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From:
Stefan Woehrmann2 Date: Wed Dec 27, 2000 12:58 am Subject: Re: Transcription project | |
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Hi Mark, I $B!- (Bm so happy and gratefull that you took the time to describe your feelings and ideas regarding the transcription project. I think it is an excellent analysis of what is going on if you describe the movements of a signer without knowing his language---- Nevertheless there can be a great chance in learning to look carefully at movements , handshapes - but that may be a different project - not just transcribing what is intented to sign !! Once again - thank you very much for your excellent comment on this project. I $B!- (Bll read it several times ! All the best Stefan ;-) P.S. If you would try to write, what little Gordian is performing you never would get an idea what he is talking about. But the knowledge of his style of signing is a big help to assist the eyes - to add the missing parts that are in my mind !! ----- Original Message ----- From: Mark Penner To: Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2000 4:06 AM Subject: Transcription project > 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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