Daniel Greene

Category: Interpreting

Posts about Interpreting/ interpretation, translating/ translation, and transliterating/ transliteration

  • I earned the title NIC Master and learned a lot along the way!

    I am happy to announce that the results of the “practical” and “oral” exam I took in August came in today: I passed at the Master level! The certifying board is the RID (Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf), and the exam is the National Interpreter Certification exam co–developed by NAD (National Association of the Deaf) and RID. Master is the highest of three levels: NIC, NIC Advanced, and NIC Master.

    I took this exam even though I was already RID-certified in 1998 and 1999, respectively, with the CI (Certificate of Interpretation) and CT (Certificate of Transliteration). The reason I took it was to stay current with my profession and show the interpreters I train and students I teach that I have mastered the test they hope to pass or advance in.

    Studying for the interview portion of this exam got me more familiar than ever with the NAD–RID Code of Professional Conduct (CPC). This helped me become a more ethically minded interpreter who can think through dilemmas, see the perspectives of all the stakeholders, enact solutions, and foresee the short– and long–term effects of my actions. If for nothing else, I am glad I took the exam the professional development aspect.

    I am grateful to Michelle Monahan, NIC Master, for her Mastering the Interview Portion of the NIC Exam workshop and to Windy Kellems, NIC Master, for being my study buddy as we practiced together to articulate answers to ethical dilemmas. You were both a great help, Michelle and Windy!

    —Daniel Greene, BA, CI and CT, NIC Master 🙂

  • The truth on interpreters for deaf at WordCamp Phoenix 2011

    I was “the interpreter” who offered to coordinate interpreters for WordCamp Phoenix 2011. I wish I could remain silent, but the blog post I’m responding to has been viewed almost 900 times already and has already been sanctioned by a famous deaf blogger who I believe would think otherwise if he read my side of the story. So, before anyone else is misled, allow me to set the record straight.

    I first spoke with Amanda, the conference organizer, on Thursday afternoon, January 14, and offered to interpret and coordinate. She told me the budget was $2,000 for a four–track conference which would need a maximum of eight interpreters. I figured I could get four professional interpreters to earn $50 an hour, get four students to volunteer their services pro bono, and that would still leave $400, half of which might go toward compensating me for coordinating services, and half of which might go toward gift cards for students.

    That same night, I found out that Amanda had un–registered a deaf registrant because she didn’t like her attitude. I advocated for the ousted registrant, emailing Amanda, “Deaf people routinely face discrimination and have to fight for their rights. In light of this, I find the registrant’s demands assertive rather than aggressive.” I even followed this up another day and asked Amanda if she would please consider reinstating her. Amanda was immovable.

    I should mention that the first deaf registrant had approached me around Thanksgiving about interpreting for WordCamp. I had said I would be interested and asked him to send me more information, but the holidays came and went before I saw an announcement from Amanda on the Arizona RID Yahoo Group. I knew how important it was for this deaf person to attend WordCamp, so I decided to provide for him even though I was not happy with Amanda’s handling of the other deaf registrant.

    By the end of the week, I had offers from two other professionals and at least four other students. At this point, all I needed was one more professional if (and that’s a big “if”) there were deaf attendees in all four tracks on Saturday. (more…)

  • Organizer’s attitude toward deaf, interpreters defeats her

    The blog post “How Trying to Provide Deaf Interpreters for a Camp Bit Me in the Ass” paints the conference organizer as the victim, but I’m afraid it was her attitude toward interpreters and the deaf that defeated her, and it is the interpreting profession and deaf consumers that stand to lose by her misrepresentation.

    I would hate for the takeaway message from any blog post to be, “Don’t provide interpreters to the deaf if you can possibly avoid it.”

    Edmund Berke once said, “Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it.” Take a look at John Pozadzides’ 2009 blog post “An Open-Source Look at the Cost of WordCamp Dallas” and the comments that ensue when someone suggests “If you cut out the T-shirts and interpreters, you would break even.” You will learn a lot about complying with the ADA and providing accessibility to a public event.

    I hope these two bits of history will help people make future events better for all.

    Edited January 22, 2011 for clarity.

  • Workshops I taught in 2010 and look forward to teaching in 2011

    I thought of doing a Review of 2010 and Preview of 2011 about several of my life’s activities, but that was too overwhelming, so I decided to blog about it in segments. This one is about one of the most important activities to me: interpreter training.

    In December 2009, I wrote a Review of 2009 and Goals for 2010 post in which I said I hoped to teach workshops at RID regional conferences and to “be a part of” the NAOBI conference. Fortunately, I did end up teaching workshops at both the RID Region V Conference in Salt Lake City and the NAOBI Conference in Phoenix— and those at NAOBI definitely made me feel “a part of”! At RID Region V, I taught my Genre Recognition workshop and my Speak & Spell workshop; at NAOBI, I taught my Vague Language workshop and my Vocal Technique workshop. I also spent quite a bit of time submitting workshop proposals, some of which were rejected and some of which are in negotiation. I am even scheduling a workshop date toward the end of 2012, believe it or not.

    As with any enterprise, happy customers and word of mouth are the greatest sources of repeat business. One of my workshop participants at RID Region V requested that I come out to teach a workshop in her city; thus, I’ll be teaching my Vague Language (VL) workshop in Las Vegas (LV) on Saturday, January 15. In addition to that workshop, there are other happy customers from previous workshops who are working to bring me out to their communities. I appreciate their interest and efforts!

    If you are interested in having one or more of my workshops in your location, please let me know. I love to teach and I love to travel. If you are reading this and you want one of my workshops, please reach out to me and we will make it happen.

  • Vague Language (VL) in Las Vegas (LV)

    If you like the play on words in the title of this post, you’ll love that the Nevada Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (NVRID) says I’ll be coming to “Las Vagueness”!

    I will be teaching my Vague Language (VL) workshop, titled “Just What They Said: Interpreting Intentionally Vague Language” in Las Vegas on Saturday, January 15. It will be held from 9 AM to 4 PM in the DHHARC office at 2575 Westwind Rd Ste C Las Vegas NV 89146-5473. To register, email nvridsec@gmail.com.

    I look forward to seeing who’s there!