Your Opinion about Signing Songs?

Banjo said:
Singing in ASL requires a lot of classifiers. Sometimes, it give people the wrong impression that it may be SEE or PSE when it's not.

Just had to point that one out since somebody mentioned "made-up" signs.
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I agree..I have a difficult time taking ASL to that level. To whoever who said that they were made-up signs, see if u can take ASL to such a high level like that. Usually native ASL users are able to achieve this. Very difficult.
 
thank you

this was a beautiful read. I loved your use of words and sensitivity expressing them. I loved the pain you were vulnerable anough to share. I have a great deal of difficulty at times - finding the right words for the pain I am going through transition from hearing to HH/deaf. again than you.
heartwheel said:
I appreciate the explanation :)

I talk as close to what is "socially acceptable" as I can. it feels unnatural though.

I have often considered myself to languageless and have shed a lot of tears over my inability bridge my world with the others due to my struggles with language. For that reason I'm all for people squawking, crawling, gacking, hopping, stomping whatever it takes to get the message across.

I think people maybe crying for a lot more reasons than it was beautiful. They may be crying because they are using a part of their brain that is dormant, and ancient, longing, memory of ancestors, or just for the fact that its just dawning on them there are actually people out there who can't hear. I think there's even more reasons that I can't put into words.

Words have caused me a lot pain and no one ever taught me sign language so what should I do just crawl into a corner and shut up or wait until I have a degree in sign language before I'm allowed to attempt to express myself? I just got out of the corner, lol. Intolerance is going to turn me into a contortionist.
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changing perspective

I used to sign around a "Hearing group" only very rarely. But, I started signing songs for "praise time" (casual worship) at a church function every Friday night. At first, I wasn't sure if it would "add" anything, since most do not understand the signs. However, several people have commented that they enjoy it or are even "blessed" by it. But, I try to be as accurate as I can in conveying the intended meaning of each song that I sign. I try to use mostly ASL, but occasionally I will throw in some PSE also. It has helped me become less inhibited and more open about just being myself. I can usually hear the music (well enough) with my hearing aids, but I still have to look at the words on a printed sheet a lot of times. It was really hard not to "lose track" of where I was in the songs (at first), but it has gotten easier. I have had several people either ask me how to sign something, or have expressed interest in ASL and/or Deaf culture. Hopefully, they will have a positive attitude toward any Deaf/HOH people they may meet.:aw:
 
deafbajagal said:
For example, a young girl "knows some sign language." So for church or whatever she decides to get up and sign a song (rather than signing it). She's hearing. The audience is hearing. Everyone cried because it was "so beautiful and expressive."
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I wouldnt cry because I probably wouldnt get the feeling of the emotions conveyed from the song due to the girl knowing "some" signs. I need FULL ASL.
 
Each solution brings along its own problems -- So my mother taught me and so true it is.

Deaf people did not have a way to communicate: Signed languages were the solution to communicating with each other.

This brought on stares and jeers and a lack of respect for their method on communication: Hearing people needed to be convinced signed languages deserved respect in order to use it openly. When I was a kid no one signed openly in public.

Once hearing people were convinced of the validity, beauty, and utility, of signed languages they began to learn them and enjoy them: Now the problem is a growing signing community of which Deaf may become a minority.

In order to protect their language Deaf will become more cloistered and less apt to let hearing into the inner circle while retaining the ability to "level down" in order to communicate with "outsiders" in the signing community.

These are all just natural outgrowths, one out of the other.

The one unnatural thing that has happened with ASL is the creation of SEE. Most bilingual communities develop puns based on the two languages. The bilingual ASL/English community had all its puns stolen by a pack of idiots who tried to make a language out of them.

Ok, some still exist. I like "under where" and "over the weekend".

Now that ASL is a recognized language people are openly doing things with it that once were hidden: Poetry is a good example. I often have a hell of a time explaining to hearies how ASL can even have "poetry."

Signing songs is a natural outgrowth of hearies learning and applying sign language. As with everything else a few will be outstanding, most will be mediocre, and a lot will be lousy.
 
Berry said:
Each solution brings along its own problems -- So my mother taught me and so true it is.

Deaf people did not have a way to communicate: Signed languages were the solution to communicating with each other.

This brought on stares and jeers and a lack of respect for their method on communication: Hearing people needed to be convinced signed languages deserved respect in order to use it openly. When I was a kid no one signed openly in public.

Once hearing people were convinced of the validity, beauty, and utility, of signed languages they began to learn them and enjoy them: Now the problem is a growing signing community of which Deaf may become a minority.

In order to protect their language Deaf will become more cloistered and less apt to let hearing into the inner circle while retaining the ability to "level down" in order to communicate with "outsiders" in the signing community.

These are all just natural outgrowths, one out of the other.

The one unnatural thing that has happened with ASL is the creation of SEE. Most bilingual communities develop puns based on the two languages. The bilingual ASL/English community had all its puns stolen by a pack of idiots who tried to make a language out of them.

Ok, some still exist. I like "under where" and "over the weekend".

Now that ASL is a recognized language people are openly doing things with it that once were hidden: Poetry is a good example. I often have a hell of a time explaining to hearies how ASL can even have "poetry."

Signing songs is a natural outgrowth of hearies learning and applying sign language. As with everything else a few will be outstanding, most will be mediocre, and a lot will be lousy.[/QUOTE]

In my experience, watching a person sign a song using SEE is like a person screeching! lol
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Berry said:
Each solution brings along its own problems -- So my mother taught me and so true it is.

Once hearing people were convinced of the validity, beauty, and utility, of signed languages they began to learn them and enjoy them: Now the problem is a growing signing community of which Deaf may become a minority.



Signing songs is a natural outgrowth of hearies learning and applying sign language. As with everything else a few will be outstanding, most will be mediocre, and a lot will be lousy.
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:thumb:
 
Wirelessly posted

Has anyone seen the D-pan videos with sean forbes? RIT graduate from Detriot trying to make it as a deaf musician. He's been in several news interviews, a few articles. I had a breif encounter with him (he was best friends with the roommate of my friend I went to high school with), very nice guy, funny as hell. You can find some of his stuff on youtube or go to D-pan's website.

Personally I love signing along with music. Id love to be able to do it myself. But sometimes I see what is meant as to people signing things 'wrong'. However, I've also seen deaf people from all over the country argue over which sign is correct. So its really hard to pin point what's correct and what's not, since to many its a subjective point of view.
 
I interpret for the Deaf every week at my church. For one girl, I don't need to sign the songs into Auslan, bse she has enough hearing to hear the singing, and reads good English, so she doesn't need me to interpret. The other girl, however, is very profoundly deaf, can't hear the words, and her English is not good-she calls it 'high" English, and so she likes me to interpret the songs for her. It's taken a lot of practice, but I'm FINALLY able to sign pretty good Auslan so she understands clear the words of the songs, and what they mean...sometimes, she will to stop me, and ask me what a word means (she'll fingerspell it and ask what mean), and i stop and explain it to her.

The way I see it, especially in church, other people of different nationalities can sing in their language-like we have Spanish in our church that sing in Spanish etc etc...why should people NOT sign songs? Not only is it letting the Deaf use their OWN language, they are also able to express themselves in worship in the language they love to GOD, and to me, that is the most important thing. And yes, if it's done right, it looks just BEAUTIFUL!! I often have people compliment me on my sign-singing-not only hearing people, but other deaf themselves as well, because they can see that I sign the songs out of sheer love for the other deaf, our language, and most importantly, for me, it's MY worship to the Lord....and it's the way I like to express myself. You should see the Deaf in Deaf church when THEY are signing the songs! It is sooo awesome to see!

AuslanGirl :)
 
AuslanGirl said:
... I often have people compliment me on my sign-singing...and most importantly, for me, it's MY worship to the Lord...and it's the way I like to express myself....
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Please, remember that when you are interpreting in church, it's not about you. When you are interpreting, you aren't expressing yourself; you're expressing what others are doing (singing, preaching, giving testimonies, etc.).
 
Ah, but Reba...there are times where neither of the Deaf girls are at the praise and worship, and I will STILL sign the songs...THAT is my praise and worship to God...and in any case, I see my interpreting for the other deaf as not being ANYTHING about me at all...to me, it's about God and being able to glorify HIM by being able to make clear His Word to the other deaf-nothing to do with me at all....to me, I am only His vessel that He chooses to use. Yes, I get nice compliments from both hearing and deaf, but always, I NEVER see it as being about me, bse as you say, it is NOT...it's hard for me to explain...but I do understand what you are saying...but I know full well, it is NOT about me....never has been, never will be.

AuslanGirl :)
 
AuslanGirl said:
Ah, but Reba...there are times where neither of the Deaf girls are at the praise and worship, and I will STILL sign the songs....
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If you know there are no Deaf people present, why do you sign the songs?
 
wow..I became deaf 7 yrs ago and when i signed up for asl classes at local college..i of the first assignments was to sign a song...well..i had studied and studied even got a private tutor...i picked my song and started to practice...i was so ready..I THOUGHT.. when I was called to do my song.. I did,,lol...Jimmy Hedricks song ANGEL..i signed every word..well you can imagine..the teacher explained that because I was hearing and spoke perfectly..I had misseds the entire idea and my signing each word was a waste of everyone's time...I was crushed..she asked me not to speak in her class again only sign and then the following week she gave me the boot..lol..because i refused to stop speaking...i was in a class that was entirely students learning to be translators..they all were hearing ..I was the only one deaf..i went to my truck and cried for an hour...to this day i have only been able to learn a bit of signing...I sing in church..lol..loudly usually because i cant hewar myself...my point being..every situation is different just as we are all different and our comprehension levels are different and ASL is certainly done differently in many areas of the country...whew...I am still shocked that I was asked not to speak in a class that was all hearing except me????? My brother is a great musician and he plays locally and has a deaf friend who signs with him when invited to perform at deaf functions or churches...i go along..well used to ..and sing...smile
 
Reba said:
If you know there are no Deaf people present, why do you sign the songs?
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I find myself trying to sign what I know to songs while at church. More to help me remember the signs. I don't do it for the whole church, but just as a way to help me remember.
 
Reba? I sign the songs at church even when there are no deaf there, because it is the way I like to worship God...I feel like I express myself and my love, praise and worship to God far better in Auslan than I do in voice. I also do this to keep myself in practice and on top of things in being able to sign the songs for the other deaf who come to church.

It's never been about me...it has ALWAYS been about God-number 1, and the other Deaf-number 2. My enjoyment of it just happens to be a nice extra...as does compliments from other people.

I'm sorry if you disapprove, but this is the way I see things, and no-one else I know has EVER faulted me-neither hearing nor deaf...I do what I do first and foremost to Jesus alone, and then for the Deaf...if I receive compliments, well, yeah that's nice, but these are the ultimate reasons I sign songs.

AuslanGirl :)
 
I have to side with those who thing a large % of "ASL" interpretations on free media outlets by "signers" are worthless and meaningless.

I appreciate the very few who use true ASL, but the sheer amount of nonsense is sometimes overwhelming. Especially the kids who do it for class and end up signing almost entirely English while looking bored or nervous and completely missing that their bodies and faces are important.

If you sign a sad song and are giggling because you are nervous -- you've already failed to me.

On the other hand, some of the terps I've seen have done some beautiful work that has reminded me of everything about ASL that I love even beyond my first reason for starting to learn it.
 
What I am running into when watching ASL signed songs on YouTube is the fact that they are the newer songs, like those made since 2005. I do not know a lot of those, so it will mean nothing to me. I never heard of Katy Perry and a lot of others, or I have heard of them but never heard their music.

So for me, it would be better if it was something I knew. Just saying....
 
KristinaB said:
What I am running into when watching ASL signed songs on YouTube is the fact that they are the newer songs, like those made since 2005. I do not know a lot of those, so it will mean nothing to me. I never heard of Katy Perry and a lot of others, or I have heard of them but never heard their music.

So for me, it would be better if it was something I knew. Just saying....
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This is probably just on account of the medium being new as well, and people who post on there aren't being pressed in a serious way to offer this as an actual service so they do what they want and appeal to the audience with popular things.
 
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