Some questions for those who know sign language???

[procon]

I know nothing about sign language. Kudos to Florida for always having spanish language and sign language interpreters standing right next to the key speakers giving emergency directions to as many people as possible. I can't recall that Texas provided that assistance to their citizens.

As I watched the people who are doing sign language, there appears to be a wide range of "styles", for lack of a better word in my limited understanding. Some, but not all of the sign language interpreters are very animated, their body language and rapid, choppy hand movement seemed to convey a sense of urgency (even to me!), am I reading that correctly? Is that part of sign language, and if so, why do the interpreters appear to be so different? Is it an individual preference, or something like there are some excellent public speakers, but also some speakers are just mediocre? Are they all delivering the same warnings and info?

I also note some interpreters used very exaggerated facial expressions, presumably to illustrate the emotions or the alarming tone of voice that we talkers would use to equate our warnings about a scary hurricane? There was one man in particular, black hair and a neatly trimmed beard, that caught my attention because his approach was just so energetic, but he kept sticking his tongue out, not just a little, but all the way out like Gene Simmons from KISS. None of the other sign language interpreters have done that tongue thing, so what was he trying to communicate?

[Behind the Aegis]

1. Not an expert, by any means, but...

ASL is a language, and as such, there are "dialects". Different regions and countries have different signs and ways of signing. Many consider people from the North to be "fast talkers" and people from the South to be "slow talkers", one can see the same among signers. Also, if you aren't a "native" to ASL, then any signing can seem "accelerated". Yes, there are those who add facial expressions, but they are personal, usually, hard, fast signs, which often produce a slapping sound, are used to convey urgency, anger, and fear. Situations like this can be difficult for ASL because so many things have to be spelled out as opposed to a single sign, and it takes longer, except for those with lightening fingers. People like me, well, I can't spell for shit anyway, but when I have to do it in ASL, I am even slower.

As for the tongue...

[Control-Z]

2. I can't wait to read the responses

to your OP. Your questions are good. Now I want to know the answers too!

[TexasProgresive]

3. It was used by Abbott in Texas.

[yewberry]

4. Not a native signer but I can share a little info.

There is a whole spectrum of reasons for differences in signing "styles" ranging from levels of fluency, emotiveness, and differences in background. The least "animated" in your description may have learned to sign SEE, which is actually signed English, not ASL, while native signers or Deaf-of-Deaf signers may tend to be more skilled in communicating with facial expressions and movement indicating intonation, duration, temporality/grammatical functions, and emphasis.

You're correct that body orientation and movement have meaning, as do "choppiness" and repetition. English does similar things with sound-- think about how, when you speak, these have different meanings:

She said that.
SHE said that.
She SAID that.
She said THAT.
She said that?
SHE said that?
She SAID that?
She said THAT?

Or signs carry meaning in this kind of way:

SHE READ signed slowly, head tilted forward, brow furrowed, mouth pursed, might translate as "She read, slowly and laboriously."
SHE READ signed elliptically and repeatedly without stopping, head tilted back slightly, confident facial expression, might translate as "She read skillfully and continuously for a long time."
SHE READ signed repeatedly with a slight pause at the conclusion of READ, head tilted, mouth puffing out or exposing the tongue might translate as "She read many, many times, exhaustedly."

So yes, you're right that urgency and scope of a situation are certainly communicated with the same kind of movements and expressions.

[Alwaysna]

5. ASL signing

There isn't one reason for the differences you are seeing. One is the interpreter is to facilitate communication in the spirit of the speaker. By that I mean if the speaker is talking in an urgent manner then the signing should reflect that as well; different speakers different styles. The upper part of the face shows grammar. This is how you can tell a question from a statement. Therefore, raised eyebrows would indicate a question rather than a statement. The lower half of the face communicates how the signer felt about something. I don't know about the tongue thing. I've witnessed many different deaf people signing and have seen a variety of styles. Some are easy to understand and others who omit letters, misspell words. I was told later the ones I couldn't understand where signing like a young child and can't spell.
I hope that qualified interpreters were used and not someone who was just making gestures and wiggling their fingers.

[procon]

6. Thanks DU peeps! I knew I'd learn something useful. nt

[bigtree]

7. k&r