QUESTION:
An internet user writes: "When reading a book or reciting a nursery rhyme, do I
sign as it is written?"
RESPONSE:
Before deciding "how" to sign something you should first decide "why"
you are signing it.
For example, a classroom interpreter knows it is likely that eventually the Deaf
student is going to see the concepts in written form on a test. The interpreter
knows it is important to create a lot of parallels in the mind of the Deaf
student between the signed concepts and the actual English words being spoken by
the instructor. Thus a skilled interpreter (in a spoken English-based classroom
setting) signs in such a way as to present the concepts clearly in ASL while at
the same time mapping those concepts to an undercurrent of specific English
words and phrases that may eventually show up on a test or in a work
environment. This "mapping" tends to involve extra fingerspelling of key words,
quoting specific phrases, quoting English parts of speech, using additional
English signs to indicate specific affixes, and mouthing selected words (not
just using mouth morphemes but actually mouthing the word). All of those
techniques (in this setting) do NOT replace the ASL but rather are
added to the ASL version of the message. Think of this as a process of
annotation or perhaps even "writing in the margins." The interpreter is not only
interpreting the instructor's message into ASL but is also presenting many of
the exact words being used by the instructor. This requires a LOT of work and
mental processing on the part of both the interpreter and the client. The result
though is that the client will be able to discuss the concepts in his/her native
language (ASL) as well as recognize those concepts if they show up in text (on a
test).
However, if you were signing (or interpreting) a theatre performance (a "play")
for which the purpose is pure enjoyment then there is (generally) no need to do
such "double signing & mapping" to English. Your signing choices should be based
on creating equivalent meanings without worrying about conveying the original
English phraseology.
Nursery rhymes are intended (in part) to be entertaining to Hearing
children by way of creating engagement via rhyme & rhythm thus allowing you to
hold the attention of the child longer while presenting the information
contained in the nursery rhyme.
Nursery rhymes (created by Hearing people for Hearing children) are therefore
rather ineffective for use with Deaf children. Instead I challenge, dare, and
encourage people to develop "nursery rhymes for Deaf children" by throwing out
the old Hearing nursery rhymes and instead developing brand new "visual rhymes"
using handshape similarity and movement path similarity along with adjustments
to the speed, duration, and size of those movement paths, as well as facial
expressions -- to enhance visual engagement. Eventually (probably around the
time if and/or when I get some grandchildren) I plan on creating quite a few
brand new ASL-based (and/or mime/depictive-signing-based) nursery rhymes.
- Dr. Bill
p.s. On the other hand, if your purpose for signing nursery rhymes is to get a
Hearing child even MORE engaged in learning English via adding a visual
component to a typical English nursery rhyme then your "why" (your reason for
signing something) is different from "why" you might be signing to a Deaf child.
If your purpose for signing to a Hearing child is so that he/she can learn ASL --
I'd recommend "not" signing along word for word with "English" Nursery Rhymes
Notes: