ABSTRACT
This chapter offers an overview of sign language (SL) interpretation provision in 20 cities/countries in Asia, covering issues such as the availability of services, institutional support, and the challenges confronting the hearing and deaf interpreters. Eiichi and Shin’ichi reported that by 2001, there were approximately 3,000 certified interpreters in Japan. Among these certified interpreters, however, only 16% worked full-time due to insufficient job opportunities. Xiao and Yu reported two surveys conducted in China, one on SL interpreters and one on the deaf community. The survey questions covered five areas: the profile of the interpreters, the features of the interpretation market, professional issues, interpreting difficulties and directionality, quality issues, and the role of the interpreters. Torsuwan reported on the situation of deaf people and the SL interpretation in Bangkok and the vicinity. Fung investigated how Hong Kong Sign Language–Cantonese interpreters approach sentence structures which required different word orders.
