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From:
Mark Penner Date: Wed Dec 20, 2000 4:06 am Subject: Transcription project | |
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At 15:09 00/12/14 -0500, Stefan wrote: > nice to hear from you again. How is it going - did you translate any > some mor signs from the japanese bible project ? > I $B%( (Jm sorry for you (and me ) that we didn $B%( (Jt continue - sooo much to do. I've gotten a couple of sentences done. The main thing that I've gleaned from our transcription attempt is that though it is possible to write exactly what a Deaf signer is signing, it is very difficult without knowing the language. This is because signs morph differently depending on which sign follows. That is, they change shape as they flow from one sign to the next, creating and incredible variety of hand and face forms. There is really no need to write all the minute variations that occur. If you don't know the Sign Language you're writing, you end up with all kinds of unnecessary material, and though you might be writing exactly what the signer signed, its very difficult to read. I think it would be different if our signer were doing poetry or storytelling, but a lot of this tape is narrative style, and gets pretty close to how Deaf people actually converse. Since I know the sign, I ended up writing what I knew he was signing rather than what his hands and face actually did. I didn't try to do this, but my knowledge of JSL actually influenced what I saw. When I looked at the transcription from the rest of our group and went back to the video on slow motion, I realized that I had not written what he actually did with his hands. I imagine that the reverse will happen once Deaf people are fluent at reading SW--that they will not sign exactly what is written, but will sign how it is really supposed to be as sign flow naturally from one to another. Anyway, I'm game to try some more transcription if anyone else is up to it. Mark Mark Penner Tokyo, Japan |
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