Training and Assessment Team

BSL Translations

Translation is a carefully prepared and considered piece of work involving the translation of written text from one language to another.

A ‘for information’ translation, also  known as a ‘sight translation’ is an accurate but unpolished piece of work that is produced in-house using a camcorder (English to BSL) or using standard printing and letter/document formats, or alternatively, audio tape (BSL to English).   They are produced faster and much more cheaply than a publication translation.  Sight translation is suitable for letters or information that is intended for individual/personal use only.  Examples range from an explanation of a leaflet to court/tribunal judgements.  

Sight translations

Sight translation is suitable for letters, video-letters or information that is intended for individual/personal use only. Examples range from an explanation of a leaflet to court/tribunal judgements.

Public Translations

A ‘publication translation’ requires a much higher standard of preparation, accuracy, fidelity, clarity and quality and will be filmed in a professional recording studio. The final product will reflect the style/image of the source material and of your company/product. 

Publication translations are required for any documents where it is important to portray a professional image. Examples include website pages, brochures, leaflets, consultation documents and videos.

Because they are filmed in professional recording studios, the cost will be greater than that of a sight translation.

It is almost always preferable to use a deaf presenter for ‘publication translations’.  This is because the deaf person will have first language fluency and this creates an instant rapport with your deaf audience. The majority of BSL interpreters only have second language fluency and their translations can be immediately recognised as a non-native production. This is because the BSL may not flow as smoothly as it should, i.e. word order or choice of vocabulary may be unduly influenced by the English source text. It is equivalent to listening to a heavily accented and perhaps ungrammatical foreign person presenting in English. This lowers the quality of your product and can often alienate your client.  Using a Deaf person will not usually incur any extra expense.

With Sign Solutions you can be sure that the final product will be an accurate and high quality translation.

Communication Services

We are able to provide a full range of communication professionals available for Deaf, Deafblind and hard of hearing users in any domain, be it legal, business, medical, educational, conference, community, theatre, etc:

• British Sign Language (BSL)/English Interpreters (NRCPD Registered)
• Lipspeakers (NRCPD and/or Association of Lipspeakers Registered)
• Deafblind interpreters: Visual Frame, HandsOn or Manual (NRCPD Registered)
• Speech-to-text operators (Palantype and SpeedText) (NRCPD/BIVR or AVSTTR Registered)
• Notetakers (electronic and manual [hand-written]) (NRCPD Registered)
• Deaf Relays (Language intermediaries for Deaf people who are not fluent in BSL)
• Deaf Intermediaries: Deaf intermediaries to support vulnerable Deaf adults/children in legal proceedings (Home Office accredited)
• BSL/English translations (video, DVD, website etc)
• UK Registered Expert Witness Services (Interpreting/Translation issues)
• Lip-reading services (CCTV, covert surveillance, etc)

We offer competitive rates with no administration charges.