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Happy 2011!
Maryanne and Heather
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Wednesday
Tuesday
Fun with Idioms: Acid test
With Idioms: Acid Test
The English language is just full of little phrases that say one thing but mean something completely different. Most people go through life hearing idioms daily but never thinking about exactly what those idioms really mean.
As an interpreter, it is vital to understand the meaning behind the words. Since idioms don't really make literal sense, they can be incredibly confusing if they aren't translated properly. That's why it's important to learn the real meaning behind as many idioms as possible so that you are prepared for any interpreting situation.
Today's idiom is "acid test." The literal meaning of an acid test would be to perform a test on acid, right? The truth is, the phrase does come from a real test involving acid. Scientists use litmus paper to determine the acidity or baseness of a chemical. It is also called a "Litmus test."
Of course, when someone uses the phrase in conversation it means something completely different. Outside of the laboratory, an acid test is a severe or crucial trial. Something is going to happen that will expose the true nature of the person or thing being considered.
Idioms are signed in different ways depending on the context, but one suggestion for acid test would be to sign "investigate" with an affect showing intensity.
The English language is just full of little phrases that say one thing but mean something completely different. Most people go through life hearing idioms daily but never thinking about exactly what those idioms really mean.
As an interpreter, it is vital to understand the meaning behind the words. Since idioms don't really make literal sense, they can be incredibly confusing if they aren't translated properly. That's why it's important to learn the real meaning behind as many idioms as possible so that you are prepared for any interpreting situation.
Today's idiom is "acid test." The literal meaning of an acid test would be to perform a test on acid, right? The truth is, the phrase does come from a real test involving acid. Scientists use litmus paper to determine the acidity or baseness of a chemical. It is also called a "Litmus test."
Of course, when someone uses the phrase in conversation it means something completely different. Outside of the laboratory, an acid test is a severe or crucial trial. Something is going to happen that will expose the true nature of the person or thing being considered.
Idioms are signed in different ways depending on the context, but one suggestion for acid test would be to sign "investigate" with an affect showing intensity.
Merry Christmas!
We will be taking the holidays off blogging to spend time with the families.
To keep you entertained, here is my favorite you-tube video of a Christmas carol.
May your days be merry and bright...
See you in the new year!
To keep you entertained, here is my favorite you-tube video of a Christmas carol.
May your days be merry and bright...
See you in the new year!
Thursday
New Tip of the week
Develop Sense memory
Sense memory is that wonderful sensation of your body knowing what to do without you having to think about it. Remember when you first learned to ride a bicycle, or roller skate. Before there was success, there was this tricky little thing called "balance.' Your body had to learn how to shift your weight minutely to keep you from falling to one side or the other. In the same way, the muscles of your hands can learn patterns and actions that can reduce the amount of time you put into thinking about the interpreting process.
Consider how much easier it is now to spell your own name than the day your first learned to fingerspell. With practice, you are spelling it because it is your name, not because of each letter identified with the spelling. In the same way, we can practice words to spell, or commonly signed phrases so our multi-tasking brain can trust the hands to handle certain things. Just remember, this is not permission to interpret on auto-pilot. Just train yourself to trust what you know how to do.
Sense memory is that wonderful sensation of your body knowing what to do without you having to think about it. Remember when you first learned to ride a bicycle, or roller skate. Before there was success, there was this tricky little thing called "balance.' Your body had to learn how to shift your weight minutely to keep you from falling to one side or the other. In the same way, the muscles of your hands can learn patterns and actions that can reduce the amount of time you put into thinking about the interpreting process.
Consider how much easier it is now to spell your own name than the day your first learned to fingerspell. With practice, you are spelling it because it is your name, not because of each letter identified with the spelling. In the same way, we can practice words to spell, or commonly signed phrases so our multi-tasking brain can trust the hands to handle certain things. Just remember, this is not permission to interpret on auto-pilot. Just train yourself to trust what you know how to do.
New Tip of the week
Test yourself
Video tape yourself interpreting an unfamiliar piece. Put the tape away and listen/ watch the source material until you can make an outline of the major points (introduction, 3 main points, conclusion) and some pertinent details. Ask a colleague for assistance if you are unsure you got it all. Wait three weeks. Now, watch the interpretation while checking off the major points and details from your notes. Did you get 90%? If not, consider what was missed. Were they major details or minor? Did you struggle with pronouns? These are the areas to focus on while practicing over the next months.
Anyone who tells you they got 100% is fibbing. We do have two languages involved and exact duplication is virtually impossible due to culturally-bound information. Transliteration may get closer, but even there minor details are likely to be changed or dropped.
Video tape yourself interpreting an unfamiliar piece. Put the tape away and listen/ watch the source material until you can make an outline of the major points (introduction, 3 main points, conclusion) and some pertinent details. Ask a colleague for assistance if you are unsure you got it all. Wait three weeks. Now, watch the interpretation while checking off the major points and details from your notes. Did you get 90%? If not, consider what was missed. Were they major details or minor? Did you struggle with pronouns? These are the areas to focus on while practicing over the next months.
Anyone who tells you they got 100% is fibbing. We do have two languages involved and exact duplication is virtually impossible due to culturally-bound information. Transliteration may get closer, but even there minor details are likely to be changed or dropped.
New Tip of the week
Use video resources wisely
Remember all those tapes of proficient ASL signers you have access to? Use them in more than one fashion. Perhaps the first time, leave the sound off and see how well you understand the discourse. Sometime in the future, practice your voicing technique, comparing yourself to the voice interpreter if one is available on the tape. Again, at a later date, try changing the register of your voicing style. Pretend you are interpreting for a business meeting, then try again as if explaining the same material to a second grader. Finally, use that proficient signer as a model to improve your own signing style and grammatical structures. Mimic the signs and facial grammars until they become a tool you can use without thinking.
Remember all those tapes of proficient ASL signers you have access to? Use them in more than one fashion. Perhaps the first time, leave the sound off and see how well you understand the discourse. Sometime in the future, practice your voicing technique, comparing yourself to the voice interpreter if one is available on the tape. Again, at a later date, try changing the register of your voicing style. Pretend you are interpreting for a business meeting, then try again as if explaining the same material to a second grader. Finally, use that proficient signer as a model to improve your own signing style and grammatical structures. Mimic the signs and facial grammars until they become a tool you can use without thinking.
Friday
Another tip...
Become familiar with your own process.
The truth of the matter is, 90 percent of interpreting takes place in the brain, not on the hands or out the mouth. And none of us can get inside your head as well as you can. Learn what works for you, what helps your clients to understand you better.
What can you do to make your nerves subside? How can you learn to trust you more?
Take advice when offered, but only keep what works for you. Become your own diagnostician. It may put me out of business, but the profession will be the better for it.
The truth of the matter is, 90 percent of interpreting takes place in the brain, not on the hands or out the mouth. And none of us can get inside your head as well as you can. Learn what works for you, what helps your clients to understand you better.
What can you do to make your nerves subside? How can you learn to trust you more?
Take advice when offered, but only keep what works for you. Become your own diagnostician. It may put me out of business, but the profession will be the better for it.
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