Country Report 2011
Norway has about 4.9 million inhabitants. Approximately 5000 are considered deaf and have Norwegian Sign Language as their 1st language. Norway is quite small in population, however large in size with 385 252 km2.
There are about 500 interpreters working in Norway and The Norwegian Association of Sign Language Interpreters, Tolkeforbundet, has approximately 350 members. More than half of the sign language interpreters work freelance.
Norway has a three year Bachelor program taught at three schools equivalent to College. The first year of the program, sign language and deaf culture and history are in focus while the following years focus mainly on interpreting. Of course these two final years are meant for improving sign language skills as well. The program also includes interpreting for the deaf and blind and speech-to-text interpreting.
Most important events for the association the last year:
We've had our general meeting and a new general assembly has been elected. At this meeting we also approved our new improved code of ethics.
Our efforts last year for the funding of the bachelor program at University of Oslo, gave some results. The program has now been moved to Oslo University College, and are taking in new student from this autumn.
We've been represented in the directive group concerning the «Renewal of the Interpretation Services». This group has finished theire report, and we hope that our contribution can give better rights and fees for interpretes working freelance, among the many suggested improvements. The next year we are planning to keep a close watch and make sure that this report is taken seriously and that it's recommendations are being followed.
The Language Council of Norway has for the first time employed a deaf sign language advisor. If this was not enough the new Head of the Language Council of Norway, Arnfinn Murvik Vonen, used to teach linguistics at the former bachelor program in SLI at University of Oslo. We hope that this will put Norwegian Sign Language on the map and increase it's status in Norway.
Some of the goals for our association the coming year:
In June we attended a meeting with the Nordic SLI organisations, and we are looking forward to be a part of the Nordic meeting in 2012 on the Faroe Islands.
One of our goals this year is to discuss «new» ethical dilemmas. We are planning to discuss for instance «Facebook» and how we as interprets should behave regarding this social media. This had been discussed earlier at the discussion board on our homepages.
We are constantly trying to engage our members in both ethical dilemmas/questions and uncertainties regarding our rights as interprets. Both on a regional and a nationwide level.
Next year we are planning to review the possibilities of having an employed president in the future.