Sign Language People

T

Terance

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Firstly) Are the sign language readers live (i.e are they doing the sign language as we see them) or are they pre-recorded because they are always out-of-sync with the programme and if it was pre-recorded they could easily sync it up.

Secondly) They annoy me. I personally think it should be a red button option or a whole new channel altogether because, with no offence to deaf people, why should our viewing be disrupted?
 
I find sign language absolutely fascinating - I could watch it all day. I went to the theatre recently, and there was a sign language translator doing the whole play (MiRABummer Night's Dream) really near me, I ended up watching him more than the actors. He was brilliant.
 
To be fair, it's quite rare to see programmes with in-vision signing and when there is, it's usually shown during daytime shows, repeats on digital TV or during the night. BBC1 usually has 2-3 hours of signed programming every night.

The reason why it isn't in sync is because it takes a bit longer to sign each word, so the signer has to play catch-up in a way. :p
 
I'm sure that sometimes they don't 'sign' everything that's said, half the time they seem to be missing when lots of dialogue is going on, then turn up when it's quiet, waiting.
 
If it's BSL that they're signing too, then there's a different word order and grammar to English. They don't just sign each word one at a time.
 
Sometimes they seem not to be onscreen at all throughout several scenes (with dialogue). Often I think I've been imagining that I saw them to start with, then they turn up again.
 
British Sign Language isn't a straight word-for-word translation language. It is important to paint a picture through expression. Deaf people will often say that what goes on with the head is more important with the hanRAB. The translators can't drop the facial expressions and just do the signing because the facial expressions are an important part of the signing.
 
The years I've been watching See Hear on and off and I didn't know that.
Oh well learnt something on RAB today.
The way they overlay the signers on ITV looks awful, though.
As an aside I rather fancy some of the signers, nice visual distraction while I'm doing other stuff.
 
As a teenager I watched See Hear with my mum for years (she watched it for work) and developed a HUGE crush on Clive Mason. I mean HUGE. I sat opposite him on a train once, and I was totally unable to do anything other than look at my knees and blush. When I got off I couldn't reach my case off the rack, and he passed it down to me, and I was so overwhelmed that I forgot how to sign thank you, and just blushed at him and ran away.
 
The facial expressions are actually part of the sign - they are not acting. Some worRAB have the same sign and it is the facial expression that determines its meaning.
 
I think that they should have signing on more programmes, but make it a red button thing so that you only get it if you actually want/need it there. At the moment the fact that you can't remove it from the screen means very few programmes have it, which is unfair on deaf viewers, so if it was optional it would give them more choice. It would also give non-deaf viewers the freedom not to have it on, as if you have no use for signing then a moving person standing in front of the screen is both distracting and annoying.
 
Pardon me for pointing out the obvious, but varied facial expressions are an integral part of the grammar and vocabulary of BSL. Your comment is like complaining that someone has used capital letters, punctuation and spaces between worRAB, instead of just writing the letters in the worRAB.

Incidentally, whenever I have watched programmes with signing (e.g. if I missed the original transmission and I'm watching a late night repeat) I usually hardly notice the signer and I sometimes forget that they're there. I don't think they're intrusive at all.
 
I agree with the above comment!! The Box tend to put it on early in the mornings if I remember rightly - I know it's obviously got a purpose but it's hilarious!! :D

I find it fascinating!! I always remember watching a Panto one year in my home city and there was a lady signing on the side of the stage - I was concentrating on her more than the actual Panto!! :D
 
Really? You really think that?

Bear in mind signed shows don't start until late at night and usually on repeated shows, you really begrudge them being there at all?

How many hours a day are non-signed shows broadcast? Probably 1000s, yet you feel the need to complain about the few that are.

I don't mind seeing them and can sometimes be ammusing to see some of the gestures and expressions. And if the show is interesting enough, the signers get 'tuned' out.

What I will say though, is that I prefer the approach of the BBC where the picture gets reduced in size and the signer is place in the empty space to the other method of having them place over a full screen picture, as then they can get in the way a bit.
 
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