On Mon, 14 Jun 1999 19:02:31 -0700 Valerie Sutton
writes:
> If you or your group are considering doing translation work from
> English to ASL... I would like to share with you the way we do
it.....for what
> it is worth...
> The first thing is to get the team of native ASL signers. The second
> thing is to do the videotape, which is not as easy as you might think.
For
> example, we learned that it is important to ask all hearing people
> to leave the room during the taping. With only Deaf people present, the
Deaf
> signer is signing to a Deaf audience, and the ASL becomes stronger.
> Oftentimes, if a hearing person is present, without even realizing it,
the grammar
> changes to a PSE or to English, to accomodate the hearing person in the
> room.
Praise be!!! Someone who understands this!!!! I look back at the
times I have signed myself raw to explain this to well-meaning
hearing folks who wanted to help video Deaf signers and the
utter despair when I tried to video elderly Black signers. Nothing
I did or said could get these people away. The result, what is
on tape is in no way related to how the people sign among themselves.
But this post, I will save throughout eternity if for no other reason
that to
show that my contention is not what what one well-meaning but very
uninformed
hearing studio person told me, "It won't make any difference."
I suggest also attempt to place the camera as inconspiciously as possible
and hopefully make the signers forget it's there. I tried to get the
studio
person I was working with to place it near a large plant holder, maneuver
the Deaf into position while making it seem there wasa delay in some
equipment
or another, get them started to chatting and the camera is recording all
the time.
Now, the above was a special case, it does not necessarily apply to what
Val
wants to do formally. But the idea of known hearies being present and
even
the camera's obvious presence does cause the Deaf to change how we sign.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
o/ James Womack \o ,
<| Don't mince words |> __o/
/ > Say what you really think! < \ __\__
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