Why Are Sign Language Interpreters And Their Own Values...

According to the U.S. Population Clock, there are approximately 318,790,075. These numbers consist of people from all walks of life representing a variety of races, creeds, ethnicities, and religions with their own set of values, beliefs, and customs. Thus, two people from different cultures may not fully understand each other even if they are familiar with one another’s language in general. Sign language interpreters (SLI) are people who facilitate communication between Deaf people, hard-of-hearing people, and hearing-people of different races, ethnicities, religions, etc. Since â€Å"cultural context†¦provides the overall framework wherein humans learn to organize their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Neuliep, 2012), it is†¦show more content†¦Mindess (2006) points out that all humans may have some basic commonalities such as the need for shelter and food, however our beliefs and values are shaped by our group and/or cultural affiliati ons to some degree (p. 17). From the moment we are born, we begin to learn and mimic our culture’s behaviors, attitudes, modes of communication, language, and other cultural traits from our caregivers, family, neighborhood, and our community. Our initial set of morals, values, and feelings about those who are different from us are learned from within our family. Cultural traits can also be an extension of where we live such as our city, state, and country. For example, people born in the United States are often considered to be Individualist. They are taught to be independent, self-sufficient, make their own decisions, etc. Interdependence on the family unit beyond the college years is frowned upon and thought to be a sign of weakness. Thus, when an individual graduates from college, the success is often attributed to their own personal hard-work and dedication. In contrast, Hispanic people tend to be Collectivist meaning they tend to be interdependent. The fam ily and community are close knit. Everyone in a household will contribute to the success of the group. Therefore, when a person graduates from college, their success is the