23 September marks a very important event that celebrates Sign Language, promoting a message of support and information for hearing-impaired and deaf people.
Sign language is a true method of communication consisting of precise hand movements and gestures which transmit a real alphabet.
In the world, there are around two hundred sign languages and thus there is a demand for experts who can communicate in them.
In Italy, the sign language used is LIS, in America there is ASL, in Brazil LIBRA, and so on around the world.
Over time, an international sign language, known as Signuno, was created, although it never really became established because each national sign language is so unique.
Within this scenario, an interpreter is faced with a number of difficulties. Firstly, LIS has an alphabet that represents entire words with signs, while in America each noun is subdivided in a different way to make up the single word. Secondly, sign languages are not interchangeable due to differences in grammar and dynamics of expression.
This is why interpreters are usually themselves individuals with hearing/speech impairment or have parents in this situation: they are the only people with a mother tongue level of sign language.
In some cases, more than one interpreter may be necessary, with different abilities, skills and knowledge, in order to guarantee effective and efficient communication. This is because, as with any other language, sign language interpreters may be specialised in some areas but not others.
