Words in Hand

You see that Martin has been explaining about the videotapes; what are they for? They're for deaf and hearing people. Let me explain to you about my involvement in the research ... I started to realize, because I could see it was very important ... when I started and became involved, I was signing with Mary and she would explain things to me and I'd sign to Martin, and there was no problem there. And I would start with the video. I said "Why video?" There was deaf person signing there, "Oh I know him, I don't know him, who's he?" and I'd watch, and Mary would tap me and say "What have you noticed?" and I'd explain what I'd noticed, Mary would say "But you've told me that, but how do you know?" I'd say "Oh no, here we go again! I've got to start again!" So I'd tell her again.

"No, I don't mean that ... those facial expressions in those signs like AWFUL and TERRIBLE?"

"What do you mean? Oh, but that's the deafs' way."

That's how I started to become aware. I'd look again, I'd put in the video... and that's how I slowly started to understand, because before I became involved in the research I never thought about BSL, I really wasn't very interested, I just put it to the side and who’s talking about it, I couldn't be bothered. But when I was talking in the deaf club in Aberdeen and other clubs ... I'd know myself, when I was signing and then I’d try and write something, a letter to send to friends, it would be spoiled. I'd have difficulty putting the right English order down. I'd remember what I’d signed, but now, now I'm involved in the research ... There are deaf people from Aberdeen coming and Ayr coming and Edinburgh coming, Glasgow, from all over and they regularly visit the centre and they're great supporters, because they're interested. When they come, we start discussing and talking about BSL and they're interested in that area and Mary would say "Would you like to be filmed?" "Oh yes I'd like that!" ... they weren't nervous, they’d sign away and I'd watch ... and then they'd go, I'd put in the tape and study it and I'd see how they were signing and look at it and I started to understand. Then I'd write the things down and Mary would get them, because I'd realised that they couldn't, hearing people couldn't understand them because they didn't know the language.

So this tape series, we know it's going to be circulated to hearing people, but we hope deaf people as well, because there are deaf jokes and deaf stories and also we hope that you'll learn something from these tapes and you'll start to realize how BSL, how sign language works.