Is it important for interpreters to socialize with the Deaf community?
I socialized with deaf people a great deal when I was first learning to sign. For the first year-and-a-half or so, I went to almost every deaf social event I could get to. I had a deaf lover for over a year (and we met 3 months into my first ASL class). I certainly went the “immersion” route. In addition to socializing, however, I also spent hours poring over ASL dictionaries, learning every sign in every book, and watching deaf people on ASL videotapes. Once I became an interpreter, though, I stopped doing so much socializing. I still go to the occasional deaf theatrical event to see a deaf comedian or performer, or to go to a party once in a while. Once in a while, I might have lunch with a deaf friend or acquaintance. But that’s about it. I guess it’s a matter of keeping a professional distance from my clients, or maybe just respecting their space. I would also have to admit that, at this point, I don’t feel so much of a need to socialize with deaf people in order to learn ASL. I ge
