LTC Language Solutions

written by Doug Price “…And that’s just the tip of the iceberg!” What follows a statement like this is understandably a venture into the less obvious, the misunderstood, even the invisible. The “culture iceberg” is one popular permutation of the analogy that has been bobbing its way through the decades. Freud originally applied the iceberg image to the human psyche. Edward T. Hall (1976) and Gary Weaver (1986) broadened its application to cultures. Decades later, you now find hundreds, if not thousands, of versions of iceberg models adapted to every nuance of interaction between cultures. Academicians define culture by internal and external attributes of a society’s behaviors, beliefs, values, attitudes, etc. There are more than I need to list, but the key ingredient to any definition you find is that a culture must be shared. You can’t have your own personal culture. photo credit by working together global Set your Titanic on a crash course for a culture iceberg. Get...

Written by Taylor Hull The role of an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter is complex and layered. It involves facilitating communication between consumers that do not speak the same language. It is the interpreter’s responsibility to have fluency in both ASL and English, as well as the ability to manage the cross-cultural flow of each conversation. To acquire these skills, individuals hoping to become ASL interpreters are encouraged to enroll in an Interpreting Training Program, commonly referred to as an ITP. The purpose of this program is to prepare students to interpret in a wide variety of settings, such as medical, legal, and political environments. During my time as an ITP student, I received instruction on various topics, such as English and ASL linguistics, ethical business practices, medical interpreting, and more. These classes laid a foundation for skills and strategies I currently use in the interpreting field. Many of these classes are taught by Deaf instructors wh...

Written by Kelsey DeLonis & Hannah Schumacher Working with an ASL (American Sign Language) interpreter for the first time can seem intimidating. Don’t worry, we are here to help!                As a hearing person, you instinctively look towards the direction of sound. Maintaining eye contact with a Deaf person is crucial in any setting. It is important to remember that the interpreter is not your client and that speaking directly to your Deaf client empowers them as an equal participant in the interaction. It can feel confusing to be looking at a person who is not verbally responding to you and possibly isn’t making eye contact with you (depending on where the interpreter is placed). Deaf people rely heavily on facial expressions and can often determine what is going on from mouth movements. This does not always mean they  read lips , though.                  It may seem rude or...

Written by Amy Truman & Kelsey DeLonis When working with an ASL (American Sign Language) interpreter, telling the interpreter “Don’t interpret that” is not only unethical, it also implies that the interpreter is unnecessary. This is true if either the Deaf client or the hearing client says this to the interpreter. The interpreter has a responsibility to make sure that both parties understand everything equally throughout the duration of the appointment. If there is something that needs to be said privately, it is more appropriate to excuse yourself momentarily from the vicinity. The interpreter is provided for both parties equally. This back-and-forth interaction cannot proceed smoothly without the interpreter fulfilling their entire role. As mentioned in our blog “How To Use an ASL Interpreter 101,” by the time you can say “Don’t interpret that,” odds are the interpreter has already interpreted it. At the basest level, asking an interpreter to omit information is unethica...

      Written by Steve Reynolds      “Steve, we have 100’s of Burmese employees. Why should we invest in a Cross-Cultural Training for our company?” – Indiana business owner “Great question. Simple answer. Cultural intelligence (CQ) builds TRUST.” And nothing is as effective as the speed of trust in an organization. Honing our cross-cultural skills leads to positive outcomes, including productivity, performance, employee retention and workplace happiness. Photo Credit by nrev.jp Stephen Covey reminds us to do the math. Instead of the standard business formula of S x E = R (Strategy times Execution equals Results), he highlights the hidden value of TRUST. (Strategy x Execution) x TRUST = Results. Trust can be a performance multiplier where 10 x 10 = 100 x TRUST actually produces a dividend. “Above all, success in business requires two things: a winning competitive strategy, and superb organizational execution. Distrust is an enemy to both.”...

      Written by Amy Truman Have you ever tried lip-reading? Personally, the only successful lip-reading I can understand is an angry coach on TV. It’s a common misconception that all deaf people have this superpower to help them interact with the hearing world around them. So why is lip-reading such a rare skill? Studies estimate that only 30% of spoken English can be understood using lip-reading, which leaves 70% of the conversation to be guessed. The majority of what happens to formulate sounds and words are not visible on the lips, such as placement of the tongue or what happens in your throat. Try it with a friend and see if you can see the difference between “face” and “vase” or “salad” and “talent”. This has been compared to feeling like one’s entire day is an exhausting, continuous game of Wheel of Fortune, catching what letters you can and trying to fill in the blanks, all while someone is still talking to you. Photo Credit Sciencemag.org It should be ...

Written by Bethany Jamison, NIC If you have ever requested or received interpreting services, my guess is you have most likely experienced a series of questions. Have you ever wondered, “Why are they asking all of these questions?”  Interpreting environments can vary from performances to business trainings to medical procedures. As you can imagine, each setting has a set of norms and/or rules (both spoken and unspoken), as well as specialized jargon. Preparedness is of the utmost importance in navigating these environments. So why all the questions? Extra-Linguistic Knowledge, or ELK. Let’s define the word extralinguistic. Extra meaning “outside”, and linguistic meaning “language.” Extra-Linguistic Knowledge means any knowledge that is outside of the language itself. Naomi Sheneman, a Certified Deaf Interpreter, states, “ As sign language interpreters in the United States, we know English and American Sign Language. Those two languages make up our linguistic knowledge. Ever...