Sign Language Interpreters Must Not Study Only Sign Language: The Essence of 'Interpersonal Support' Seen Through Books on Medicine and Behavioral Economics

I am Iori Arakawa, a sign language interpreter.
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I have currently published seven books,
and I am currently writing to reach ten published books on sign language by the end of 2026.
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When people think of studying to be a sign language interpreter, they might often think of sign language expression, Japanese, or Deaf culture.

Of course, those are essential areas of study.

However, I recently read two books that are not directly related to sign language and gained significant insights.

One is 'Why Conversations in Medical Settings Don't Click' by Daiichi Morii.

The other is 'Nudge: The Final Edition' by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein.

At first glance, these are books from completely different fields: medicine and economics.

However, as I read through them, I realized that both lead to the question of 'what it means to support others.'

And I feel that those lessons are also highly useful for sign language interpreters.

Why do misunderstandings occur in medical settings?

'Why Conversations in Medical Settings Don't Click' explains that medical professionals and patients see different worlds.

Medical professionals are looking at the disease.

Patients are looking at their lives.

Even when a doctor is explaining test results or a diagnosis, the patient is thinking about their work, their family, and their anxiety about the future.

Because of this, conversations can fail to click even when both parties are speaking seriously.

Reading this, I was reminded of the setting of sign language interpreting.

The interpreter is looking at the 'words'.

However, the user is looking at 'whether it is being conveyed'.

The organizer is looking at the 'proceedings'.

The participants are looking at 'whether they can understand'.

Even in the same situation, the scenery looks different depending on one's position.

Unless you understand what the other person values, you cannot truly support them.

People do not act rationally

"NUDGE" is a masterpiece of behavioral economics.

At its core is,

the idea that

"people do not always act rationally."

We know we should exercise for our health, but we don't keep it up.

We know we should study for exams, but we procrastinate.

Everyone has experienced this.

Having knowledge and being able to act are two different things.

This also applies to learning sign language.

It is easy to tell a student,

"Let's practice every day."

But in reality, it doesn't last.

The problem is often not a lack of knowledge, but the structure of how we act.

Instead of teaching, create an environment where they can act

The concept of NUDGE is not to force the other person, but to make it easier for them to naturally choose the desired behavior.

For example,

...

Instead of just saying, "Please study,"

I think of mechanisms that lead to small actions, such as:

"Do it for just 10 minutes every morning,"

"Solve one problem after watching a video,"

"Keep a study record,"

and so on.

This is interpersonal support itself.

It is not about changing people, but about creating an environment where it is easier for people to take action.

I felt that this way of thinking is very useful both as a sign language instructor and as a training instructor.

Interpreters are also support professionals

We tend to think of interpreters as professionals who convert languages.

Of course, that is not wrong.

However, in actual settings, we are sometimes required to play a role beyond that.

What is the user anxious about?

What kind of information do they need?

Where is their understanding stalling?

There are many situations where we interpret while thinking about such things.

In other words, interpreters also have an aspect of being interpersonal support professionals who connect people with people.

That is precisely why learning from psychology, medicine, welfare, education, and economics comes in handy.

Broadening your perspective deepens your interpretation

When I was young, I thought that if I became good at sign language, I would become a good interpreter.

However, as I gained more experience, I began to feel that that alone was not enough.

If you study medicine, you can understand a patient's feelings a little better.

If you experience caregiving, you can see the hardships of the family.

If you study behavioral economics, you can understand the reasons why people cannot change.

Such knowledge does not directly increase your sign language expressions.

However, it certainly improves the quality of interpretation and the quality of support.

There is a treasure trove of learning outside of sign language

Sign language interpreters and learners tend to only read books related to sign language.

Of course, specialized books are important.

However, there is a world that cannot be seen with that alone.

Learn communication from books on medicine.

Learn human behavior from books on behavioral economics.

Learn support from books on caregiving.

Learn how to teach from books on education.

Perhaps such learning, which may seem like a detour, ultimately builds depth as a sign language interpreter.

Reading these two books made me feel that way once again.

To learn sign language, learn things other than sign language.

That may be the secret to continuing to grow for a long time.

Episode

As written in Mr. Morii's book,

The cover of 'NUDGE'. An elephant is pushing the bottom of the child walking in front, isn't it?

It is not pulling the nose or walking in front.

Yet, it is not leaving the destination entirely up to the child either.

An action that balances freedom and care. That is what a nudge is.

I think this is truly something that everyone should learn.

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