NEW YORK (New York Times) - Pushing science’s limits in sign language lexicon. Imagine trying to learn biology without ever using the word “organism.” Or studying to become a botanist when the only way of referring to photosynthesis is to spell the word out, letter by painstaking letter.
For Deaf students, this game of scientific password has long been the daily classroom and laboratory experience. Words like “organism” and “photosynthesis” to say nothing of more obscure and harder-to-spell terms have no single widely accepted equivalent in sign language. This means that Deaf students and their teachers and interpreters must improvise, making it that much harder for the students to excel in science and pursue careers in it.
“Often times, it would involve a lot of finger-spelling and a lot of improvisation,” said Matthew Schwerin, a physicist with the Food and Drug Administration who is Deaf, of his years in school. “For the majority of scientific terms,” Mr. Schwerin and his interpreter for the day would “try to find a correct sign for the term, and if nothing was pre-existing, we would come up with a sign that was agreeable with both parties.” Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/04/science/sign-language-researchers-broaden-science-lexicon.html
"I don't mind fun poked at me, as I poke back," the Dancing with the Stars alum tweeted Sunday. "But at the language, that millions use? It feels childish and insulting."
NEW YORK (CNN) - Fans want Bloomberg's Sandy signer' Lydia Callis back. When New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg appeared at a news conference Wednesday without Lydia Callis at his side, fans of the sign language interpreter immediately expressed their disappointment via Twitter.
"Wait, where is Lydia Callis???? (aka our favorite sign language interpreter)" @abbygardner tweeted.
"Watching Bloomberg's latest briefing. So sad Lydia Callis is not the sign language interpreter #Sandy" tweeted @kyledoyle.
"Damn they change the #signlanguagelady ... WE WANT LYDIA CALLIS BACK !!!!" @JoeyStugotz6 posted.
LOS ANGELES - Chelesa Lately TV show under fire for mocks sign language.
Late-night host Chelsea Handler (of the Chelsea Lately Show, on E! Network) has found herself in the center of controversy, due to this skit (air date: Oct 30, 2012) which many members of the ASL-users community say mocks and makes fun of the language they use to communicate: ASL (American Sign Language). In the skit, a member of the cast mocks Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's ASL Interpreter Lydia Callis, who translated for the Mayor's Hurricane Sandy press conferences, as seen on YouTube video.
And what some with hearing (like Chelsea) would consider as "over-exaggerated" facial expressions and body movements are used for a good reason, not to "editorialize" or to be "passionate", but to communicate linguistic elements that those with hearing convey by way of vocal inflection, pitch, rhythm, pace, etc, and take for granted.
(Also check out the comments section below the article, as they provide further information which is important to understand the issue.)
E! Entertainment Television corporate lawyers probably will feel compelled to file a DMCA take-down notice with YouTube (as is their right, as they own the copyright), but I WILL file a DMCA counter-notice, demanding they file suit in Federal Court for copyright infringement. If they need to have a Judge lecture them on the basics of the principle of "fair use" exceptions allowed under U.S. Federal Copyright law, then they can be my guest.
On the other hand, I'm willing to consider relinquishing my right to this "fair use" (public commentary) if the "Chelsea Lately Show" offers a public apology for whatever insult and harm they have caused, perhaps with a statement educating their viewers as to why ASL interpreters must use non-gestural components as a part of ASL, to be broadcast on the Chelsey Lately show in an opening monologue, with a message that is deemed acceptable by representatives of the Deaf community (eg Deaf Nation).
Vlog with closed captioned, who not understand in ASL. Discussion of the reasons Lydia Callis (interpreter for Mayor Bloomberg during Hurricane Sandy) has become so "famous" and the language attitudes behind this. A comparison to language attitudes surrounding Chinese is made.
(Sorry my signing isn't the best... CODA...) But here's what I'd like to say to Chelsea Handler if I could! PS- I added CC for those who can't understand.
Discussing my thoughts on issues surrounding TV Show - Chelesa Lately's skit on Hurricane Sandy's Breakout Star: Lydia Callis, NY Mayor Bloomberg's Sign Language Interpreter. Making fun of American Sign Language (ASL) in national spotlight is definitely lame and politically-incorrect despite unexpected and pricesless promotion of our beloved and respectful language recently. An interpreter's main role is to convey information rather than become a celebrity for the ignorant. Deaf people are aware of such mainstream fasincation with interpreters and our "beautiful" language. So I bring up the question that is OK to laugh at or laugh with and basically shrug this off? I think this whole publicity stunt is a turkey. I forgot to mention in my vlog: What if this was a terrorist attack rather than a weather crisis in NYC? OK to laugh at or with Lydia's national exposure? I think not.
Lydia Callis, the interpreter for Mayor Bloomberg during Hurricane Sandy, became famous on internet overnight because of her facial expressions. A number of Deaf people have expressed their objection against those who mock the interpreter and American Sign Language, especially the comedian Chelsea Handler. How should we, as Deaf individuals, response to such mockery of our culture and language?
I do have to use my voice so the hearing people can watch this too. I hope they understand too, because that was just uncalled for. I just learned that Saturday Night Live just made fun of us. It's spreading like wildfire!
While most of the comments about Lydia online have been positive, they’re positive in an ironic and subtly mocking sort of way. The title of the Tumblr is “Lydia Callis’ face for NYC mayor” not her whole body, just her face, as seen on YouTube with closed captioned:
Callis became an overnight celebrity this week for her animated facial expressions as she interpreted ASL for Michael R. Bloomberg during his many press conferences regarding Hurricane Sandy . But as journalist Lilit Marcus wrote over at the Atlantic, much of the coverage of Callis was patronizing to ASL speakers.
Marcus is the child of two hearing impaired parents and was dismayed, if not entirely surprised, that the hearing world seemed to think Callis was there to provide goofy entertainment.
Yes, Lydia Callis’ facial expressions and large, emphatic signs are a bit unusual among interpreters, but they’re not incorrect. Most interpreters have a difference between the way that they sign for large groups and the way that they sign for small ones. Callis’ sign style reminds me more of the way that interpreters translate at Broadway shows or at college graduations, but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong or that she’s doing it for attention...Read more: http://www.blackbookmag.com/snl-opening-skit-puts-sign-language-interpreter-front-center-1.54488
Meet Lydia Callis, the mayor's sign language interpretor who became the city's newest hearthrob. Stealing the show with her passionate facial expressions and signs.
Clearly there is nothing funny about mass casualties and a region under water. But Lydia Callis has at least given people something to smile about in the wake of Superstorm Sandy.
The sign language interpreter for Mayor Michael Bloomberg has gone viral. Mayor Bloomberg addresses the public while his signer feels the beat of the hurricane mane! as seen on YouTube.
The stories of devastation and destruction on the local news lately have not provided much in the way of relief unless, that is, you happened to catch sight of a sign language interpreter named Lydia Callis.
She has inspired a tribute Tumblr page: Lydia Callis’s Facial Expressions, which has compiled images of her expressions as she signs. In one photo, Mr. Bloomberg looks on from behind, seemingly fixated on her hands.
NEW YORK (New York Times) - Pushing science’s limits in sign language lexicon. Imagine trying to learn biology without ever using the word “organism.” Or studying to become a botanist when the only way of referring to photosynthesis is to spell the word out, letter by painstaking letter.
