Professional Discussion (1.5 hours) – assumes the participant has a general familiarity with the literature and professional practice within the topic area. The focus is “increased understanding and application by the participant.”
Overview of Presentation
Professional interpreters depend on muscle movement to generate the phonetics and phonology of our target languages, whether spoken or signed. Because the majority of concern for physical strain and the prevention of overuse syndrome falls on our physical production of signed languages, this presentation focuses on biomechanics of generating ASL target texts and how interpreters use our muscles to do our work.
Subjects will include Hand Configuration, Location of signs within our “work envelope”, Movement force, Holds & Static Loading, Changing work habits to incorporate Micro Rest Breaks, Body Posture / Stance & Breathing, and the effect of processing depth upon reducing mental stress. Specific instruction to improve the perception of numbers and fingerspelling will also be provided as a group activity.
This presentation is intended to systematically and consistently apply linguistic principles to evaluating the physical aspects of our work and to understand the nature of both physical and mental aspects of interpreting. Audience members should already have a basic understanding of linguistic terminology in order to gain a practical application of phonetics and phonology to their own work.
Additional Information
Interpreters working at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf have long been adhering to principles of efficient biomechanics as a way to reduce the incidence of Cumulative Trauma Disorder (CTD) or Overuse Syndrome. The presenter’s experience has been that few other locations around the country are aware of these principles as a cohesive approach to keeping working interpreters healthy and avoiding self-injury. Biomechanics for interpreting falls squarely within the linguistic categories of phonetics and phonology. This presentation concretely links the principles of biomechanics with the various muscle movements necessary to generate the phonology of American Sign Language, thus reinforcing linguistic principles while encouraging safe practices within our profession.
Topics for discussion include the following:
1. Hand Configuration/Palm Orientation = hand/wrist position
Neutral wrist posture is in line with forearm. Most handshapes can be properly produced without deviating from this posture.
2. Location = work envelope
Proximal to Medial (elbow is acute angle to right angle)Avoid Distal to Extended (elbow is obtuse angle to straight)
3. Movement = force of movement
Movement should be smooth and efficient.Avoid forceful, ballistic signing.
4. Holds = static loading
Static loading occurs when the hands are immobile within the signing envelope. This adds stress to the supporting musculature (upper arms, shoulder, neck, back) and prevents these muscles from being able to rest
5. Ø = “micro” rest breaks
The other side of static loading, micro-rests are short releases from static loading that allow the upper body to rest, even for less than a second, between load-bearing postures.
6. Body Posture and Breathing
Reducing muscular tension due to body posture requires an awareness of when your body posture is out of balance. Breathing is directly affected by body posture and sometimes can become shallow under stressful conditions. Deep, intentional breaths can help you to return to properly balanced posture.
7. Processing Depth (versus Processing Time)
Mental stress can cause an internal sense that you need to sign faster or to close the gap between the source text and your target text. Allow yourself to become more comfortable with greater processing depth and time so that you increase your confidence in your work and reduce your mental stress.
Educational Objectives
Working professionals in the field of interpreting will gain comprehension of linguistic terminology related to the phonetics and phonology of physically producing ASL target texts.
Audience members will be able to apply the linguistic topics discussed toward their own work through analysis of their own physical exertion in the production of ASL target texts.
Audience members will attain strategies for analyzing their own production of hand configurations, signing space, movement force, static loading, micro breaks, posture, stance, and mental processing.
Information about the Presenter
Brian Cerney, Ph.D., CI, CT, ASLTA-Professional has been a nationally certified interpreter since 1991 and is currently an Associate Professor within the ASL - English Interpreting Program at Keuka College in New York. Dr. Cerney’s research interests include interpreting processes, human-cognitive responses to stress, and ASL/English/Interpreting pedagogy. He has presented on topics ranging from interpreters serving as language models in mainstream environments, teaching methodologies for ASL, and evaluation methodologies for target texts.
Prezi - Interpreting Biomechanics
Prezi - Interpreting Biomechanics
