. Imagine you are interpreting over video relay for a Deaf adult conversing with their hearing parent during which they are havi
ng a very emotional argument. The parent says, “You are a horrible person and I never want to talk to you again!” How would you handle this situation? Would you try to comfort the Deaf person? What are ethical ways to act as the professional interpreter in this situation?
The ideal would be to deal with this situation impartially and truthfully, presenting the message to the deaf person in an integral way, as it was issued, since veracity, clarity and impartiality are the essential and ethical elements that an interpreter must present at work. In that case, I would tell the deaf person the words that his or her father spoke. I could try to comfort the deaf person after my job as an interpreter has been completed and the conversation has ended. So I could confront this person as a friend who cares about his or her psychological well-being, but only with the conversation concluded because my professional duty would have ended.
