The performance of the Libras interpreter in religious and educational contexts

This MA thesis focuses on the work of Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) interpreters in the religious context (where many professionals emerged) and educational context (where there is currently one of the greatest public demands). The objective is to characterize, through an exploratory study, the performance of four interpreters in two long interpreting sessions: one in the religious context, where they have greater domain knowledge, and another in the educational context (more specifically, in the health domain), where they do not have domain knowledge. It assumes that the interpreters’ performances will decline over time and that the timespan for this performance decline is influenced by domain knowledge (i.e., quality is sustained for a longer period when the interpreter has domain knowledge of the source speech). Considering as variables the strategies adopted by the participants and the (in)adequacies of their productions in the two sessions and over time, it was observed that the performance was more adequate in the session related to the religious context than in the one related to the educational context and that the performance declined over time, with this decline being faster in the educational context. This result may contribute to guidelines that improve the working conditions and quality of the work of Libras interpreters. This study stands out for its social and academic relevance, as it seeks to strengthen the understanding of the role of Libras interpreters and improve the value ascribed to their professional practice, especially in critical contexts.