Would you rather watch content in your native language, or subtitled? If you read translated content, it’s fine. But it’s not the same as hearing something performed for you. Might be hard to grasp if your language is largely auditory and written, rather than visual and emotive.
Just because sign language is a visual language, does not mean reading is an equivalent. There is a ton of nuance and feeling that goes into communicating through sign language that is not possible through text alone.
Beyond the communication piece, there is respect of an individual who natively speaks a language, and the importance of keeping the language alive.
I mean, there wasn’t enough information to be certain… but live broadcasts of things would have a signer because the live audience would have to bring in screens to add subtitles to the event…
That is super interesting, thanks a lot for the detailed comment! I wasn’t aware that sign language is not directly translatable to text as are other languages.
Would you rather watch content in your native language, or subtitled?
Subtitled, 100 times out of 10. In fact, that’s what I already do, alongside a significant portion of the non-anglophone world.
But it’s not the same as hearing something performed for you.
Considering the fact that nearly all TV media is made to only be fully enjoyed if you can hear it, that’s a given. Deaf people are missing out either way, though.
There is a ton of nuance and feeling that goes into communicating through sign language that is not possible through text alone.
Just like there’s a ton of nuance that can’t be communicated by text alone when compared to spoken words, you mean?
the importance of keeping the language alive.
This is the only factor you’ve presented I can agree with. Programmes are presented with sign language because it’s important to maintain awareness that it exists. Deaf people are a very small minority, so keeping their languages alive is essential.
Not deaf/HOH, but I’ve watched some signed translations out of curiosity and even to me it seems different. They do things like indicating the feeling of music, matching their facial expressions to the characters’, and sometimes forgoing a direct translation to confer the mood of a phrase.
Even when you’re watching a subbed movie/show, you have the emotion of the voice performance to influence how you read the words. I imagine it’s the same for signed VS subbed translations (to anyone who signs, please correct me if I’m wrong).
They wouldn’t have someone watch the sign language and then translate that into the subtitles, that wouldn’t make any sense logically.
They’d make them off the original spoken words.
So while you’re right there’s be slight difference, those are already being introduced with the sign language, and subtitles maintains the original phrasing and tone.
Your argument for translating this into a different language, is that anytime you translate it, that changes what it says?
Not translating is still best.
And it’s pretty offensive that I’ve already seen comments in here saying deaf people read slower than people who can hear, so hopefully that’s now what you’re about to throw out.
Being deaf doesn’t mean someone can’t read well, that’s a really old stereotype. If a deaf person is a slow reader that’s not because they’re deaf.
I think you may be confused as to who you’re responding to. I’m reading some outrage in your response that is directed towards others and their statements, nothing that I’ve written or believe.
There’s no argument to be made. A (good) translator into another language with take into account the intent of the original language and translate it into a comparative version. That can mean changing stories, or idioms that no longer land in the new language.
I’m not the person who made any claim about reading speeds, and I would disagree wholeheartedly with that baseless statement.
Would you rather watch content in your native language, or subtitled? If you read translated content, it’s fine. But it’s not the same as hearing something performed for you. Might be hard to grasp if your language is largely auditory and written, rather than visual and emotive.
Just because sign language is a visual language, does not mean reading is an equivalent. There is a ton of nuance and feeling that goes into communicating through sign language that is not possible through text alone.
Beyond the communication piece, there is respect of an individual who natively speaks a language, and the importance of keeping the language alive.
There’s that nuance.
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… and looked for the 3 words that went into that word.
Minored in ASL, this is spot on 👍
I mean, there wasn’t enough information to be certain… but live broadcasts of things would have a signer because the live audience would have to bring in screens to add subtitles to the event…
That is super interesting, thanks a lot for the detailed comment! I wasn’t aware that sign language is not directly translatable to text as are other languages.
Subtitled, 100 times out of 10. In fact, that’s what I already do, alongside a significant portion of the non-anglophone world.
Considering the fact that nearly all TV media is made to only be fully enjoyed if you can hear it, that’s a given. Deaf people are missing out either way, though.
Just like there’s a ton of nuance that can’t be communicated by text alone when compared to spoken words, you mean?
This is the only factor you’ve presented I can agree with. Programmes are presented with sign language because it’s important to maintain awareness that it exists. Deaf people are a very small minority, so keeping their languages alive is essential.
Not deaf/HOH, but I’ve watched some signed translations out of curiosity and even to me it seems different. They do things like indicating the feeling of music, matching their facial expressions to the characters’, and sometimes forgoing a direct translation to confer the mood of a phrase.
Even when you’re watching a subbed movie/show, you have the emotion of the voice performance to influence how you read the words. I imagine it’s the same for signed VS subbed translations (to anyone who signs, please correct me if I’m wrong).
Yeah, but it’s not the translator speaking…
They’re translating spoken words.
They wouldn’t have someone watch the sign language and then translate that into the subtitles, that wouldn’t make any sense logically.
They’d make them off the original spoken words.
So while you’re right there’s be slight difference, those are already being introduced with the sign language, and subtitles maintains the original phrasing and tone.
Translation isn’t a 1 to 1 process. Every language has difference, idioms, etc. My understanding is that sign language is no different.
The translator makes choices to convey meaning, as well as the literal sense.
So…
Your argument for translating this into a different language, is that anytime you translate it, that changes what it says?
Not translating is still best.
And it’s pretty offensive that I’ve already seen comments in here saying deaf people read slower than people who can hear, so hopefully that’s now what you’re about to throw out.
Being deaf doesn’t mean someone can’t read well, that’s a really old stereotype. If a deaf person is a slow reader that’s not because they’re deaf.
I think you may be confused as to who you’re responding to. I’m reading some outrage in your response that is directed towards others and their statements, nothing that I’ve written or believe.
There’s no argument to be made. A (good) translator into another language with take into account the intent of the original language and translate it into a comparative version. That can mean changing stories, or idioms that no longer land in the new language.
I’m not the person who made any claim about reading speeds, and I would disagree wholeheartedly with that baseless statement.