LINGUIST List 20.231
Sun Jan 25 2009
Diss: Applied Ling/Translation: Pires Pereira: 'Sign Language ...'
Editor for this issue: Evelyn Richter
<evelynlinguistlist.org>
1. Maria Cristina
Pires Pereira,
Sign Language Linguistic Proficiency Testing: The possibilities for Libras interpreters
Message 1: Sign Language Linguistic Proficiency Testing: The possibilities for Libras interpreters
Date: 23-Jan-2009
From: Maria Cristina Pires Pereira <pirespereiramcgmail.com>
Subject: Sign Language Linguistic Proficiency Testing: The possibilities for Libras interpreters
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Institution: Vale do Rio dos Sinos University (Unisinos)
Program: Applied Linguistics
Dissertation Status: Completed
Degree Date: 2008
Author: Maria Cristina Pires Pereira
Dissertation Title: Sign Language Linguistic Proficiency Testing: The possibilities for Libras interpreters
Dissertation URL: http://bdtd.unisinos.br/tde_busca/arquivo.php?codArquivo=573
Linguistic Field(s):
Applied Linguistics
Translation
Dissertation Director:
Fronza de Azevedo Fronza
Dissertation Abstract:
This is a dissertation on language proficiency testing as applied tohearing people, sign language interpreters, in the beginning of theirprofessional lives. Due to the diversity of instruments, proceedings andconceptions of what has to be assessed in sign language interpreters (SLI),an investigation on language proficiency testing and the distinctionbetween translation proficiency and professional certification is needed,as well as when is the most adequate moment to apply different kind oftesting in different phases of interpreters' training and professionalpractice. The theoretical basis of this work includes the distinctionbetween language proficiency and fluency, the evolution of the proficiencyconcept, language testing, and a general view about sign languagetranslation and interpreting. The sign language testing that is approachedin this study comprises those explicitly named as 'proficiency tests' andprofessional or selection tests that comprise sign language proficiencyfeatures, even if they are not named as such. With this in mind, twoselection tests applied to sign language interpreting training courses havebeen analyzed; these selection tests were applied in Rio Grande do Sul in1997 and 2000; the National Libras Proficiency Examination from theEducation Ministry (Prolibras) in 2006 and the Sign Language ProficiencyInterview (SLPI) from the United States of America (USA). To reflect aboutwhat are the competencies that would be tested in sign languageinterpreters, considering test raters point of view, a sign languageselection simulation was made, that pointed to the attributes that they,deaf and hearing potential raters, considered relevant in signing, as themost adequate proficiency boundary to the beginning of sign languageinterpreters' professional life and which are the features that (un)qualifythe language performance of test takers. From the data obtained,reflections are proposed about the possibilities of improvement of the signlanguage testing as applied presently.
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