Why can a Deaf persons family member or friend just interpret for them?
ANS: Just because a person can sign doesn’t make them an interpreter. For example, I am an outstanding signer, yet I failed the interpreting test. Interpreting is a skill that requires not only knowledge of sign language but also the ability to listen to what is being said, change it into another language, while at the same time listening to new information. It is a very, very difficult skill and not something that someone who knows just sign language can do with a high level of accuracy. When accuracy is not important, by all means a family member or friend who knows sign language can interpret. However, this is not, not, acceptable in medical or highly emotional situations.
