Interpreter Interview Research Paper

On Friday, April 1st, I interviewed Sarah McWhorter, who is a staff interpreter at LUNA Language services. I asked her questions referring to what she enjoys and doesn’t enjoy about her career. I also asked about the qualities of a good interpreter, things to avoid while interpreting, and advice to give an interpreting student. Sarah has done quite a few jobs in her career so far. These consist mostly of medical appointments, college classes, and meetings. Less commonly, she goes on interpreting jobs for conferences, plays, or elementary school events.
When asked about what jobs Sara most enjoys, she replied she enjoys interpreting classes because it is unpredictable. Many times, topics of conversation come up that are not on the list to be discussed. This gives many opportunities to challenge and expand what one can interpret. Sarah also
Another thing she advised me to do is socialize within the Deaf community, take note of unfamiliar signs, and learn what they mean. Another important thing as a student, she explained, is to not only broaden your ASL skills, but also to broaden English skills. Sarah believes everyone should try to expand vocabulary in English as much as possible. Another piece of advice is to accept yourself if you’re not where you want to be. New interpreters compare themselves to seasoned interpreters and think they’re never going to be as good, but it is not rational to compare yourself, someone who has very limited experience, to someone who has had many years behind them contributing to their success as an interpreter. Along those lines, she also advised me to be willing to grow and always expand by setting achievable goals and timelines for yourself. Another semi-related thing she advised me on was to study abroad and experience as much of the world as possible, and get a well rounded view of the