Got back from the Wolverhampton film fest. last night. Great couple of days, lots to see, some great films, and interesting ways that things are done. Translation and interpretation again being the things that attracted my attention.
There was the introduction and short speech made by the Chinese Director of the film "Silent River": He stood on stage and spoke Chinese (mandarin or Cantonese... don't know) with an interpreter translating his words into spoken english. Beside them and at the opposite end of the stage, were interpreters translating this into BSL. One interpreter was hearing, and translating, the other was deaf, and was translating at the other side of the stage (so the audience could look at whichever signer was nearer) and was given prompts by a hearing signer sat in front of the interpreter, so that interpreter could face the audience from that side of the stage.

Language barrier break down. Of course, when the speaker was a signer, there was a voice over interpretation, and signed interpretation at the opposite end of the stage.

This apart from some of the films, and being in/watching sign conversations were all very inspiring and different. The opening of the Art Exhibition of new work by deaf and hearing impaired artists and photographers, (part of the Festival) was equally interesting, the artists were in the gallery talking about their work and answering questions, while other people were looking at the works on view, and talking, sometimes about the art, or just in conversation with each other. Anyone unaccustomed to sign language use could mistakenly assume that they were in the midst of a clever choreographed performance. and that's the language barrier, of course, but not the same as a spoken language barrier, for example, dropping in on conversations in an unknown spoken language doesn't take much effort for the hearing, however you become aware of unspoken inhibitions when the language around you is in sign. That is you may realise that you are staring, which is where the eye and ear are different you can eavesdrop a spoken conversation by listening but not looking, whereas if you want to watch a conversation you have to, well, look. this is one of the simplest and first thing for a hearing person to overcome when learning sign: eye contact, facial expression, etc. the dance of the hands, sign language is a dance of the hands which like a bouquet of flowers is full of beauty and attraction each word a petal, each phrase a blossom, every idea a familiar fragrance , words are pictures and movement, things which we take for granted when speaking,

SIGNS: these dancing hands,
a bouquet of flowers,
each word a petal
each phrase a blossom
every idea colourfully arranged
together

m.d.