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Article published In:
Signed Language Interpreting and Translation
Edited by Laurie Swabey and Brenda Nicodemus
[Translation and Interpreting Studies 13:1] 2018
► pp. 87–109

“Hold the phone!”

Turn management strategies and techniques in Video Relay Service interpreted interaction

| Gallaudet University

The initial paradigm of Video Relay Service (VRS) in the United States viewed interpreters as merely conduits for telephone communication; however, this paradigm has begun to shift. Recent research suggests that VRS interpreters are actively involved in coordinating interpreted interaction (Marks 2015; Warnicke and Plejert 2012, 2016). This study aims add to the body of VRS research by analyzing features of turn management in ASL-English video relay interpreted calls. These features of turn management are grouped into two categories: techniques and strategies. Techniques denote acts that are performed in addition to the rendition, and strategies refer to instances of turn management that are embedded within renditions. Results show that VRS interpreters employ a variety of turn management techniques and strategies, especially in cases of overlapping talk between Deaf and hearing callers. The findings presented are relevant to the shifting paradigm of VRS interpreter work and training.

Keywords: Video Relay Service, ASL-English interpreting, turn taking, turn management
Article outline
  • Introduction
    • Turns in spoken language conversation
    • Turn organization in signed language conversations
    • Turn taking in interpreted discourse
    • Telephone and VRS interpreted interaction
  • Method
    • Participants
    • Materials and procedures
    • Coding and transcription
  • Analysis
    • Turn management strategies
    • Omissions
    • Fillers in English and ASL
    • Extended handshape holds
    • Turn management techniques
    • Eye contact and gaze
    • Offering or holding turns
    • Headset contact
  • Discussion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 2 March 2018
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/tis.00006.mar
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