form.
CONTRASTIVE
ANALYSIS: CROSS-CULTURAL AND CROSS-LINGUISTIC COMPARISONS
Robert G. Lee
The premise behind this training is that we all use language in specific ways: who we are determines how we communicate. To that end, participants will explore a variety of factors that influence the languages with which we work. The workshop is a combination of lecture, discussion and small group exercises all aimed at understanding how we can get to the meaning behind utterances. Topics covered include: levels of language, the effect of community and events on language, and ways of viewing language and culture.
DISCOURSE
ANALYSIS FOR INTERPRETERS
Elizabeth A.Winston
Communication in any language is a process of building meaning among the participants, of interpreting another's words within a specific context. Interpreting is a complex process that requires an understanding of this process for all participants. An understanding of discourse, its structures and processes, is essential for effective interpreting. In this course, interpreters will study discourse analysis as an approach to understanding the interpreting process and improving their own interpretations. Discourse features in both ASL and English are discussed. These include the forms and functions of turn-taking; paralinguistic features such a pacing, pausing, intonation, and movement in space; constructed performance (often referred to as role-playing); back-channeling feedback between interactants; and coherence and cohesion in dynamic communication. Participants are provided the opportunity to analyze and compare a variety of structures in both languages in order to better understand their forms and functions in each language.
PERSPECTIVE IN ASL
David Quinto-Pozos
Most interpreters know the basic grammar of ASL-often as a result of classroom instruction. That is, they may create grammatical ASL phrases with the appropriate use of time adverbials, topicalized items, rhetorical questions, etc. But, something is still lacking in their ASL production, and that something is the use of different perspectives. In this workshop, participants will learn about perspective in ASL and how ASL discourse can be analyzed in terms of various perspectives that the signer manipulates for the creation of meaning. In addition, a model of perspective that is based on existing linguistic research will be explained. Participants will be given the opportunity to analyze perspective as seen in the discourse of Deaf individuals, and they will also engage in activities that will allow them to practice the production of the various perspectives in ASL. Knowledge of perspective in ASL will not only influence the ASL production of interpreters but also the manner in which interpreters create sign-to-voice interpretations of ASL discourse.
ASL DISCOURSE FOR INTERPRETERS
Eileen Forestal
This workshop, derived from course curriculums developed by Dr. Elizabeth Winston, MJ Bienvenu and other sources, provides an introductory study of ASL Discourse. Discussion will be highlighted on ASL and English discourse structure and features, use of space, making transition between ideas, registers, use of classifiers with various texts, etc. Application of techniques in using ASL discourse within the task of classroom interpreting will be provided through hands-on activities. This course will be taught in lectures, demonstrations and, skill application activities, group activities and discussions.