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[ Graphical: Channel4 Homepage ]
VEE-TV has been in the news about our policy not to use certain BSL signs. But what is 'acceptable' language? And who should judge?
The football commentator Ron Atkinson recently resigned after using language about a black player that he admitted was 'racist'. And last week, Richard Desmond, owner of the Daily Express, hit the headlines after an extraordinary boardroom tirade against Germans.
So if some words are unacceptable on the grounds of racism and stereotyping, what about signs? For example, are the old signs for some racial groups still acceptable?
Our policy is not to use such signs, and the BDA has supported our decision. 'The BDA agrees that Channel 4's VEE-TV, like any other programme maker, has the right to make sure offensive language is not screened,' it said in a statement. '[BSL] has evolved in the UK's Deaf community over hundreds of years and like any other language it continues to develop as words and attitudes change (much in the same way as English does) … As an organisation which promotes the use of BSL and supports its users, the BDA takes advice from minority groups concerning what signs they use and want.'
The problem is offensive stereotyping, and because BSL is mainly based on visual representation, it can present particular problems in this respect. For example, signs representing Jewish people by mimicking a beard or a hook nose have been in use. The 'politically correct' sign is both hands mimicking the shape of a menorah candle-holder.
But as with all attempts to sanitise language, there can be problems. For instance, the original sign for 'Chinese' referred to the eye-shape of Chinese people. The sign was changed to represent the outline of a Chinese worker's tunic, but some Chinese deaf people have said they find this offensive too, as the tunic was the uniform for workers under Chairman Mao and is itself an outdated stereotype.
Not everyone agrees that the old 'politically incorrect' signs should be eradicated. And who is to decide what is offensive anyway? At the 2003 World Federation for the Deaf conference in Canada, a Chinese deaf woman asked delegates what their sign for 'Chinese' was. The old BSL sign showing eye-shape was the only one suggested by Chinese people. And the Chinese use a 'round eye' sign for Western people.
So what do you think? Should we be trying to ban some signs and use politically correct alternatives? Should the old signs still be taught? Are there any signs that you think should be on the outlawed list? Or do you think it's all a fuss about nothing? Let us know on the message board.
Daily Telegraph: 'Limp wrists and slant
eyes must go as political correctness demands new signs for the deaf'
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2
Fnews%2F2004%2F03%2F21%2Fnsign21.xml
VEE-TV in the news.
Deafsign
www.deafsign.com
A new site that offers a new approach to bringing the deaf and hearing worlds
closer together. Provides information, contacts and discussion on issues related
to deafness and sign language.
Ethnologue
www.ethnologue.com/ethno_docs/special.asp
A listing of 103 different sign languages used around the world. Contains information
about where each language is used, how many users there are, and relationships
between sign languages.
Dictionary of British Sign Language (Faber and Faber, 1992)
The definitive reference dictionary.
Buy
this book
The Linguistics of British Sign Language: An introduction by Rachel
Sutton-Spence and Bencie Woll (Cambridge University Press, 1999)
Provides support for learners of BSL and others interested in its structure
and use. Assumes no previous knowledge and contains more than 300 illustrations.
Buy
this book
Sign Language Companion by Cath Smith (Souvenir Press Ltd, 1996)
A BSL handbook aimed at young people, allowing for regional variations, with
signs that link ideas and concepts and can be constructed in conversation.
Topics covered include family and friends, behaviour, sharing ideas, food
and drink and feelings.
Buy
this book
Sign Language Link: A pocket dictionary of signs by Cath Smith & David
Hodgson (Illustrator) (Co-Sign Communications, 2002)
Pocket reference guide to many commonly used signs.
Buy
this book
Seeing Voices by Oliver Sacks (Picador, 1991)
A history or the struggle for recognition of Deaf culture and sign language.
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this book
British Deaf Association (BDA)
1–3 Worship Street
London EC2A 2AB
Voice/text: 020 7588 3520
Fax: 020 7588 3527
E-mail: helpline@bda.org.uk
Website: www.bda.org.uk
Run by and for deaf people to ensure those using sign language have the same
rights and entitlement as other citizens.
Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People
Durham University Science Park
Block 4 Stockton Road
Durham DH1 3UZ
Textphone: 0191 383 7915
Fax: 0191 383 7914
Voice: 0191 383 1155
E-mail: durham@cacdp.org.uk
Website: www.cacdp.org.uk
Information and free factsheets about communication between deaf, hard-of-hearing,
deafblind and hearing people. Offers accredited courses in BSL and other forms
of communication used by deaf people.