Webinar on ISO and sign language interpreting

Webinar on ISO and sign language interpreting

Come to the free AIIC SLN webinar on 29 February! Join Maya de Wit, PhD (Sign Language Network) and Dr. Verónica Pérez Guarnieri (ISO group) to learn more about the development of ISO standards and the upcoming ISO/AWI 17651-4 standard on signed language interpreters' working environment. Interpretation will be available in Spanish, French, English, Portuguese and International Sign (IS). More info register: https://lnkd.in/dT56vuZg

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Successfully defended my PhD dissertation

Successfully defended my PhD dissertation

I am honored and thrilled to have successfully publicly defended my PhD dissertation ‘Practitioners’ perspectives on International Sign Conference Interpreting’ at the Radboud University in Nijmegen on 30 October 2023.

You can read all about my PhD dissertation and defence here >

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Published! QA in IS conference interpreting at international organizations

Published! QA in IS conference interpreting at international organizations

I am excited to share my 3rd PhD article that was just published in the International Journal for Translation & Interpreting Research. In this article we examine the 2021 Quality Assurance (QA) system for IS conference interpreters. The results indicate that there is a demand for formal professional training programmes that focus on interpreting IS in conference settings and a need to enhance the current accreditation system. Read the full article (open access) >

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AIIC Sign Language Network Coordinator, comes to an end

AIIC Sign Language Network Coordinator, comes to an end

After 6.5 years, I chaired my last meeting as AIIC Sign Language Network coordinator on January 15th. During these years I have learned so much from my AIIC colleagues about conference interpreting, policies, strategies, interpreting markets and international institutions. 

In the picture are some of the SLN members who attended my last meeting as coordinator. It has been an absolute joy to work closely together with so many sign and spoken language interpreter colleagues, and I want to thank each one of you. Through our joint work we have raised further awareness in and outside AIIC on sign language conference interpreting. 

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My PhD in progress... :-)

My PhD in progress... :-)

I started my part-time PhD in February 2018 at the Radboud University in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. I research International Sign interpreters in conference settings, more specifically: What defines and characterizes an International Sign conference interpreter and their complimentary strategies and skills, specifically in comparison to national sign language and spoken language conference interpreters? My study consists of four articles of which two are published and two are submitted for review. During the coming months I will write up the thesis for submission. Read here more about my PhD studies and findings >

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EU mentoring scheme IS interpreters: apply by 24 January

EU mentoring scheme IS interpreters: apply by 24 January

The European Commission in cooperation with EUD is organizing for the 2nd time a mentoring opportunity for International Sign interpreters. The mentoring will take place on the premises of the EC in Brussels (tbc) in the weeks of 28 March, 25 April or 2 May, and 13 June. The dates are to be confirmed. National sign language interpreters (deaf and hearing) with a conversational fluency in IS can apply.

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'Sign language conference interpreting' new paper in Handbook on Conference Interpreting

'Sign language conference interpreting' new paper in Handbook on Conference Interpreting

Just published! The Routledge Handbook of Conference Interpreting bringing together 71 researchers and practitioners in 40 chapters. Excited to have co-authored with Graham Turner, Nadja Grbic, Christopher Stone, Christopher Tester the chapter ‘Sign Language conference interpreting’.

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2nd PhD article published! Preparation strategies for sign language conference interpreting

2nd PhD article published! Preparation strategies for sign language conference interpreting

The article Preparation strategies for sign language conference interpreting: comparing international sign with a national sign language’ co-authored with my PhD supervisors Dr. Onno Crasborn and Prof. Jemina Napier has just been published in Kilian G. Seeber (Ed.) 100 Years of Conference Interpreting: A legacy.

You can see here a summary in International Sign, the abstract in English and more information on the publication >

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AIIC SLN & EMCI webinar

AIIC SLN & EMCI webinar

The AIIC Sign Language Network and the EMCI co-organized a webinar on sign language conference interpreting: professionalization and course design. Presentations were given by Naďa Hynková Dingová, Catherine Pearson, Jemina Napier, Christian Rathmann, Myriam Vermeerbergen, Nora Ungar. You can watch the webinar on the AIIC youtube channel in English, International Sign, Spanish or Portuguese. See here >

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Presentation "Sign language interpretation during the pandemic: opportunities and responsibilities"

Presentation "Sign language interpretation during the pandemic: opportunities and responsibilities"

On 3 December SCIC, the Directorate Generale for Interpretation at the European Commission, hosted an online event. I was honored to be invited to present. My presentation entitled "Sign language interpretation during the pandemic: opportunities and responsibilities" discussed the responsibilities that we have as sign language interpreters to provide the best quality interpretation, also during a pandemic.

The SCIC online event was interpreted into International Sign by SCIC accredited interpreters and SCIC IS interpreter mentees. You can watch my presentation here (starts at 01:45).

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Researching International Sign interpreting as a practitioner

Researching International Sign interpreting as a practitioner

For the EST Newsletter (November 2020) I wrote about my PhD research which focuses on International Sign interpreting at conferences and the similarities to and differences from interpreting spoken languages. With my PhD research, I aim to contribute to filling some of the gaps in the studies on IS interpreting at conferences. My studies are carried out from the interpreters’ perspectives; their background and experiences. Read the article here >

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New article! Published in International Journal of Interpreter Education

New article! Published in International Journal of Interpreter Education

My article ‘Making It Work: Applying AIIC Professional Standards to Conference Signed Language Interpreters’ was just published in the International Journal of Interpreter Education. The article discusses the need to educate and raise awareness among conference signed language interpreters and their clients regarding the rights to demand, respectively, good working conditions and linguistic access, specifically in high-level settings.

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Global survey for sign language interpreters working with international sign

Global survey for sign language interpreters working with international sign

Are you a sign language interpreter? Do you work sometimes or regularly with international sign? Please assist in this research and fill out the survey. The aim of this survey is to get a better understanding of the profile of interpreters such as you. Please feel free to share this survey with any interpreter colleagues you know are working with international sign.

The survey is open from 1 – 30 April 2019.

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CIT conference presentation on "Educating sign language interpreters for multilingual conferences"

CIT conference presentation on "Educating sign language interpreters for multilingual conferences"

The Conference of Interpreter Trainers (CIT) held their conference in Salt Lake City from 31 October till 3 November 2018. It was a wonderful opportunity to give my plenary presentation on “A European panorama: Educating sign language interpreters for multilingual conferences“ and to meet educators, researchers and interpreters from across the USA and abroad.

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NEW! Training for SLI: Interpreting at Multilingual High-Level Meetings & Conferences

NEW! Training for SLI: Interpreting at Multilingual High-Level Meetings & Conferences

Multilingual conferences and high-level meetings require different skills than sign language interpreters are often educated in. Come to the training in Vienna on 6 & 7 October 2018 and take the opportunity to practice strategies and discuss theories.

Info & registration training >

You can combine your trip to Vienna and attend the European Union of the Deaf (EUD) annual seminar on Friday 5 October. The training and the EUD seminar will take place at the same venue.

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