More than 150 international delegates attended the recent World Association of Sign Language Interpreters (WASLI) conference, in Durban…

More than 150 international delegates attended the recent World Association of Sign Language Interpreters (WASLI) conference, in Durban.

The Department of Media, Language and Communication in partnership with Macquarie University hosted Professor Jemina Napier, a renowned sign language interpreter, during her visit.

Professor Napier is currently based in Sydney, Australia and lectures at Macquarie University. She has 20 years of experience in interpretation, four degrees, a PhD and is the author of Sign Language Interpreting: Linguistic Coping Strategies and has written several chapters in different books. She believes that a person with basic skills can be taught to be an interpreter.

She said: “I started interpreting at a very young age, as my parents were both deaf. I first thought it was cool until I had my first job in court, when I was just 17.”

Drawing on the difference between the interpretation industry in Australia and South Africa, she said the Australian industry is broader and regulated and has various categories including mental/medical, conference, media and educational interpreting. She said however, that the demands for interpreters have grown with the influx of refugees from Africa and South America.

– Nqobizizwe Zwane