For most Singaporeans, the annual National Day Parade (NDP) is a spectacle of music, military precision, and patriotic celebration.
But for many members of Singapore’s Deaf community, the experience has become far more accessible in recent years thanks to a team working quietly behind the scenes.
While audiences cheer inside the stadium, Singapore Sign Language (SgSL) interpreters Daniel Yong and Rashidah are interpreting speeches, performances, and spontaneous moments live.
They and their team ensure that Deaf, Deafblind and Hard-of-hearing Singaporeans can experience and enjoy the nation’s biggest celebration alongside everyone else.
Although the audience only sees a small picture-in-picture box on screen, delivering live interpretation requires months of preparation and seamless teamwork.
Daniel, 26, who has supported five editions of the NDP since 2022, said the job goes far beyond just knowing sign language.
Unlike spoken-language interpreting, SgSL has its own grammar, syntax, and linguistic structure.
Facial expressions, eye movements, body posture, and signing pace all work together to communicate meaning and emotion, and not simply the words being spoken.
Image courtesy of The Singapore Association for the Deaf
The language is also capable of expressing subtle cultural nuances that many Singaporeans use in everyday conversation.
“A simple phrase like ‘okay lah’ can be expressed differently from ‘okay?’ or ‘okay right?’ through the way we sign and use our facial expressions,” he explained.
That becomes especially important during an event as energetic as the NDP.
“When the hosts raise the energy, we have to match it,” Daniel explained. “Our goal is always to give the Deaf community the equivalent experience that hearing people are having.”
Source: NDP official photographer
Rashidah, who is in her early 30s, echoed the sentiment, saying professional interpreters are responsible for conveying not only the message but also the speaker’s intended impact.
“The emotions are already part of our work,” she shared. “If the original speaker wants a particular impact, we must make sure we deliver that same impact.”
Despite extensive rehearsals, the NDP remains a live production where anything can happen.
One of the biggest challenges for the interpreting team is adapting instantly when events don’t go according to plan.
Hosts may occasionally go off-script to fill unexpected gaps, and interpreters must make split-second decisions to keep pace with the programme.
Daniel shared how a spontaneous football chant once caught the interpreters by surprise, requiring them to immediately find a way to convey the moment naturally in SgSL.
Source: NDP official photographer for illustration purposes only
Military terminology, parade commands, and ceremonial references often require additional research and clarification with NDP organisers before each show.
Even then, interpreters may encounter unfamiliar names or terms and have only seconds to respond.
“There are times when really long names are mentioned,” Daniel said. “We have to figure out how to spell or convey them in a fast-paced situation.”
Daniel told MS News that the picture-in-picture interpreter window appears and disappears throughout the parade, meaning interpreters must carefully manage their timing.
They are given the cue a few seconds before the window disappears each time, allowing them to complete their interpretation quickly without losing meaning.
To stay ahead, the team studies scripts in advance and works closely with support staff who scroll through scripts in real time during the show.
Image courtesy of The Singapore Association for the Deaf
The interpreters also support one another throughout the show.
While one interpreter is on camera, the other provides live prompts and encouragement, helping to ensure the interpretation remains accurate and natural for the audience.
Rashidah credits this constant feedback and teamwork for helping her to deliver the best interpretation possible.
Image courtesy of The Singapore Association for the Deaf
Because each interpreter has a different height, the team uses a wooden block to ensure the camera properly frames both Daniel and Rashidah on screen.
The team also carefully adjusts the lighting and camera angles because the audience relies entirely on the interpreter’s image within a small on-screen window.
For Rashidah, who has worked as an SgSL interpreter for over six years, this year’s NDP marks her first time appearing on the parade’s display screens.
She described the opportunity as both an honour, as well as a personal milestone.
“I’m quite pleased that NDP is providing this accessibility,” she said, adding that she hopes sign language interpretation remains a part of future parades.
She also sees it as a sign that Singapore is progressing towards becoming a more inclusive and accessible society.
Daniel also shares a similar perspective. He believes that NDP belongs to every Singaporean, including the Deaf community.
Also, featuring SgSL on such a prominent national platform sends an important message that sign language is part of Singapore’s story.
Image courtesy of The Singapore Association for the Deaf
While both interpreters welcome the progress made so far, they hope that organisations will eventually make accessibility standard practice.
While commending NDP for its progressive efforts, Rashidah expressed hope that other major public events will adopt a similar approach by incorporating accessibility considerations into their planning and budgeting processes from the outset.
Ultimately, both of them hope that more organisations will follow NDP’s example.
Daniel believes that one of the biggest misconceptions is that interpreters exist only to help Deaf people.
Instead, he sees it as an accessibility service that enables organisers to welcome the Deaf community into the same space.
“If you are put in a room full of people that use sign language, you are the disabled one,” he said, explaining that interpreters bridge communication between both hearing and Deaf people.
Rashidah agrees, adding that sign language interpretation is a skilled profession requiring years of preparation, practice, and continuous learning.
As Singapore continues to make its national events more inclusive, the work of interpreters like Daniel and Rashidah reminds us that accessibility isn’t just about adding features.
Behind every successful event are professionals navigating unexpected changes, technical constraints and intense split-second decisions.
All so that every Singaporean can share in the moments that bring the nation together.
Also read: Sign Language Interpreters At S’pore Coldplay Concerts Bring Music To Hard-Of-Hearing Fans
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Featured image courtesy of Daniel Yong & Rashidah.