A congress to delve into sign language

Albert Rose

The degree in Spanish Sign Language and the Deaf Community of the Rey Juan Carlos University organizes on October 21 and 22 the I International University Congress on Translation and Interpretation of Sign Languages. The symposium, which will be held online, aims to be a meeting and reflection place for researchers, teachers and students of signed translation and interpretation.

The event is organized by the professors of the degree in Spanish Sign Language and the Deaf Community of the URJC, Rayco H. González and Rosa María Espada, members of Diversia, the consolidated research group on inclusive education, people with disabilities and accessibility of the King Juan Carlos University.

The URJC degree is the only degree in Spain dedicated to sign language and, as Professor Rayco González points out, it is an area of ​​specialization that did not have a university context until 2015: “The training of interpreters in sign language it has occurred in FP, but not in the university until 2016, when we started this degree. For this reason, there was no such need to disseminate and investigate the field of signed interpretation and translation”, he assures.

“The congresses that have been previously had an associative character for professionals, but not university and academic. We want this to be a congress that promotes research”. In addition to this informative and scientific objective to delve into the translation and interpretation of sign language, the symposium aims to give voice and prominence to the students of the degree, so that they can share their Final Degree Projects with the rest of the teachers and students.

Speakers and experts from around the world

The I International University Congress on Translation and Interpretation of Sign Languages ​​will feature speakers from different countries such as Portugal and Colombia. “Many times we don't know what is being done in these countries and we think that they are not as advanced in research as here, but quite the opposite. They have much more extensive experience than ours and very interesting projects”, says Rayco González.

Registrations to participate in the online congress are still open in the following link and they already amount to 300 participants, among whom are teachers, students and professionals of signed interpretation and translation. More information and programming here.