This weekend most of the Koreans went back to their homes.  A number of us were invited to spend the weekend with them.  On Sunday those who remained attended Deaf church.  Actually there wasn’t room for everyone in the vehicle so three of us stayed behind.  Sunday afternoon Mark and I went on a 2 hour walk / hike.  Here is some of what we saw.

What is on the roof of this house?

On Friday we worked only a half day.  I had a conference call most of the morning so I was more lost than normal when I came into the meeting.  I could see that they were discussing ELAN, a computer programme we use to analyse sign languages.

There were also three posters on the wall which I don’t remember seeing before.  I am not sure what they are showing.  Does anybody has a guess for Poster 1?

Do you know what poster 2 is showing?

Do you know what poster 3 shows?  It may be about mentoring.

Yuki (Hearing Japan) started the morning by introducing participatory methods, a means for ensuring group participation and interacting.  Rather than introducing a tool already used with Hearing groups he introduced the concept of participatory methods and allowed the Deaf to design their own tools.  They then used the method to discuss what a translation consultant should be and do.  The first picture below shows a diagram which came out of the morning session.

Pastor Hori (Deaf Japan) lead the afternoon session on mentoring.  He is a very good teacher.  The first picture below shows his response to receiving an answer which shows that his message was understood.

There was good audience participation.  In the next two pictures Pastor Matsumoto is invited to make a point.

In this next two pictures Miya discusses from the “floor” (actually from her chair).

At the APSDA (Asia-Pacific SL Development Association) meetings there were the expected interpreters who went from spoken languages to sign languages and from sign languages to spoken languages, including English, Japanese, Korean and Chinese.  However, we also had sign language to sign language interpreters, both Deaf and Hearing.  At this meeting we had two main sign language families.  The “Eastern Asian” family includes Japanese SL, Korean SL and Taiwanese SL.  This family has also has an influence on the sign languages used on the eastern part of the Asian mainland.  The other main sign language family is what I call the “European” family.  It includes those sign languages related to British SL and French SL and their “descendants” like ASL (American SL).  This family also includes sign languages influenced by  these languages.  This grouping is my own and is not historical or scientific but is one based on my experience and which I use to help determine the number and types of interpreters needed.

Below are two Deaf sign language interpreters.  Miya interpreted from the European SLs (especially ASL)  to the Eastern Asian SLs, especially Japanese SL, and also interpreted in the other direction.  Pastor Kang was doing similar interpretation, especially Korean SL.  In short meeting like this one, just 2 days long, signers from the same language family had some communication problems so it was helpful to have the interpreters available.  We also had an interpreter to go to and from Australian SL and New Zealand SL and the other SLs and English.

In the picture below Mac (Australia Deaf) on the left is signing while Miya and Pastor Kang interpret into other sign languages,

In the two pictures below Peter (Australia), Kumiko (Japan) and Aki are Hearing interpreters.  The second picture demonstrates the line-of-sight problems we almost always have with meeting rooms.  (An unnamed interpreter is on the left of each picture.)

At the eastern Asia Deaf TCDW (Translation Consultant Development Workshop)  following the APSDA meetings we do not have any official interpreters.   The group is smaller and most of the participants are from the Eastern Asian SL family.  However, we have many unofficial interpreters as the participants and teaching staff all work hard to make sure that everyone understands.

Mark taught advanced translation in the morning.  There was no voicing for those of us who don’t understand a sign language.  However, there was a lot of sign language to sign language interpretation going on as the Deaf helped each other to understand these advanced concepts.

In the afternoon we discussed Deaf identity and how to help settle conflicts between people and organisations.  I was asked to answer a couple of questions.  Mark interpreted for me and then Pastor Minamida re-signed what Mark interpreted, making it more clear.

The discussion on Deaf identity was very interesting. To the outsider it should be easy to decide who is Deaf – can they hear?  The discussion, however, was about who was culturally Deaf not who was medically Deaf.  One of the participants sent from her translation team to this Deaf Workshop is a CODA who is able to hear.  Both her parents are Deaf and she was raised in the Deaf world.  Her team considers her to be culturally Deaf.  It is too bad that my signing skills are so poor that I couldn’t follow most of the conversation.  The information I am sharing I got as a summary in the car on the way back from bowling (see below).  They did not reach a consensus which is understandable since Deaf identity is culturally defined and we have people from different cultures attending.  It may be the the origin of this discussion came from the APSDA meeting (see earlier post) when they were talking about the requirement that Board members be Deaf.  This wasn’t discussed in detail then.

Then I got a surprise when Miya knocked on my door after supper and asked if I wanted to go bowling.  Of the 18 people at this Workshop 13 of us went bowling.  They announced a modest prize for the best bowler.  I ended up winning both games and got the prize  : – )

Below Pastor Matsumoto shows his form.

Tonight (28 November, Monday) was the first night of APSDA’s Deaf TCDW.  (Asia-Pacific Sign Language Development Association’s Deaf Translation Consultant Development Workshop).  We will be here for two weeks.

In the picture below Hori-san (Deaf Japan), Mark (Hearing SL translation consultant – USA but in Japan) and Pastor Wu (Deaf Taiwan) listen to a report.

In the picture Pastor Kim (Deaf Korean), who operates one of the two video cameras, gives a report on their progress.

It’s late so I will close for now.

Today APSDA (Asia Pacific SL Development Association) discussed the details for forming.  They agreed unanimously to promote a mixed funding model  They would encourage and promote national organisations to raise their own funds but also would seek funds which could be distributed to national associations.

Suresh (Deaf India), Koon Wei (Deaf Malaysia) and Chirapa (Deaf Thailand) watch the discussion.

There was a close vote for the name sign for APSDA.

The bylaws have just been approved and now people are voting for the Board.  Here are the Board members.

• Ho Koon Wei – Malaysia (Treasurer)

• Suresh Babu – India

• Lee Young Bin – South Korea (Vice-chair)

• Matsumoto Eiji – Japan (Chair)

• Sim Kuo – Indonesia (Secretary)

• Mac Adam – Australia

• Staff – Minamida Masahiro – Japan

• Unnamed

Two important events from today’s meeting.  One is the ASTA voted to join with the representatives of the Pacific Islands.  Here Mack (Australia) and Peter (New Zealand) are welcomed.

This addition of the Pacific led to a name change.  The new name is now APSDA (Asia Pacific Sign Language Development Association).  Here is a picture of the vote.

Here are two of the participants – Mack (Deaf – Australia) with Miya Kori (Deaf -Japan) who is providing interpretation into ASL for him.

Here is a picture of Pastor Kang (Deaf Korea) who works in the Philippines.

Geri and I arrived back in Manila on Wednesday evening.  We flew to Seoul on Thursday afternoon.  We have been invited by ASTA (Asia Sign Language Translation Association) to be observers at their official formation meeting.  They have been functioning informally for more than a year under temporary leadership.  At the meeting on Thursday and Friday they will establish their bylaws and elect leaders.

There are supposed to be Deaf from a number of countries in Asia including India, Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Mongolia and South Korea.  I heard by email that two of the people have had trouble getting visas.  I will get more information tomorrow.  As in the first sign language meeting we helped organise in November 2007, two nations from the Pacific are also represented – Australia and New Zealand.

Next week will begin a Deaf Translation Consultant Development Workshop for Deaf consultants in Training from eastern Asia.  They make up a sub-family of signed languages and wanted to hold a separate TCDW.  This is the second part.  The first part was held in February.  I will try to post a picture tomorrow.

Everybody got their visas in time.  One just got her visa yesterday at 5:30 pm and then took an overnight plane.  One person decided not to come.  One person arrived a day late because of heavy snow. Here is a picture of the nice banner prepared for us by the Koreans.