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Part of
Non-professional Interpreting and Translation: State of the art and future of an emerging field of research
Edited by Rachele Antonini, Letizia Cirillo, Linda Rossato and Ira Torresi
[Benjamins Translation Library 129] 2017
► pp. 381–409

Chapter 19
Not just child’s play

Exploring bilingualism and language brokering as a precursor to the development of expertise as a professional sign language interpreter

This paper situates the discussion of child language brokering (CLB) within the wider context of interpreting studies and discussions of bilingualism and professional interpreting, and provides an overview of a groundbreaking international survey study that sought to collect information about CLB experiences of people who have grown up bilingual in the Deaf community using a sign language and a spoken language. In order to contextualize the study, a review of relevant literature will be given, before describing the survey instrument used, the results and implications of the findings will be provided, and a conclusion with recommendations for the sign language interpreting profession and future research will be drawn.

Keywords: bilingualism, Codas, questionnaire survey, sign language interpreting
Article outline
  • 1.Bilingualism, child language brokering, and interpreting
    • 1.1Bilinguals
    • 1.2Bilinguals with deaf parents
  • 2.Language brokering in Deaf communities
  • 3.Aims of the study
  • 4.Method
    • 4.1Participants
    • 4.2Survey instrument
    • 4.3Procedure
  • 5.Results and discussion
    • 5.1Respondent characteristics
    • 5.2Language profiles
    • 5.3CLB experience
  • 6.Limitations of the study
  • 7.Conclusions
    • 7.1Implications
    • 7.2Recommendations for further research
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 19 June 2017
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/btl.129.19nap
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2023. Experiences of Hearing Children of Deaf Parents in Ireland. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education 28:4 ► pp. 399 ff. DOI logo
Hodge, Gabrielle & Della Goswell
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Napier, Jemina, Robert Skinner, Robert Adam, Christopher Stone, Sandra Pratt, Daniel P Hinton & Chijioke Obasi
2022. Representation and diversity in the sign language translation and interpreting profession in the United Kingdom. Interpreting and Society 2:2 ► pp. 119 ff. DOI logo
Downie, Jonathan
2021. Interpreting is interpreting. Translation and Interpreting Studies 16:3 ► pp. 325 ff. DOI logo
Napier, Jemina
2021. ‘I Can’t Not Help Them…’: Brokering as Responsibility and Cooperation. In Sign Language Brokering in Deaf-Hearing Families, ► pp. 243 ff. DOI logo
Napier, Jemina
2021. ‘I Am Who I Am Today Because of My Family’: International Attitudes Towards Sign Language Brokering. In Sign Language Brokering in Deaf-Hearing Families, ► pp. 165 ff. DOI logo
Napier, Jemina
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Napier, Jemina
2021. Child Language Brokering in Context. In Sign Language Brokering in Deaf-Hearing Families, ► pp. 57 ff. DOI logo
Napier, Jemina
2021. Understanding the Implications of Sign Language Brokering. In Sign Language Brokering in Deaf-Hearing Families, ► pp. 299 ff. DOI logo
Martínez-Gómez, Aída
2020. Language brokering experience among interpreting students: pedagogical implications for the development of interpreting competence. The Interpreter and Translator Trainer 14:3 ► pp. 303 ff. DOI logo
Martínez-Gómez, Aída
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García-Sánchez, Inmaculada M.
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