“Even though interpreting as a human activity has been a part of multilingual, multicultural human interactions for as long as we have records, the organized profession of interpreting is a relatively new phenomenon. … Signed languages and Deaf people have always been minoritized and, at times, severely oppressed. … Interpreting involving Deaf people (either as primary participants or as interpreters themselves) has been similarly stigmatized and devalued. … This essay explores … the complex factors involved in communication and interaction, and the role or roles of each participant, including the interpreter, in every interaction.”

Find the paper and authors’ list at PMLA.