This book defines the notion of applied sign linguistics by drawing on data from projects that have explored sign language in action in various domains. The book gives professionals working with sign languages, signed language teachers and students, research students and their supervisors, authoritative access to current ideas and practice.

Signed language interpreting continues to evolve as a field of research. Stages of professionalization, opportunities for education and the availability of research vary tremendously among different parts of the world. Overall there is continuing hunger for empirically founded, theoretically sound accounts of signed language interpreting to inform practice, pedagogy and the development of the profession. This volume provides new insights into current aspects of preparation, practice and performance of signed language interpreting, drawing together contributions from three continents. Contributors single out specific aspects of relevance to the signed language interpreting profession. These include preparation of interpreters through training, crucial for the development of the profession, with emphasis on sound educational programmes that cover the needs of service users and the wide-ranging skills expected from practitioners. Resources, such as terminology databases, are vital tools for interpreters to prepare successfully for events. Practice oriented, empirical investigations of strategies of interpreters are paramount not only to increase theoretical understanding of interpreter performance, but to provide reference points for practitioners and students. Alongside tackling linguistic and pragmatic challenges, interpreters also face the challenge of dealing with broader issues, such as handling occupational stress, an aspect which has so far received little attention in the field. At the same time, fine-grained assessment mechanisms ensure the sustainability of quality of performance. These and other issues are covered by the eighteen contributors to this volume, ensuring that the collection will be essential reading for academics, students and practitioners.

Interpreting and the Politics of Recognition investigates the historical, ethical and professional dimensions of this, arguably, most widespread form of intercultural communication. Covering key topics from colonialism to representation, ethics and power, it looks at the different linguistic modalities (signed and spoken) used within communities to investigate equality of citizens. The contributors include leading authorities in their fields and use a wide spread of examples from a variety of disparate cultures - including deaf and ethnic minority groups. With eight chapters presented in three thematic sections and a foreword by Michael Cronin setting the book in its wider context, this volume will be of interest to practising interpreters, researchers and advanced students in the areas of Interpreting Studies, Translation Studies, and Linguistics and Communication Studies. Additional resources for Translation and Interpreting Studies are available on the Routledge Translation Studies Portal: http://cw.routledge.com/textbooks/translationstudies.

The purpose of "Assessment Guidelines" is to present a set of possible types of assessment which are in use throughout Europe when assessing learning outcomes within educational programmes. The efsli "Learning Outcomes for Graduates of a Three Year Sign Language Interpreting Programme," served as a basis for the discussion in the Dublin workshops and provided the point of reference for the present guidelines. However, while these guidelines are pitched at a three-year undergraduate course, it is our hope that this document will also function as a point of reference and resource to those who may be working outside of that framework.This document is divided into two parts; general recommendations and specific assessment tools. A glossary of terms has also been included to provide definitions of core terminology used.

This book defines the notion of applied sign linguistics by drawing on data from projects that have explored sign language in action in various domains. The book gives professionals working with sign languages, signed language teachers and students, research students and their supervisors, authoritative access to current ideas and practice.