interpretation--sign language!
One aggravating (colloquial definition) condition that deaf people growing up in a hearing world knowing ASL have is interpreting the interpretation. I usually prefer ASL interpretation, but a problem not singular to translation is that I sometimes want to know the original English phrasing.
For many people who study translations, the difficulty of finding a perfect translation of a word used in another language is always there. Every century or so, for example, words can change meanings so much that people can always re-translate Homer's Odyssey and Iliad for the contemporary mass. A word like "marriage" had a different meaning 400 years ago, and 2,000 years ago. It used to be arranged by parents. It used to look at women as being subservient to men. In some cases, there are words that in another language no equivalent exists at all, encouraging us to borrow "xenia" and "ephebe."
That's not even bringing up the point that because spoken language and signed language used different medium of communication, anything spoken borrowed into ASL is usually fingerspelled because you can't "say" it.
Anyway, I called an office (generic) to request interpreters for an event that I am planning to go.
The interpreter signed this: TRAINING CONFERENCE, INTERPRETERS HAVE? SHH. SORRY.
Well, I can't remember what he said exactly. What's interesting is SHH, made by slapping the closed mouth with the index finger (not making the SHH sound, just looking similar to a SHH), doesn't have an English equivalent.
So while I understood the meaning, I couldn't exactly translate it back to English.
There were two meanings that I knew of, translated not exactly prettily as "does not mention/is silent on" and "not related". As you can see, using these meanings, the sentence the interpreter signed made no sense. I understood that it meant that they either can't provide interpreters or don't know how. Probably, they can't afford them.
I didn't know there was a third meaning until a friend told me. Basically, "negate." ASL and other signed languages are unique in relying on rhetorical questions to make a statement. A rhetorical question the foundation of lively ASL sentences. Used in this manner, "negate" is meant to say the same thing as "not" or "have nothing." So basically, "We offer interpreters. Not."
But, rather than saying, "We don't have interpreters," using SHH is more informative than using NOT. But I only wish I knew exactly what the other guy was saying to merit that SHH.
Read On ยป
For many people who study translations, the difficulty of finding a perfect translation of a word used in another language is always there. Every century or so, for example, words can change meanings so much that people can always re-translate Homer's Odyssey and Iliad for the contemporary mass. A word like "marriage" had a different meaning 400 years ago, and 2,000 years ago. It used to be arranged by parents. It used to look at women as being subservient to men. In some cases, there are words that in another language no equivalent exists at all, encouraging us to borrow "xenia" and "ephebe."
That's not even bringing up the point that because spoken language and signed language used different medium of communication, anything spoken borrowed into ASL is usually fingerspelled because you can't "say" it.
Anyway, I called an office (generic) to request interpreters for an event that I am planning to go.
The interpreter signed this: TRAINING CONFERENCE, INTERPRETERS HAVE? SHH. SORRY.
Well, I can't remember what he said exactly. What's interesting is SHH, made by slapping the closed mouth with the index finger (not making the SHH sound, just looking similar to a SHH), doesn't have an English equivalent.
So while I understood the meaning, I couldn't exactly translate it back to English.
There were two meanings that I knew of, translated not exactly prettily as "does not mention/is silent on" and "not related". As you can see, using these meanings, the sentence the interpreter signed made no sense. I understood that it meant that they either can't provide interpreters or don't know how. Probably, they can't afford them.
I didn't know there was a third meaning until a friend told me. Basically, "negate." ASL and other signed languages are unique in relying on rhetorical questions to make a statement. A rhetorical question the foundation of lively ASL sentences. Used in this manner, "negate" is meant to say the same thing as "not" or "have nothing." So basically, "We offer interpreters. Not."
But, rather than saying, "We don't have interpreters," using SHH is more informative than using NOT. But I only wish I knew exactly what the other guy was saying to merit that SHH.
Read On ยป
Labels: asl
posted by Alan at May 23, 2006
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