RANT WARNING: Sign Face
Actually, I’m not really sure if this is a rant but felt I would put the warning in the title anyway. Let me start this with a disclaimer. The people I am about to rant about are great people that provide a valuable service to some of the disabled (I refuse to say differentlyabled) people in the world. With that being said let me summon my inner Seinfeld and ask, What is the deal with the funny faces all those sign language interpreters make?
You know what I am talking about? Have you seen it? I’d say that 95% of every ASL interpreter I’ve seen on TV does it. They all make funny faces when they are signing. Here let me show you an example.
See what I mean? I’m telling you, if I was watching a news report about a gang of rabid monkeys that tore through a Tibetan orphanage and ate the faces off little children, I would only be concentrating on the ASL interpreter and laughing. Does that make me a horrible person? Probably, but what about the jizz waffle interpreter that’s making me laugh? They should have a seat reserved right next to me in hell!
I want to know. Is this taught at ASL interpreter school? I mean is there a whole semester class on making funny faces and gestures while signing? Can you imagine flunking out of that school because you didn’t have the chops to make the funny faces? Or is there a secret society of ASL interpreters that got together and decided they were tired of being in the background. Only talked signed about by the hearing impaired and wanted to get out front in the spotlight? I just don’t know. I drive my wife crazy with these questions whenever I see one on TV. Now I’m driving you crazy with them. You’re welcome.
14 thoughts on “RANT WARNING: Sign Face”
I really like the last lady. At least she has a sense of humor about all this. I liked the jazz hands the best! But I would guess the facial expressions are meant to convey the seriousness of the speaker, or the concern (or lack of it) and determination that is making this such an important speech. If the words don’t make sense (and let’s face it – most politicians don’t) then the facial expressions are meant as a dramatic overlay to make the point that the words don’t.
If those expressions are meant to convey the seriousness of the speaker then they are failing.
S. Carolina’s Gov McMaster’s woman is comical too. On purpose? IDK!
How u doin’, Boooooo???
~Linda
AKA Carolina
AKA Half a 1000 Miles
Carolina! Great to hear from you! I am doing great. Not health wise but I’m ignoring that now. We are about to set off on an adventure of a lifetime. One we hope will last for the rest of our lifetime. We are going to be full time RV’ers!
How are things with you? What have you been up to lately?
Hope you are very bloggy about it. I think it’s a dream most of us have at one point or another, in the abstract — but just can’t swing it in the real world so I’m looking forward to you doing epic shit.
My life has been tremendously unexciting, so I’m counting on you. Good health vibes sent your way. Smooches.
Totally agree. Are those facial expressions really necessary? I think not.
The best one I’ve seen recently was an interpreter trying to sign the words to a song performed at a charity concert. It was a rap artist and the lyrics were… how shall I say?…. suggestive.
OMG is was a riot. The poor man was practically twerking.
LOL! I’d like to see that one!
You know I sent a caption of the interpreter behind my governor yesterday too. It is just a universal truth!
It is!
Several years ago my wife took ASL classes and I even went to dinner with a group of mostly deaf people one night. So here’s the weird thing: most of the deaf people I talked to didn’t make weird faces. But if they told a story they’d put their whole body into it. A woman told me a story about a cat who was a holy terror until it was put on Prozac and then it became really sweet, and I couldn’t follow any of her ASL but got the whole story anyway.
So, yeah, no answers, but, hey, glad to hear from you! Or rather read you.
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Did they tell your wife to make facial expressions when she was signing?
I don’t speak sign language (major NOT AN EXPERT disclaimer), but I have considered learning and have looked into some basic AUSLAN (Australian Sign Language) stuff … and I’m *pretty sure* (again, NOT AN EXPERT, if this doesn’t mesh with what someone who is deaf and/or can actually speak sign language says about it, then they are right, not me) extra expressiveness is part of sign language. It’s for lip-reading and additional context in case the sign isn’t super clear–makes it more expressive and easily read.
Lucy Grove-Jones recently posted…Purpose
Well, that would make sense. BTW, does AUSLAN cover all those wonderful Aussie expressions you’ve got down there?
I don’t know enough (read: practically any) AUSLAN to know for sure. I hope so though! Probably even has a few of its own.
Lucy Grove-Jones recently posted…Purpose