Have any of you studied sign language - can it be used during Divine Liturgy

[MariaRegina]

At my college several of my friends are studying sign language and I will be required to use it for communicating with autistic children.

Have any of you seen interpretators for the deaf during the Divine Liturgy?

Would it only be used during the Epistle, the Gospel, and the sermons?
















On another note: Our servicemen also imploy sign language:


There is this sign:


http://www.snopes.com/photos/military/crossed.asp


and this:

http://www.usspueblo.org/v2f/captivity/goodluck.html#photo

[xristos.anesti]

Many years,

dear sister, you are asking a really good question.

I am not sure what is the teaching in this regard (if, indeed, there is one), but I do not see why it would not be possible to translate Divine Liturgy into Sign Language.

After all, everyone receives words of Word in their language, so should those of us who are in need of the sign language.

If the principle of the matter is followed, I think, than not only use of sign language (whenever there is such a need) is good (as it is) but it is, indeed, required.

Word (Logos) said: Come to Me all (of you) who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Mt. 11, 28.).

Amin.

[choirfiend]

From what I understand, signlanguage has a syntax and grammar all its own, dissimilar to anything else. I'm not sure how well the Liturgy could be translated without losing important meaning and context, but it might be possible.

That said, we have service books that are fully readable, as much as signing would be...And there's one church in Russia that started to provide media for its deaf members, in the form of tv screens with live feeds, the liturgical text on the screen, and commentary on what was happening...This grew to be popular with the hearing people as well as they struggle to reclaim and relearn their faith, and multimedia is now displayed on large screens as the action of the Liturgy takes place. I would hate to see church become a video and powerpoint presentation, but I recognize the utilization of media in a useful manner, and they are certainly putting it to good use.

[kamikat]

I used to be fluent in ASL (American sign language), having taken it as my foreign language requirment in high school and several semesters of it at the local community college. I had plans of becoming a professional translator, but ended up in cosmetology school instead. Yes, I do think DL could be easily translated into ASL.
kamikat

[Monica, child of God]

Yes! We have ASL interpreted Liturgies on the second Sunday of every month plus Pascha. In fact my sponsor is deaf. The interpreter signs the whole Liturgy. My sponsor is a Linguist who teaches at Galludet University, a college for the Deaf. She assists the interpreter in capturing the difficult portions of the Liturgy using ASL.

Here are some pictures:

This is me (white veil), my sponsor (blue veil) and our friend/fellow parishoner. The Alleluia is being signed. That bewildered look on my face is me trying to learn ASL (http://ocaphoto.oca.org/PhotoPrinter.asp?IID=16418&EID=955&EN=Metropolitan+Herman+celebrates+Holy+Pascha&EL=Washington+D%2EC%2E&ED=May+1%2C+2005) :)

Christ (http://ocaphoto.oca.org/PhotoPrinter.asp?IID=16421&EID=955&EN=Metropolitan+Herman+celebrates+Holy+Pascha&EL=Washington+D%2EC%2E&ED=May+1%2C+2005)

is (http://ocaphoto.oca.org/PhotoPrinter.asp?IID=16422&EID=955&EN=Metropolitan+Herman+celebrates+Holy+Pascha&EL=Washington+D%2EC%2E&ED=May+1%2C+2005)

risen! (http://ocaphoto.oca.org/PhotoPrinter.asp?IID=16423&EID=955&EN=Metropolitan+Herman+celebrates+Holy+Pascha&EL=Washington+D%2EC%2E&ED=May+1%2C+2005)

Monica

[choirfiend]

Cool to know! I know who to contact if/when I come across hearing impaired Orthodox!
and ps, Monica, you're really pretty :0)

[Shubunkin]

Monica, you are gorgeous.... ;)

[Wiffey]

Yes! We have ASL interpreted Liturgies on the second Sunday of every month plus Pascha. In fact my sponsor is deaf. The interpreter signs the whole Liturgy. My sponsor is a Linguist who teaches at Galludet University, a college for the Deaf. She assists the interpreter in capturing the difficult portions of the Liturgy using ASL.

Here are some pictures:

This is me (white veil), my sponsor (blue veil) and our friend/fellow parishoner. The Alleluia is being signed. That bewildered look on my face is me trying to learn ASL (http://ocaphoto.oca.org/PhotoPrinter.asp?IID=16418&EID=955&EN=Metropolitan+Herman+celebrates+Holy+Pascha&EL=Washington+D%2EC%2E&ED=May+1%2C+2005) :)

Christ (http://ocaphoto.oca.org/PhotoPrinter.asp?IID=16421&EID=955&EN=Metropolitan+Herman+celebrates+Holy+Pascha&EL=Washington+D%2EC%2E&ED=May+1%2C+2005)

is (http://ocaphoto.oca.org/PhotoPrinter.asp?IID=16422&EID=955&EN=Metropolitan+Herman+celebrates+Holy+Pascha&EL=Washington+D%2EC%2E&ED=May+1%2C+2005)

risen! (http://ocaphoto.oca.org/PhotoPrinter.asp?IID=16423&EID=955&EN=Metropolitan+Herman+celebrates+Holy+Pascha&EL=Washington+D%2EC%2E&ED=May+1%2C+2005)

Monica
Small world! My sister is profoundly deaf and graduated from Gallaudet...and she still works there. DC is really great WRT access for its large deaf community.
Peace!