For the First Time, Linguists Describe the History of Russian Sign Language Interpreter Training
A team of researchers from Russia and the United Kingdom has, for the first time, provided a detailed account of the emergence and evolution of the Russian Sign Language (RSL) interpreter training system. This large-scale study spans from the 19th century to the present day, revealing both the achievements and challenges faced by the professional community. Results have been published in The Routledge Handbook of Sign Language Translation and Interpreting.
Today, at least 240,000 people across Russia use Russian Sign Language. However, a shortage of professional interpreters persists, especially in smaller towns and rural areas. This deficit poses serious obstacles to the full integration of deaf people into public life and limits their access to education. To better understand the causes of this problem and explore possible solutions, an international team of scholars examined the history of sign language interpreter training in Russia.
Until 2012, Russian Sign Language was not officially recognised as a language and was regarded merely as a means of interpersonal communication. Yet the history of sign language interpreting in Russia dates back to the 19th century, when the differences between Russian and Russian Sign Language were first described. The earliest training courses for sign language interpreters were organised in the 1930s, but the teaching methods and the status of these specialists changed repeatedly due to political and social factors. For a long time, interpreters were trained through short-term courses, often without the involvement of deaf instructors, which hindered the field’s professional development. Nevertheless, even this level of training helped deaf people take part in the life of the hearing community.
‘The collapse of the USSR led to a dramatic decline in the number of interpreters—from 5,500 to about 520 by 1998,’ the researchers note. Since then, major efforts have been made to restore and improve the quality of interpreter education.
The researchers traced the various stages in the development of sign language interpreter training—from short Soviet-era courses to modern university programmes. Particular attention was paid to the programmes at Moscow State Linguistic University and Novosibirsk State Technical University, which now offer full four-year bachelor’s degrees in the field.
During the study, the researchers examined archival documents, publications, and conference materials on sign language dating back to the 19th century. They also used data from questionnaires and follow-up surveys completed by members of the professional community. This allowed them to analyse first-hand accounts of the profession’s development and current state, assess the present situation, and identify the most effective approaches to interpreter training.
According to the authors, the official recognition of Russian Sign Language in 2012 was a turning point. It enabled the establishment of specialised university programmes, thereby improving the quality of interpreter training and expanding professional opportunities.
However, despite the progress achieved in large cities, the researchers identified serious regional disparities. While Moscow and Novosibirsk have the conditions necessary for comprehensive interpreter education, the situation in many other parts of the country remains far more difficult. There is still a shortage of qualified specialists, and existing programmes often consist of short-term or distance courses that fail to meet the real needs of deaf people.
An important outcome of the study was confirming the need for active participation of deaf instructors in interpreter training. Survey results showed that involving native signers significantly improves the quality of education and helps overcome outdated perceptions of sign language as a secondary means of communication.
‘Today, our main goal is to expand training beyond major cities and transform the prevailing view of sign language as a secondary means of communication. It is crucial not only to increase the number of qualified professionals but also to raise public awareness of sign language,’ emphasised Valeria Vinogradova, co-author of the study and a Research Fellow at the HSE Centre for Language and Brain.
The research began in the late 2010s under the supervision of Anna Komarova and Tatyana Davidenko, prominent figures in the deaf community who actively advocated for the education and promotion of sign language in Russia. After their passing, the study was continued and completed by their colleagues—linguist and cognitive neuroscientist Valeria Vinogradova (HSE Centre for Language and Brain) and British sign language specialist Bencie Woll (University College London).
See also:
‘What Matters Is Not What You Study, but Who You Study with’
Katerina Koloskova began studying Arabic expecting to give it up after a year—now she cannot imagine her life without it. In an interview for the Young Scientists of HSE University project, she spoke about two translated books, an expedition to Socotra, and her love for Bethlehem.
Resource Race and Green Transition: Three Unexpected Conclusions from Foresight Centre’s Research on Climate and Poverty
Beneath the surface of green energy—which most people associate with solar panels, electric vehicles, and reduced CO2 emissions—lies a complex web of geopolitical interests, international inequality, and resource constraints. Researchers from the Laboratory for Science and Technology Studies (LST) at the HSE ISSEK Foresight Centre have published a series of articles in leading international journals on hidden and overt conflicts surrounding critically important metals and minerals, as well as related processes in the energy sector.
Immersion in Second Language Environment Influences Bilinguals’ Perception of Emotions
Researchers at the Cognitive Health and Intelligence Centre at the HSE Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience have discovered how bilingual individuals process emotional words in their native (first) and non-native (second) languages. It was found that the link between word meaning and bodily sensations is weaker in a second language than in a first language. However, the more a person is immersed in a language environment, the smaller this difference becomes. The article has been published in Language, Cognition and Neuroscience.
Researchers Find More Effective Approach to Revealing Majorana Zero Modes in Superconductors
An international team of researchers, including physicists from HSE MIEM, has demonstrated that nonmagnetic impurities can help more accurately reveal Majorana zero modes—quantum states considered promising building blocks for quantum computing. The researchers found that these impurities shift the energy levels that typically obscure the Majorana signal, while leaving the mode itself largely unaffected, thereby making its spectral peak more distinct. The study has been published in Research.
New Development by HSE Scientists Helps Design Reliable Electronics Faster at a Lower Cost
Scientists from HSE MIEM have developed a new approach to modelling electrothermal processes in high-power electronic circuits on printed circuit boards (PCB). The method allows engineers to quickly and accurately predict how electronic components heat up during operation, helping prevent overheating and potential failures. The results have been published in Russian Microelectronics.
The Future of Cardiogenetics Lies in Artificial Intelligence
Researchers from the AI and Digital Science Institute at the HSE Faculty of Computer Science have developed a program capable of analysing regions of the human genome that were previously inaccessible for accurate interpretation in genetic testing. The program adapts large generative AI (GenAI) models for cardiogenetics to predict how specific mutations affect the function of individual genes.
HSE Researchers: Young Russians Have Sufficient Knowledge About Money but Lack Money Management Skills
Adolescents and young adults in Russia today are well versed in financial terminology: they know what bank cards, loans, interest rates, and online payments are. However, as researchers at HSE University have found, real money-management skills remain poorly developed among most young people. The study ‘Financial Literacy, Financial Culture, and Financial Autonomy of Youth’ has been published in Monitoring of Public Opinion: Economic and Social Changes.
Why Weaker Competitors Give Up—and How to Keep Them in the Game
Anastasia Antsygina, Assistant Professor at HSE University’s Faculty of Economic Sciences, has developed a prize distribution model that maximises competitor engagement. She proposed revising the traditional ‘winner-takes-all’ approach and, in certain cases, offering a small reward even to those who have lost. According to her, this could increase participant motivation and make the competition more intense. The findings of her research were published in the Economic Theory journal.
HSE Researchers Compile Scientific Database for Studying Children’s Eating Habits
The database created at HSE University can serve as a foundation for studying children’s eating habits. This is outlined in the study ‘The Influence of Age, Gender, and Social-Role Factors on Children’s Compliance with Age-Based Nutritional Norms: An Experimental Study Using the Dish-I-Wish Web Application.’ The work has been carried out as part of the HSE Basic Research Programme and was presented at the XXVI April International Academic Conference named after Evgeny Yasin.
New Foresight Centre Study Identifies the Most Destructive Global Trends for Humankind
A team of researchers from the HSE International Research and Educational Foresight Centre has examined how global trends affect the quality of human life—from life expectancy to professional fulfilment. The findings of the study titled ‘Human Capital Transformation under the Influence of Global Trends’ were published in Foresight.