Repairing a Misunderstanding in a Live Exchange
A student is in a two-way interpreted-style role-play with a Deaf visitor and a hearing office worker. The visitor asks whether the office can "hold" their appointment until a support worker arrives in 40 minutes. The student relays this to the office worker, who replies that they can hold it for 15 minutes only. The student turns back to the visitor and signs that the office will hold the appointment. The visitor nods and sits down. Two minutes later the visitor asks, "So I have 40 minutes?" The student realises the 15-minute limit was dropped. The office worker is now on the phone, and the visitor is becoming anxious.
1. Identify the error the student made and explain why it matters in interactive signing.
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The student dropped a key constraint (15 minutes, not 40) when relaying back. In interactive signing the message must preserve the propositional content, including numbers and limits, not just the general intent. The error matters because the visitor will make a decision (waiting versus leaving to find the support worker) based on wrong information, and the misunderstanding will surface later as a conflict with the office worker. The student also failed to check understanding: a nod does not confirm that the number was received correctly. The correct judgement is that the student should have relayed the 15-minute limit explicitly and then checked it, e.g. by repeating the number and asking the visitor to confirm. Interactive signing is judged on accurate relay and repair, not on smoothness.
2. Describe how the student should repair the misunderstanding now, given the office worker is on the phone.
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The student should immediately return to the visitor, take responsibility, and correct the number explicitly: sign clearly that the limit is 15 minutes, not 40, and repeat the number. They should check understanding by asking the visitor to sign back the limit or confirm it. They should acknowledge the earlier error rather than blame the office worker. Then they should offer options: wait and see if the office worker can extend it when the call ends, or contact the support worker to ask for an earlier arrival. When the office worker finishes the call, the student should confirm whether any extension is possible and relay that accurately. The reasoning is that repair requires explicit correction, a comprehension check, and restoring the visitor's ability to make an informed choice.