Sign language conference interpreting

This is an accepted manuscript of a chapter published by Routledge in The Routledge Handbook of Conference Interpreting on 30/11/2021, available online: https://www.routledge.com/The-Routledge-Handbook-of-Conference-Interpreting/Albl-Mikasa-Tiselius/p/book/9780367277895 The accepted version of the publication may differ from the final published version.Interpreting between signed and spoken languages has become steadily more visible to the general public around the world in recent decades. The chapter summarises the nature and development of signed language conference interpreting, defining key terms and concepts with attention to distinctive aspects of service provision. These are rooted in the visual-gestural forms that encode signed meaning, and the physical and social features of communication and cultural expression associated with the lived experiences of participants in Deaf communities. The work undertaken by these interpreters in conference settings is described with reference to a number of diversifications, including the demand for ‘International Sign’ provision intended to be accessible to the multinational audiences arising as a result of increasing global mobility. We review the particular experiences and practices of interpreters who may be either deaf or hearing and address the combination of their skills in the delivery of appropriate services. Future challenges highlighted include the need for enhancement of professionalization through codification of norms and standards, and important questions about relationships among professionals and between human and non-human agents in the field