Recently on a discussion board the a person asked why it was so hard to
understand a particular signer.
Below are a few reasons why it is more challenging for beginners to understand
what is being signed:
The signer:
1. Signs like a native chatting with other natives rather than like a Deaf
person specifically making an effort to be understandable to non-native or
Hearing signers.
2. Doesn't use much mouth movement.
3. Uses signs in ways to create meaning beyond that of the commonly taught
labels and glosses. For example, the signer may do the sign commonly labeled as
"hypocrite" but do it in a context and in a way that creates the meaning of: "Am
I supposed to put on an insincere veneer of politeness?"
4. Presents in an "off the cuff" generally unrehearsed style in using occasional
fillers equivalent to "uh" or "um" and other normal types of stalling techniques
used by a "speaker" while thinking of the next thing they are going to state.
Such fillers are generally not taught as part of typical sign language education
programs. They are picked up and learned via association and exposure -- not via
"lessons."
5. Presents from a position close to the camera in portrait mode --
necessitating short or abbreviated movements which results in shorter overall
duration of signing times and a shorter window of recognition prior to moving on
to the next sign.
6. Makes use of an extensive vocabulary of signs including using signs to create
nuanced meanings. For example, using the "shake" sign that normally occurs as
part of earthquake or loud to instead create a meaning that could be interpreted
as "creates an uproar" or "gets people all shook up!"
7. Has an extensive command of both English and ASL and switches between
directly representing English phrases or terms (such as quickly spelling "Mrs.
or Mr.") and making comments in very casual ASL. Varies their approach to
signing and is comfortable switching to word for word English phraseology such
as using two signs for "talk about" versus signing "discuss."
8. Switches from lecture mode to conversational mode and back again. For
example, sharing (as if in teaching mode) three different ways to express the
concept of "rude" or interrupting their own message to admonish the viewer to
sign "culture" using an initialized version rather than the non-initialized
version (or vice versa).
9. Uses versions of signs that are perfectly acceptable in the Deaf Community
but for which an ASL student might get scolded or marked wrong by a novice ASL
teacher. For example – using an initialized version of the sign for "yesterday"
as opposed to a non-initialized version.
10. Occasionally using fluttered repetitions to intentionally create a frantic
or questioning mood. For example:
or, or, or
if, if, if
but, but, but
Additional items and examples of why some signing is harder to
understand than other signing may be added here:
11.
12.
13.
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Notes:
Such a list could go on and on.
The simple answer is that new ASL learners struggle with advanced native or
native-like signing signing because the ASL Learners have not had the 10,000
hours of exposure necessary to recognize the depth and breadth of the signing
being done by native signers who may be conversing with or directing their
message to to other fluent Deaf signers rather than to Hearing
ASL-as-a-second-language learners.
Solution? How to learn to understand such signing?
Keep at it. Keep studying. Watch a wide variety of videos of skilled
signers discussing a wide variety of topics. Meet and hang out with Deaf.
Notes:
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