Interpreting Dynamics and the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf
ASL interpreters occupy a complex professional role: they are communication facilitators rather than participants in their own right, but their skill, experience, vocabulary, and split-second decisions shape every interpreted interaction. Understanding how interpreting works — its possibilities and its inherent limitations — is essential both for Deaf individuals who rely on interpreters and for hearing ASL signers who may work alongside or hire interpreters.
The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) is the primary professional certifying body for ASL interpreters in the United States. RID credentials include the Certificate of Interpretation (CI), Certificate of Transliteration (CT), National Interpreter Certification (NIC), and Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI) among others. The NIC is the current primary credential. Interpreters are certified at different levels and for different settings; a certified community interpreter may not be qualified to interpret in a legal proceeding or medical setting, where specialized vocabulary and higher-stakes accuracy demands apply.
The role of the interpreter has evolved from a "helper" model (pre-1960s, where interpreters were often Deaf community insiders doing informal favors) to a professional bilingual-bicultural model that recognizes interpreting as a skilled profession with its own ethics and scope of practice. Key ethical principles from the RID Code of Professional Conduct include confidentiality, accuracy, impartiality, professional conduct, and the responsibility to work within one's skill level and request team interpretation for cognitively demanding assignments. Understanding these principles helps Deaf individuals and working signers know what to expect and what to request from interpreters.