The Linguist

12 The Linguist Vol/60 No/5 2021 thelinguist.uberflip.com FEATURES Some strategies are applied because they will enhance the interpreting flow. These are process-oriented motivations. Strategic omission, for instance, allows the interpreter to gain time and expand their processing capacity. In several cases, interpreters would apply one strategy which was oriented towards both the process and the product. The use of substitution, for example, allowed interpreters to gain time (process oriented), and to render a meaning-based target text (product). The influence of ideology An interpreter's ideology also plays a role. Some of the linguistic decisions were influenced by professional ideologies, and beliefs and norms regarding deafness and language. Professional ideologies influenced interpreters' strategic decision-making processes in a significant way. On the one hand, the interpreters wanted to adhere to the code of conduct's stipulation that the source text message needs to be rendered accurately and completely. This meant they sought to avoid strategies such as addition, omission and compression. On the other hand, they also wished to deliver a comprehensive target text which would be understood by the audience. This aim warranted the use of, for example, additions. At times, interpreters expressed a conflict over how to adhere to all the expectations put forward in the code of conduct. In other instances, ideologies regarding deafness influenced the interpreters' linguistic decisions. They said they had omitted certain source text items because a deaf person 3 1) would not understand the word, 2) would be offended by it or 3) would not be able to process all the information. One example was the omission of the source text item 'handicap' because, according to the interpreter, "this is not a popular word in the deaf community". This points to the fact that how interpreters gauge their audience influences the strategies they use and reject. The way interpreters think about language and, more specifically for this study, their stance towards spoken and signed languages also inform their linguistic decision-making processes. Some interpreters identified certain characteristics of the source text as being typical for spoken languages but inappropriate for signed texts. This was the case when they were confronted with long and complex source sentences, which they would render in shorter formulations using compression. This allowed for, in their opinion, a more signed language appropriate target text. All of this reinforces the fact that interpreting is strategic in nature and that (greater) awareness of the linguistic choices interpreters have – and of the decisions they ultimately make – is a prerequisite for any interpreter. Notes 1 Heyerick, I (2021) 'A Descriptive Study of Linguistic Interpreting Strategies in Dutch- Flemish Sign Language Interpreting. Exploring interpreters' perspectives to understand the what, how and why'. PhD dissertation, KU Leuven, Belgium; cutt.ly/Heyerick 2 'Text' refers to a coherent stretch of language – written, spoken or signed. In this instance, the target text refers to the signed interpretation produced by the interpreters. 3 Throughout this article, and my publications, I use 'deaf' and not 'Deaf'. The d/Deaf distinction has at times led to exclusive practices. It can be useful in cases where people self-identify as deaf or Deaf, but as a hearing researcher I refrain from making that decision for and about individuals (see also Heyerick, 2016). READING THE ROOM A signed language interpreter at an anti- austerity march in Badajoz, Spain. Audience reactions can lead to a change of strategy © SHUTTERSTOCK

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