Mastering the Framework: A Practical Training for DIs Using the Intralingual Interpreting Framework

This in-depth training session is designed for Deaf interpreters who wish to refine their skills and strategies using the innovative intralingual interpreting framework (Tester, 2021). Built on data collected from courtroom settings, the framework categorises key techniques such as strategic omissions, paraphrasing, and spatial positioning to enhance interpreting accuracy and effectiveness in high-stakes environments, particularly legal proceedings (Tester, 2021). The framework draws upon Goffman’s (1981) participation framework, Zethsen’s (year) theories on interpreting practices, and translanguaging theory (García & Li Wei, 2014; Kusters et al., 2017), which provide critical insights into the role of Deaf interpreters in managing complex legal language and ensuring effective communication in courtroom interactions. In this session, participants will engage in hands-on exercises, role-play scenarios, and reflective discussions to develop the skills necessary to apply the taxonomy effectively in legal settings. A key challenge the framework addresses is explaining how Deaf interpreters work within the same language, ASL to ASL, without necessarily referring to it as interpreting between two different languages. The workshop will help participants better articulate and navigate these distinctions while applying the intralingual interpreting taxonomy in legal settings. This session also offers participants the opportunity to contribute feedback on the framework as it continues to evolve, ensuring its broader professional application in the field of legal interpreting.

Christopher Tester