"Unsound: The Legacy of Alexander Graham Bell" (in ASL, English and English closed captions)

Description: American Sign Language interpretation of Unsound, a radio documentary from IDEAS exploring the legacy of Alexander Graham Bell and his role in a movement called oralism, and the harmful legacy that still reverberates today.

The great project of Alexander Graham Bell's life was not, perhaps surprisingly, the telephone.

His life's true passion, and the project he focused on his entire life and funded with his earnings from the telephone, was the 'education' of deaf people. He was part of a movement called oralism and believed all deaf people should learn to lipread and speak rather than use sign language.

But not all deaf people can learn to speak. Or believe they should. And the harm of oralism still reverberates today.

This is a great interpretation from a Deaf perspective. Watch in full screen and hit the CC button for captions.

Radio show source: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/unsound-the-legacy-of-alexander-graham-bell-1.6020596

Video source: https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1894072899880

For English transcript: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/transcript-unsound-the-legacy-of-alexander-graham-bell-1.5998768

Post-Lecture and a shot of "double inspiration porn"

The talk at the Kyoto Asian Studies Group went very well last night. There was a good crowd with several familiar faces. The lecture was one hour and five minutes (thanks to my DWJ students for suggestions on how to cut an earlier and longer version...) and there was almost an hour of interesting and important discussion afterwards. It was a great time. Thanks to KAS and everyone who attended!

In a congratulatory message my former professor and colleague sent me this:

Those who came last night will immediately get it. For those who couldn't attend, it is related to the following quote used in the presentation (and ensuing discussion).

I used to watch videos of abandoned dogs finding their forever homes and deaf people being able to hear for the first time to help soothe me on a bad day.

"Inspiration porn misrepresents deaf people, culture"
BY BRITTANY CRUZ-FEJERAN
The Southwestern College Sun, 05/13/2019
url: https://www.theswcsun.com/inspiration-porn-misrepresents-deaf-people-culture/

See the video before and prepare to be double inspired! (Thanks to EK for the message and screen shot.)



See also: http://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2019/09/announcement-kyoto-asian-studies-group.html

"Wells Fargo Commercial: Learning Sign Language" and once again I'm not sure how to feel about this...

There's so much going on in this commercial I can't seem to get my head around it. The buzz seems to be centered on the portrayal of lesbian moms as ordinary and not so much about the use of sign language.

Friday Fun! "This [American] Sign Language Rap Battle Is Unlike Anything You've Ever Seen"

This is way too cool. Thanks to my colleague MH for sharing this with me. Check it out!



Again, very cool. But one might ask why was a stoned rapper asked to judge the interpreters? Where were the deaf people?

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/08/sign-language-rap-battle_n_5112402.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

Incredible Interpretations

This weekend I have been attending the Signed and Spoken Language Linguistics Festa at Minpaku (National Museum of Ethnology) in Suita, Osaka, Japan. The conference has included workshops on word order, number systems in sign languages, language description, documentation and sentence structure. On Saturday there was a screening of the Chinese film, "The White Tower," about deaf man and his struggles with marriage. After the film there was a Talk Show to discuss the film and the issues it raises.

One of the most fascinating parts of this conference was the amount of interpretation going on. The photo above illustrates the interpretation during the before-mentioned Talk Show. From left to right on the stage we can see an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter, the moderator, the two Chinese filmmakers with a Chinese to Japanese interpreter in between them, two panelists (one of them deaf), the Japanese Sign Language (JSL) interpreter (whose image is projected larger above her) and the International Sign (IS) interpreter. Seated in the front row are two more JSL interpreters for the deaf panelist. Furthermore, the event was being filmed and broadcast live on the internet. So there was a row of seats dedicated to video cameras, one camera for each interpreter and speaker. This was a very complex process but handled very smoothly I'd say. This shows the lengths humans want to and can communicate with others despite differing languages.

Minpaku website (in English): http://www.minpaku.ac.jp/english

Website for "Signed and Spoken Language Linguistics Festa" (in Japanese): http://www.minpaku.ac.jp/research/activity/news/corp/20130927-29

For more information about "The White Tower": http://www.chinaculturecenter.org/cultural_learning/eventdetail.php?eventid=356

Anna Mindess Guest Lecture @ Deaf World Japan

Deaf World Japan is very fortunate to have Anna Mindess give a guest lecture on September 17. Mindess is an American Sign Language interpreter, author of books and DVDs about Deaf culture, educator and most recently a food critic. If you happen to be in Osaka on the 17th, please come.

Mindess' webpage: http://www.annamindess.com/

"School asks deaf preschooler to change his sign language name"

From The Lookout via Yahoo! News:

Three-and-a-half  year old Hunter Spanjer, who is deaf, signs his name by crossing his forefinger and index finger and moving his hand up and down.

To his family, friends and those who know the Signing Exact English (S.E.E.) language that the Grand Island, Neb., boy uses, that gesture uniquely means "Hunter Spanjer."

But to Hunter's school district, it might mean something else. The district claims that it violates a rule that forbids anything in the school that looks like a weapon, reports KOLN-TV.

And Hunter's parents claim that Grand Island Public Schools administrators have asked them to change their son's sign language name.

"Anybody that I have talked to thinks this is absolutely ridiculous," Hunter's grandmother Janet Logue told the TV station. "This is not threatening in any way."

Hunter's father Brian Spanjer said, "It's a symbol. It's an actual sign, a registered sign, through S.E.E."

The family told KOLN that lawyers from the National Association of the Deaf may push for Hunter's right to sign his name at the school.

Jack Sheard, Grand Island Public Schools spokesperson told KOLN, "We are working with the parents to come to the best solution we can for the child."

One Grand Island resident said she disagrees with the school.

"I find it very difficult to believe that the sign language that shows his name resembles a gun in any way would even enter a child's mind," Fredda Bartenbach said in the news report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/school-asks-deaf-preschooler-change-sign-language-name-191629255.html

Thanks to my colleague, JH, for bringing this to my attention. Here's my take on this situation.

This is a great example of the problems associated with signing systems as opposed to natural sign languages. Signing Exact English (S.E.E.) is not a language. It is a system, or more precisely a modality, to express English language through manual gestures. It is different from American Sign Language (ASL). S.E.E. was created to supposedly make it easier for deaf people to communicate with hearing people. While S.E.E. adapts some signs from ASL, it uses the same grammar and word order as spoken English. ASL has its own unique grammar and word order. Culturally Deaf people use ASL. Those deaf people who don't advocate Deaf culture and wish to mainstream into hearing society use S.E.E. or other similar manual systems.

So it would seem that if your intention is to sign/communicate English, and if a particular sign is problematic for English speakers, then that sign should probably not be used. If the young boy was using ASL, most likely he would not have been given such a name sign. Here is a cross-cultural example to support this claim. In Japanese Sign Language (JSL), an individual's name is usually expressed using the established signs for the kanji characters that make up her name. For example, the name Yamamoto consists of two kanji, 山 (yama) and 本 (moto). JSL would express the name by signing yama + moto. However some kanji signs are seen as odd, offesnsive or just plain creepy. In these instances, other signs are used, or in the extreme case, the name is fingerspelled. Nobody wants an odd, offensive or creepy name.

A signed name that resembles a gun or violence might fall into such a category.

It should also be noted that name signs are a part of Deaf culture. (Name signs in Japan are different than how their names are expressed through signing kanji). Name signs are unique to the individual. A Deaf person seeing a name sign for the first time would not automatically know the name of the individual. Usually name signs are based upon an individual's physical characteristic or personality trait. (ASL usually incorporates a fingerspelling handshape as well.) A person must be given a name sign by a Deaf person. One cannot make up their own name sign. Receiving a name sign can be seen as recognition and acceptance into the Deaf World. A hearing person cannot make a name sign. So the question here is who gave the young boy the problematic name sign in the first place? A culturally Deaf person would most likely not give another person such a name sign. Often times name signs change in a person's life as physical traits and behaviors change.

So changing the young boy's name sign might not be such a traumatic event after all.

My comments here are based upon the ideal social models of deafness - cultural vs. deficit. In the former ASL in the U.S (or JSL in Japan) would be favored; in the latter S.E.E. in the U.S. (or Signed Japanese in Japan) would be favored. In reality, there is no such clear cut separation as this particular case shows.  I work with Deaf people in Japan who hold clinics and workshops to promote JSL and eradicate Signed Japanese. I have grown to understand this mentality. But my research shows that such a goal is impossible in the realm of deaf communication. The bottom line: there is much diversity in the deaf world just as there is in the hearing world in terms of politics, attitudes and language use.

Japanese "Hand Sign" at the Amateur Night at the Apollo Finals

The Japanese dance group, Hand Sign, recently performed at the Apollo Theater in New York and won second place at the Top Dog competition on October 20, 2010.The sign language they are using in this performance is American Sign Language (ASL). My colleague Mark H. (thanks, Mark!) first let me know about this group and I tried to get some more information about them. I found the following YouTube link (apparently it cannot be embedded so you have to watch it on YouTube itself).

Link to Hand Sign New York Apollo Theater Amateur Night Finals:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPtmz8yJ3Lw

In this video the group is using Japanese Sign Language when practicing and when performing in Japanese.

Hand Sign also performed on the popular morning show Tokudane; here is the video clip from that performance.



Very nice stuff. Deshoo.

OK, so here's the critical stuff: I suppose it is cool that these all hearing guys are using sign language in their performances. And it is cool that they use ASL in America and Japanese Sign Language (JSL) in Japan. In the New York performance they seem to be using real ASL as opposed to a version of Signed English. But in Japan they are using more Signed Japanese than real JSL. And it is problematic that they are speaking on behalf of deaf people in the Tokudane interview. At least the group leader used the term rousha rather than mimi ga fujiyuna like the interviewer did (who uses that term anymore?). But the overall feeling of the interview is now the poor deaf people can appreciate music for the first time... It is good that sign language is getting exposure. But it is problematic that inaccurate stereotypes and deficit models of deafness are perpetuated in the media. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that Hand Sign (or other hearing people) should not be using sign language. Deaf people themselves are working hard to promote the fact that JSL is a real language different from spoken Japanese. But the JSL they are promoting is different than the Signed Japanese in these performances. There are greater identity and political issues here. I want to know more about Hand Sign. And I hope they have more opportunity to interact with deaf people so they can get a better understanding of the deaf situation in Japan, at least better than what was demonstrated in the Tokudane interview. If anyone knows more about this group, please leave a comment.

Hands Can Do Incredible Things - Hands-Only CPR

Myra at the Hawaii VAOJ office recently sent me a link to a web page entitled "Learn Sarver Heart Center's Continuous Chest Compression CPR." I was reminded about the link after my uncle was rushed to the emergency room last night because of heart problems (he is fine now and expected to leave the hospital tomorrow). Today I saw the above commercial on TV. Hands can do incredible things whether it be communicate important messages or save someone's life. After spending some time in America, I realize more than ever how important it is that we all look out for each other. Health care in the U.S. is messed up to say the least. Power to the People. Let's retake our health and live a joyous life.

Link to Learn Sarver Heart Center's Continuous Chest Compression CPR:
http://medicine.arizona.edu/spotlight/learn-sarver-heart-centers-continuous-chest-compression-cpr

"Friday-Signing" Event in Osaka

My Deaf friends asked me to pass this information on.

The organizers of this event sign in both Japanese Sign Language and American Sign Language. It should be an interesting international event. If you have time, check it out. For more information, check out their blog:

Friday-Signing
http://kinyoubishuwa.blogspot.com/

Deaf X-mas in Japan I: The Good News

Subtitle: A Global Deaf X-mas

I had the pleasure of attending a party for a visiting Deaf couple from Norway in Namba, Osaka on Christmas evening. Another participant was a Deaf man born in Argentina and living in Italy. I was the only American and the only hearing person as well. The Norwegians and Italian attended Gallaudet University and are fluent in American Sign Language (ASL). There was one Deaf Japanese man (who had also attended Gallaudet) who acted as interpreter as most of us had little experience or knowledge of ASL. I studied ASL for a year or so in grad school, but since coming to Japan I have forgot most of it. I was able to introduce myself in ASL, but needed my Japanese friend to interpret my Japanese Sign Language (JSL) into ASL for the Europeans to understand. Are you following me? This was truly a globalization moment in Japan. It seems as though Deaf people from all over the world attend Gallaudet and learn ASL. ASL seems to be becoming the lingua franca for Deaf people in international settings. However I was told by one of the Norwegians that International Sign Language is more widely used in Europe. Anyway, the evening was fun and cross-culturally educational for all. This is how Christmas should be - peace on earth...

Sorry I couldn't come up with better pictures for the event - I only had my cell phone camera with me. And most of my photos ended up looking like this:


What do you expect with Deaf people moving their hands, arms and entire bodies all of the time? Yet another challenge for visual anthropologists...