The Dream of a Seamless Switch: Code-switching between American Sign Language and Protactile Language as an Interpreter and Co-navigator
Item
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Title
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The Dream of a Seamless Switch: Code-switching between American Sign Language and Protactile Language as an Interpreter and Co-navigator
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Creator
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Alyssa Alpers
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degree
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Master of Arts in Interpreting Studies
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Type
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Action Research Project
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Date
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3/20/2025
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Abstract
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This Action Research Project studied code-switching and transitions between the linguistic spaces of American Sign Language (ASL) and Protactile Language (PT) during interpreting and co-navigating, with a focus on language intrusions and the impact that connection, comfort, and groundedness have on the researcher’s professional practice. Qualitative and quantitative data was collected via Likert scales to measure feelings of connection, comfort, grounding, and language pull. It was also documented through data surrounding the specifics of language intrusions, and through three-minute freewrites reflecting on each PT or ASL assignment. Data collection results showed that communication tended to flow more smoothly in PT settings, with higher feelings of connection, comfort, and confidence. It was hypothesized that these higher feelings correlate with longer hands-on practical experience in PT spaces compared to ASL spaces. A negative correlation was found between feeling grounded in the target language and the pull to use the non-target language, both in ASL (r = -0.43) and PT (r = -0.36). Additionally, when grounded in the target language, communication was smoother (ASL r = 0.30, PT r = 0.29).
These results suggest that grounding in the language prior to assignments may reduce language intrusions and code-switching, as well as increase fluid and efficient transitions between and into linguistic spaces. Recommendations in this study include continued language skill-building in ASL and PT and the intentional use of grounding techniques, particularly in liminal spaces between assignments. These findings contributed to the practice of the researcher as an interpreter and co-navigator by aiming to solve the identified challenge of transitions between linguistic spaces to enhance professional practice, communication, and interpretations when working with Deaf and DeafBlind communities.
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note
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Elisa Maroney
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Amanda Smith
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Rights
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Western Oregon University Library has determined, as of 04/16/2025, this item is in copyright, which is held by the author. Users may use the item in accordance with copyright limitations and exceptions, including fair use. For other uses, please ask permission from the author.
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https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en
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Language
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eng
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Type
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text
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Identifier
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arp_20250416a
