Research::Alexander Communications::

Research

At Alexander Communications we are commited to high quailty research to inform and underpin interpreting practice, and to develop new approaches particularly in the discipline of Audiovisual translation (AVT). Our work centres on the approach that the provision of interpreted theatre, television drama, and so, on is not 'access' rather it is a fully fledged discipline within AVT.

Dr Alex McDonald received his PhD, looking at the interpretation of televison drama, in 2018 and Dr Siobhán Rocks, looking at the interpretation of theatre. completed her PhD in 2019; both at the University of Leeds.

Both have been invited lecturers at UEA, on the MA in Translation Studies, additionally Siobhán has also lectured on the MA Interpreting course at Queen's University, Belfast, whilst Alex has previously worked as a Senior Lecturer in Interpreting at the Universtiy of Wolverhampton.

Publications

		Siobhán Rocks' chapter 'Sign language interpreting, pragmatics and theatre translation' has been published in The Routledge Handbook of Translation and Pragmatics (2019). The book provides an overview of key concepts and theory in pragmatics, charts developments in the disciplinary relationship between translation studies and pragmatics and showcases applications of pragmatics-inspired research in a wide range of translation, spoken and signed language interpreting activities.
		Siobhán Rocks wrote the entry on 'Theater Interpreting' for The Routledge Encyclopedia of Interpreting Studies published in 2015. The Routledge Encyclopedia of Interpreting Studies is the authoritative reference for anyone with an academic or professional interest in interpreting. Drawing on the expertise of an international team of specialist contributors, this single-volume reference presents the state of the art in interpreting studies in a much more fine-grained matrix of entries than has ever been seen before.
		Alex McDonald's chapter 'The In-vision Sign Language Interpreter in British Television Drama' was published in 2012 in Audiovisual Translation and Media Accessibility at the Crossroads. The collection reflects the critical impact of new technologies on AVT, media accessibility and consumer behaviour and shows the significant increase in collaborative and interdisciplinary research targeting changing consumer perceptions as well as quality issues.
		Siobhán Rocks' chapter 'The Theatre Sign Language Interpreter and the Competing Visual Narrative: the translation and interpretation of theatrical texts into British Sign Language' appears in the 2011 publication Staging & Performing Translation: Text & Theatre Practice. This exploration of the territory between theory and practice in contemporary theatre features essays by academics from theatre and translation studies, and delineates a new space for the discussion of translation in the theatre that is international, critical and scholarly, while rooted in experience and understanding of theatre practices.

Presentations

Manchester Internationa Festival

Siobhán Rocks lead a workshop at the Manchester International Festival's office on the dramatugy of the Sign Language Interpreter in theatre, January '20.

10th International Languages & the Medis Conference

Alex McDonald and Siobhán Rocks both presented at the 10th Languages & The Media International Conference on Language Transfer in Audiovisual Media Berlin, November, 2014.

Media for All 5

Alex McDonald and Siobhán Rocks presented their joint paper on a professional development programme for theatre sign langauge interpreters. Dubrovnik, September 2013.