Reading Between the Signs: Intercultural Communication for Sign Language Interpreters 2nd Edition

Mindess's first book helps the professional sign language interpreter provide more effective service through an understanding of deaf culture and cross-cultural communication. Mindess, herself a veteran interpreter, introduces the main concepts of intercultural communication in the first half of her work, drawing on examples from anthropology, linguistics, and related fields. She highlights differences between hearing culture and deaf culture in America that can compromise clarity in translation situations. Finally, Mindess explores the responsibilities of translators and their primary role as mediators, recognizing that American Sign Language (ASL) translators raised outside deaf culture must learn its nuances to maintain professional quality. In comparison, Melanie Metzger's more research-oriented Sign Language Interpreting: Deconstructing the Myth of Neutrality (Gallaudet Univ., 1999) reveals how interpreters influence a translation interaction. Although less academic in nature, Mindess's book is a better resource for the interpreter and is recommended for large public libraries and appropriate educational and professional settings