Local Deaf people were told that there was an interpreter from England who wanted to meet them. So they came. As well as discussions with them about their priorities, interpreters and interpreting, I asked if we could film them introducing themselves. They all agreed. These videos were for use by the interpreters in looking at GSL and GSL variation. The first videos are of less English influenced GSL, and show many visual grammar features, including: non-manual features (NMF), role-shift, characterisation, use of topographical and syntactic (conceptual) space, placement, simultaneity (e.g. a different sign on each hand), directional verbs, topic marking, etc. Later videos, generally of people who became Deaf when older, are more English influenced and have less NMF.
In class we watched the first 10 seconds of the first video (Ndey) over and over again, exploring the richness, subtlety and meaning of the visual grammar, and the difference between the non-manual grammar and affect (her emotional presentation). This one clip made the case, and helped open the interpreters eyes to the wonders that await once they start really looking.
They are interpreted live, mainly by Bakary. Generally they say good afternoon (thumb on chin), ask how I am (similar to BSL), introduce their name (sign for name is one handed G moved side ways in front signing space), finger spell (note the fingerspelling differs from ASL), say their sign name, explain how they became Deaf, talk about their education (sign for school forearms tap in parallel, most went to St John's Deaf school, some went to hearing schools first or only), and then say something about their experience of trying to get or being in work.
I'll make no other comment, just watch them and enjoy the richness and diversity.
In class we watched the first 10 seconds of the first video (Ndey) over and over again, exploring the richness, subtlety and meaning of the visual grammar, and the difference between the non-manual grammar and affect (her emotional presentation). This one clip made the case, and helped open the interpreters eyes to the wonders that await once they start really looking.
They are interpreted live, mainly by Bakary. Generally they say good afternoon (thumb on chin), ask how I am (similar to BSL), introduce their name (sign for name is one handed G moved side ways in front signing space), finger spell (note the fingerspelling differs from ASL), say their sign name, explain how they became Deaf, talk about their education (sign for school forearms tap in parallel, most went to St John's Deaf school, some went to hearing schools first or only), and then say something about their experience of trying to get or being in work.
I'll make no other comment, just watch them and enjoy the richness and diversity.
This is Lamin Ceesay. he's an interloper, as he works for GADHOH, but wanted to tell us his story anyway :)
And this is all of the Deaf people, unfortunately more than we had time to video individually, gathering for the group photo.
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