Comments on: Learn the sign language of physics, male genitalia http://boingboing.net/2012/06/22/two-interesting-forays-into-sp.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Tue, 21 May 2013 10:56:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Amphigorey http://boingboing.net/2012/06/22/two-interesting-forays-into-sp.html#comment-1456794 Amphigorey Sat, 23 Jun 2012 17:13:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167340#comment-1456794  Many world signed languages are based on French sign language, including American. British sign language is an entirely different animal. Even the alphabet is unrelated. French and American sign language are different enough to have different grammars, but you'll recognize many of the same words in both. You could do worse than to start with one of those.  Many world signed languages are based on French sign language, including American. British sign language is an entirely different animal. Even the alphabet is unrelated.

French and American sign language are different enough to have different grammars, but you’ll recognize many of the same words in both. You could do worse than to start with one of those.

]]> By: Jonathan Roberts http://boingboing.net/2012/06/22/two-interesting-forays-into-sp.html#comment-1456748 Jonathan Roberts Sat, 23 Jun 2012 15:04:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167340#comment-1456748 An interesting 'vocal transliteration' of spoken language would be Silbo Gomero, which is spoken in the Canary Islands, particularly in La Gomera. If you speak any Spanish, you might understand some of the language, as the subtitles are given at the bottom. It's basically an approximation of the sounds using whistling ('silbar' in Spanish). Once you get the hang of it, it isn't that difficult to understand and you can send fairly complex messages a few kilometers away. It also isn't limited to an approximation of Spanish (and didn't start with Spanish either), so I can't understand why it's not spoken more widely around the world. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlZh9I1pxj0  An interesting ‘vocal transliteration’ of spoken language would be Silbo Gomero, which is spoken in the Canary Islands, particularly in La Gomera. If you speak any Spanish, you might understand some of the language, as the subtitles are given at the bottom. It’s basically an approximation of the sounds using whistling (‘silbar’ in Spanish). Once you get the hang of it, it isn’t that difficult to understand and you can send fairly complex messages a few kilometers away. It also isn’t limited to an approximation of Spanish (and didn’t start with Spanish either), so I can’t understand why it’s not spoken more widely around the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlZh9I1pxj0 

]]> By: Jonathan Roberts http://boingboing.net/2012/06/22/two-interesting-forays-into-sp.html#comment-1456747 Jonathan Roberts Sat, 23 Jun 2012 14:56:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167340#comment-1456747 I think the main issue is that Chinese has a lot of words that have the same sound (and often the same tone) but different meanings. Most words are comprised of between one and three syllables that can be words themselves, so a lot more of the meaning is gathered from context in normal speech than with English. I'd say the subtitles are there to add a bit of redundancy to a situation where the meaning wouldn't always be clear. I do find it's very helpful for Chinese learners though, and I'm sure deaf people appreciate it too! I do see Chinese people signing quite often, and would love to learn sign language if only it were just one! Unfortunately we travel around enough that I'm not sure which one I should learn. Does anyone know how similar the different sign languages are, and whether learning any one would be a helpful base or just confusing when I did move countries? I think the main issue is that Chinese has a lot of words that have the same sound (and often the same tone) but different meanings. Most words are comprised of between one and three syllables that can be words themselves, so a lot more of the meaning is gathered from context in normal speech than with English. I’d say the subtitles are there to add a bit of redundancy to a situation where the meaning wouldn’t always be clear. I do find it’s very helpful for Chinese learners though, and I’m sure deaf people appreciate it too!

I do see Chinese people signing quite often, and would love to learn sign language if only it were just one! Unfortunately we travel around enough that I’m not sure which one I should learn. Does anyone know how similar the different sign languages are, and whether learning any one would be a helpful base or just confusing when I did move countries?

]]> By: pKp http://boingboing.net/2012/06/22/two-interesting-forays-into-sp.html#comment-1456715 pKp Sat, 23 Jun 2012 11:50:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167340#comment-1456715 There's a Master's in sign language interpreting in my school. Apparently they invent signs all the time, it's really a vibrant culture with lots of stuff going on.  There’s a Master’s in sign language interpreting in my school. Apparently they invent signs all the time, it’s really a vibrant culture with lots of stuff going on. 

]]> By: Wreckrob8 http://boingboing.net/2012/06/22/two-interesting-forays-into-sp.html#comment-1456712 Wreckrob8 Sat, 23 Jun 2012 11:42:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167340#comment-1456712 Are the subtitles to help the deaf or those whose putonghua is not up to scratch? Is there Chinese sign language? Sign language cannot yet be written, as far as I know. It is more than a manual transliteration of spoken language. Are the subtitles to help the deaf or those whose putonghua is not up to scratch? Is there Chinese sign language? Sign language cannot yet be written, as far as I know. It is more than a manual transliteration of spoken language.

]]> By: phuzz http://boingboing.net/2012/06/22/two-interesting-forays-into-sp.html#comment-1456707 phuzz Sat, 23 Jun 2012 10:43:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167340#comment-1456707  My friend is a BSL interpreter, and yes, there's a lot of slang and jokes, some of which doesn't really translate.  My friend is a BSL interpreter, and yes, there’s a lot of slang and jokes, some of which doesn’t really translate.

]]> By: David Morton http://boingboing.net/2012/06/22/two-interesting-forays-into-sp.html#comment-1456671 David Morton Sat, 23 Jun 2012 06:26:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167340#comment-1456671 The poster has a Peace Corps sign and an American Flag with perhaps the flag of Malawi? The poster has a Peace Corps sign and an American Flag with perhaps the flag of Malawi?

]]> By: Boundegar http://boingboing.net/2012/06/22/two-interesting-forays-into-sp.html#comment-1456622 Boundegar Sat, 23 Jun 2012 03:34:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167340#comment-1456622  We've had voice to speech technology for about a million years.  We’ve had voice to speech technology for about a million years.

]]> By: laurasbadideas http://boingboing.net/2012/06/22/two-interesting-forays-into-sp.html#comment-1456611 laurasbadideas Sat, 23 Jun 2012 02:57:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167340#comment-1456611  I'm so glad I wasn't the only one.  I’m so glad I wasn’t the only one.

]]> By: Fibn 144 http://boingboing.net/2012/06/22/two-interesting-forays-into-sp.html#comment-1456587 Fibn 144 Sat, 23 Jun 2012 01:44:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167340#comment-1456587 It should be pointed out that this will not necessarily translate for Americans and Canadians, because American Sign Language (which is used in Canada as well {According to Wikipedia}) derives from <i>French</i> rather than British Sign Language, and so signs invented as part of British Sign Language won't necessarily have the same intuitive meaning, or even not already mean something else, in American Sign Language. It should be pointed out that this will not necessarily translate for Americans and Canadians, because American Sign Language (which is used in Canada as well {According to Wikipedia}) derives from French rather than British Sign Language, and so signs invented as part of British Sign Language won’t necessarily have the same intuitive meaning, or even not already mean something else, in American Sign Language.

]]> By: Jonathan Roberts http://boingboing.net/2012/06/22/two-interesting-forays-into-sp.html#comment-1456582 Jonathan Roberts Sat, 23 Jun 2012 01:34:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167340#comment-1456582 "Click to enlarge". It could always have been the sign for 'man' or 'he' from this video... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqNl6Tc70M0  Incidentally, they could have taken some notes for both fields from a different video by the same guy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZwcXYZenX0&feature=related “Click to enlarge”. It could always have been the sign for ‘man’ or ‘he’ from this video…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqNl6Tc70M0 

Incidentally, they could have taken some notes for both fields from a different video by the same guy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZwcXYZenX0&feature=related

]]> By: Jonathan Roberts http://boingboing.net/2012/06/22/two-interesting-forays-into-sp.html#comment-1456579 Jonathan Roberts Sat, 23 Jun 2012 01:32:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167340#comment-1456579 Voice to speech? I think we've had that covered for a while now, but I'm not sure how it would help deaf people! On Chinese TV, almost everything (news, TV serials, adverts) has simultaneous subtitles as standard. I find that even just as a poor Chinese speaker it helps me to make up for any meaning that is lost when listening. Is that a feature that you can turn on and off on most TVs in America? Voice to speech? I think we’ve had that covered for a while now, but I’m not sure how it would help deaf people! On Chinese TV, almost everything (news, TV serials, adverts) has simultaneous subtitles as standard. I find that even just as a poor Chinese speaker it helps me to make up for any meaning that is lost when listening. Is that a feature that you can turn on and off on most TVs in America?

]]> By: bcsizemo http://boingboing.net/2012/06/22/two-interesting-forays-into-sp.html#comment-1456568 bcsizemo Sat, 23 Jun 2012 00:55:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167340#comment-1456568 So if you pour water in your hands and make the sign for testes does that imply sweaty balls? So if you pour water in your hands and make the sign for testes does that imply sweaty balls?

]]> By: Eark_the_Bunny http://boingboing.net/2012/06/22/two-interesting-forays-into-sp.html#comment-1456555 Eark_the_Bunny Sat, 23 Jun 2012 00:14:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167340#comment-1456555  I think not since signing is a goodly portion of deaf culture.  Some still use pen and paper when there are perfectly good word processors to be had.  I think not since signing is a goodly portion of deaf culture.  Some still use pen and paper when there are perfectly good word processors to be had.

]]> By: Jay Converse http://boingboing.net/2012/06/22/two-interesting-forays-into-sp.html#comment-1456537 Jay Converse Fri, 22 Jun 2012 23:36:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167340#comment-1456537 Isn't signing a dying technology?  Voice to speech algorithms are pretty good these days. Edit: I meant voice to text. Isn’t signing a dying technology?  Voice to speech algorithms are pretty good these days.

Edit:

I meant voice to text.

]]> By: ChuckTV http://boingboing.net/2012/06/22/two-interesting-forays-into-sp.html#comment-1456527 ChuckTV Fri, 22 Jun 2012 23:16:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167340#comment-1456527 When I first read the title, "Learn the sign language of physics, male genitalia," I thought that in some strange way male genitalia were "the sign language of physics!" I was rather disappointed to discover this wasn't what you meant. My world just got a little bit less surreal. When I first read the title, “Learn the sign language of physics, male genitalia,” I thought that in some strange way male genitalia were “the sign language of physics!” I was rather disappointed to discover this wasn’t what you meant. My world just got a little bit less surreal.

]]> By: Boundegar http://boingboing.net/2012/06/22/two-interesting-forays-into-sp.html#comment-1456520 Boundegar Fri, 22 Jun 2012 23:01:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167340#comment-1456520  I don't sign, but I think every language has slang.  Even medieval Latin did.  I don’t sign, but I think every language has slang.  Even medieval Latin did.

]]> By: Eark_the_Bunny http://boingboing.net/2012/06/22/two-interesting-forays-into-sp.html#comment-1456499 Eark_the_Bunny Fri, 22 Jun 2012 22:11:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167340#comment-1456499 Oh, such naughty language!  Somebody wash his hands out with soap! Oh, such naughty language!  Somebody wash his hands out with soap!

]]> By: PhosPhorious http://boingboing.net/2012/06/22/two-interesting-forays-into-sp.html#comment-1456500 PhosPhorious Fri, 22 Jun 2012 22:11:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167340#comment-1456500  I know!  That poster was like *makes jerking off motion with hand*!  I know!  That poster was like *makes jerking off motion with hand*!

]]> By: Matthew Petty http://boingboing.net/2012/06/22/two-interesting-forays-into-sp.html#comment-1456496 Matthew Petty Fri, 22 Jun 2012 22:01:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167340#comment-1456496 Is there sign language slang? How limited are the movements of the hands? Is it possible to create new words to mean the same thing, or are you stuck with having to use the medical terms for everything? Is there sign language slang? How limited are the movements of the hands? Is it possible to create new words to mean the same thing, or are you stuck with having to use the medical terms for everything?

]]> By: Boundegar http://boingboing.net/2012/06/22/two-interesting-forays-into-sp.html#comment-1456487 Boundegar Fri, 22 Jun 2012 21:51:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167340#comment-1456487 The poster was disappointing.  We have over 203o4756034879 words for penis, but only 4-5 signs? The poster was disappointing.  We have over 203o4756034879 words for penis, but only 4-5 signs?

]]>