Dr. Isabelle Heyerick
Assistant Professor, C.L.C.S.
Assistant Professor, Centre for Deaf Studies
Biography
Isabelle Heyerick is Assistant Professor in Applied Sign Linguistics at the Centre for Deaf Studies at Trinity College Dublin. She holds a PhD in Linguistics from KU Leuven (Belgium) where she is member of the research group on Multimodality, Interaction & Discourse. She is an Honorary Research Fellow with the Institute of Advanced Study at the University of Warwick (UK) where she was a postdoctoral Marie Curie WIRL-COFUND Fellow (2018 - 2020).
Her areas of expertise are Interpreting Studies and Linguistics, with a specific focus on signed language interpreting and sign linguistics. She is mainly interested in the cognitive aspects of simultaneous interpreting and how these translate into linguistic decisions interpreters make in their practice. Her doctoral work was the first to explore Dutch - Flemish Sign Language interpreting. It describes the strategic behaviour of interpreters as reflected in their linguistic actions. The study examines which linguistic interpreting strategies interpreters (can) use and why they do so. Her research is interdisciplinary in nature since she approaches interpreting as a situated, cognitive, linguistic and societal activity. It is also intrinsically applied, and nurtures her commitment as an academic to the signed language interpreting profession. She is the secretary of the World Association of Sign Language Interpreters and the founder and vice-president of Tenuto, an organisation offering professional development for Flemish Sign Language interpreters.
Isabelle is also a qualified spoken and signed language interpreter with a MA in Interpreting (English - Dutch - Flemish Sign Language) from KU Leuven and a graduate degree in Dutch >< Flemish Sign Language interpreting. Additionally, she obtained a MA in Literature and Linguistics from Ghent University (Belgium).
Publications and Further Research Outputs
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Isabelle Heyerick, Simultaneous Interpreting from a Signed into a Spoken Language: Quality, Cognitive Overload, and Strategies, Review of Simultaneous Interpreting from a Signed into a Spoken Language: Quality, Cognitive Overload, and Strategies, by Wang Jihong , Interpreting and Society: An Interdisciplinary Journal, Online first, (Online first), 2024
Isabelle Heyerick, Barrier-free and interpreter-free Deaf signers and hearing sign language interpreters" perspectives on an ideal world (Belgium, Flanders), Translation and Interpreting Studies , 2023
Isabelle Heyerick, Split-second decisions, The Linguist, 60, (5), 2021, p11 - 12
Isabelle Heyerick, A descriptive study of linguistic interpreting strategies in Dutch - Flemish Sign Language interpreting. Exploring interpreters{', KU Leuven, 2021
Isabelle Heyerick, Hoe tolken keuzes maken., The Linguist, 60, (5), 2021, 11 - 12, 48-49
The importance of video recordings in signed language interpreting research. in, editor(s) Heidi Salaets Geert Brône , Linking up with Video: Perspectives on Interpreting Practice and Research, Amsterdam/Philadelphia, John Benjamins Publishing Company , 2020, pp127 - 150, [Isabelle Heyerick]
Isabelle Heyerick, "Are interpreters in, out, between or in-between? Exploring the influence of seemingly conflicting ideologies on interpreters' practice." , EFSLI 2019 European Forum of Sign Language Interpreters Conference, Malmö, Sweden, 2019
Isabelle Heyerick, "Think Aloud Processes and Retrospective Interviews in (Signed Language) Interpreting Studies: Implications for Researchers, Educators and Practitioner." , ICIT 2019, Denmark, 2019
Isabelle Heyerick, Is there an I in Impact? Considering the two-way process of public engagement., Exchanges: The Interdisciplinary Research Journal, 7, (1), 2019, p82--93
Isabelle Heyerick, Interpreting strategies. What's in it for me?, 2017
Isabelle Heyerick; Suzanne Ehrlich, WASLI 2015 Conference Proceedings "Human rights: where do interpreters fit in?", 2017
Isabelle Heyerick, Interpreting strategies: the why behind the what. , LARIM II: . Power and Ideology in Interpreter-Mediated Contexts., Rome, Italy, 2017
Isabelle Heyerick, Signed language interpreting: What's ideology got to do with it? , Symposium on Signed Language Interpretation and Translation Research., Washington DC, USA, 2017
Isabelle Heyerick, Using multiple methodologies in signed language interpreting studies: (how) does it work?\textquotedblright. , 2015
(Deaf) Interpreters on television: challenging power and responsibility. in, editor(s)Laurence Meurant, Aurélie Sinte, Mieke Van Herreweghe and Myriam Vermeerbergen , Sign Language Research, Uses and Practices. A Belgian Perspective, 2013, [Maartje De Meulder, Isabelle Heyerick]
Isabelle Heyerick, Maartje De Meulder, "(Deaf) Interpreters on television: power and responsibility", EFSLI 2012 European Forum of Sign Language Interpreters Conference, Vienna, Austria, 2012
Sign Language Interpreting in Educational Settings in Flanders, Belgium in, editor(s)Lorraine Leeson, Myriam Vermeerbergen , Working with the Deaf Community - Education, Mental Health & Interpreting, Ireland, Interesource Group (Ireland) Limited, 2012, [Isabelle Heyerick,Myriam Vermeerbergen]
Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications
Ine Van Oudenhove, From Word to Sign - Research Feature, 2021, -
Gareth Johnson, 'A Conversation with Isabelle Heyerick', The Exchanges Discourse - A podcast about early career publishing in academia, 2020, -
Isabelle Heyerick, The strategic nature of interpreting , 2019, -
Research Expertise
Recognition
Representations
ISO TC37/SC5 Translation, interpreting and related technology
Awards and Honours
Marie Curie WIRL-COFUND Fellowship
Memberships
Honourary member of the World Association of Sign Language Interpreters
Individual member of the Professional Association of Flemish Sign Language interpreters