I saw a post of my friend in social media responding to a challenge by her fellow interpreters. My friend is official sign language interpreter. She studied and graduated from Philippine Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, which gave her a license in sign language interpreting.
She was often called whenever some events are in need of sign language interpreter. During the SONA or State of the Nation Address by the President, she was one of the interpreters there.
Back to her Facebook post, I was wondering why there's such a challenge. I searched out on Facebook and Google, there I saw how some social media users laughing and mocking at the sign language inset in the news program.
Those sign language interpreters on inset are there to relay the message and what's happening to the deaf people so they would be aware on what's happening. It is a great move by the TV station for putting the sign language inset.
However, it seems some people are not impressed on the sign language insets. They came to mock them by saying that it's already the news time, and the Tik-tokers are still there. It's actually insulting for mocking the insets. What's more insulting is likening the interpreting to Tik-tok.
I am not against those loves Tik-tok, and Tik-toking. It doesn't matter if I am annoyed on many of those done in the popular social media, but saying sign language interpreting as Tik-toking is unfair. They have no idea how difficult sign language interpreting is.
How I learned sign language
I started learning sign language way back in 2006. I didn't enroll from known sign language schools like Philippine Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf or College of St. Benilde. I learned sign language from a class established by the sign language congregation in the city. But my sign language skills has improved by association with deaf people.
Eventually, I got involved in teaching deaf people as a volunteer. I also became an interpreter in the social welfare services by the government, and volunteering in a vocational school for the disabled ones.
I had interpreted talks from English, Tagalog, and Pangasinan languages. I helped some deaf people interpret for them when applying for driver's license. I do them for free because I know how difficult earning money is for many deaf people here.
I even became an interpreter for the wedding of a deaf couple!
Interpreting the talk of the officiating minister to the deaf couple.
Interpreting the message of the male deaf's aunt.
Despite the difficulty of the job, it's a great feeling when you become the bridge to bring the message for the deaf and hearing people.