In this post Ocean shares her views on common perspectives about sign language, and its use…especially as an artistic form. Stroll down to the very end of this post to see a truly rocking video of an ASL interpretation of a song by Marilyn Manson!
A little over three years ago, I put up a series of posts here at the Crossroads which related to perspectives about sign language and how it is commonly viewed by the general public:
“Is This Putting ASL On a Pedestal?”
I would encourage anyone who checks out these posts to not merely read my own writing, but more importantly…check out the comments as well. They offer some very interesting insights into the Deaf Perspective and can be a good introduction to “Deafology 101.”
The posts themselves were written as a response to the use of sign language in a music video, and how said video could be contributing to that “narcissistic complex” that American Sign Language (ASL) can develop as a result.
As I explained in my post, it gets tiring to see people constantly referring to ASL as this “beautiful language” in tones which clearly demonstrate an awestruck attitude towards its use and a tendency to want to place it upon a pedestal and worship it in some kind of reverent manner.
Get over it. As my friend Allison says
It is not beautiful. It is not poetical. It is not transcendental. It does not sweep its acolytes into waves of ectasy…Simply put, to the daily user, ASL is not an artistic endeavor: it is simply language – ours.
This is not to say that Deaf people do not enjoy ASL utilized in artistic form… we do – when it is used correctly and respectfully by skilled sign artists who know how to do so properly. There are many Deaf people who do enjoy seeing sign language utilized to interpret music, translate theater, tell stories, or share a poem.
But the point here is… let’s not think that ASL (and by association, Deaf People) is all about sweetness and light. Trust me…we aren’t – and neither is our language.
And at last, I’ve found a video that brings home that fact, while being pretty dang artistically awesome at the same time. To put it buntly, this video rocks! But as B Storm explains in his introductory disclaimer, the content certainly is not family rated.
But that’s the point. Neither is sign language. For that matter, it’s not rated at all. It’s a language, and it can be utilized for various purposes, to communicate various thoughts, feelings, and perspectives. The content of such thoughts can range anywhere from a sweet preschoolish G to a hot and sizzling mature XXX.
Since the singer being portrayed here is Marilyn Manson, I’m sure you can guess which side of the spectrum this video swings toward.
So consider yourselves forewarned. And enjoy!
Deaf Pagan Crossroads would like to thank B Storm for creating an excellent video. Your efforts to open up a new dimension of music for the Deaf Community is much appreciated, as well as the indirect message to the public in regards to how sign language can be used to express those various thoughts and opinions. You are correct – not everyone will agree when it comes to politics, religion, or sex…but hopefully we can agree this is one heckuva ASL Music Video!
SO WHAT DO YOU THINK? SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS BELOW!
This sculpture shows the sign for "connect"...and that is what Deaf Pagan Crossroads is all about - making connections. Connections between Deafhood and Paganism, connections between the Deaf Community and the Hearing Community, connections between myself as the writer and you as the reader. I hope you will take the time to read my various posts, some of which are listed below. Welcome to the Crossroads, and I hope you make some connections here!
Deaf Pagan Crossroads 
ASL is like any language–including music and dance– interpretive or explanatory–it’s a language that can be used artistically or to communicate, insult, be cruel. It’s not delightful in itself. When I took the classes, my signing was exactly like my piano playing–utilitarian, plodding, but not inspirational and certainly not elegant. The instructor brought in a signer-poet, and his work was both beautiful and moving. The difference between communication and art, indeed.
The movie video? I’m not a Manson fan. That’s a simple matter of taste–as is the appreciation of all arts.
Have only one thing to add to your beautiful blog
While it’s true our daily language to others is beautiful to ourselves is normal
When we turn our language into art
What to us is beautiful
To others becomes transcendental
Thank you for your beautiful words, Joseph.
I couldn’t have said it any better.
Actually, I don’t care for Marilyn Manson myself. If this song was being performed on MTV in a music video, I probably wouldn’t give it a second glance. I doubt it would ever make it onto my “favorites playlist”…nor will I be running out to buy the CD for my new SUV.
But even if I don’t particularly care for the song itself, I can still appreciate the creative effort that went into the making of this video. That’s what makes it rock for me.
This guy has taken a song of “questionable content” and has matched it up with an obvious skill in American Sign Language to create a video that while theatrical, is still comprehensible… that while certainly taking some liberty with the lyrics and music, still demonstrates proper respect for the language and its usage in the Deaf Community.
It is for this reason, as well as his clear message that music indeed should be for ALL – regardless of your personal tastes – that rates a “two thumbs up” and makes this video worthy of a blog post here at the Crossroads.
Interestingly enough…when I take a look at some of the comments left to this video over at YouTube, it becomes pretty obvious that a fair number of them are most likely being left by teens and young adults whom I suspect know little if any ASL… they just happen to be Manson fans who think the video is “effing awesome.”
I guess this only illustrates that I’m not sure sign language will ever fully escape that “narcassistic complex”… it seems it just mutates into various strains of the same disease – in this case, a goth form of such.
Maybe that’s not such a bad thing after all.
The important thing is that people can now see the broader application of sign language for the expression of thoughts, feelings, opinions and perspectives that may not be so delightful and appealing.
But that’s the beauty of language – its ability to transform itself to match the needs and desires of those who utilize it.
well I must say this was different from the first music signed video I saw years ago that you posted. This person I definitely could see clearly they were signing and not sluring the words. Being hoh, I don’t know ASL that well but i know my own limits and if I used ASL this would be how I would expect a signed music video to be. It was expressive without loosing meaning and while I don’t care for Marilyn Mason’s stuff, its a personal stuff so that aside, the ASL was actually appropriate and artistic.
I believe all languages are beautiful. Anyone of them can be used for any number of reasons. I think that to a good number of people any language they don’t know can seem beautiful. I’m hearing and I myself love to listen/see all sorts of different languages. I’m fascinated by them.
I think you are missing the point here, IrishRose.
Yes, it’s good to be fascinated by languages. It’s fine to want to see the positive aspect of them. And yes, to a person with limited knowledge and exposure to a particular language, it probably does seem beautiful.
But as Ocean is attempting to point out here, language is neither beautiful nor ugly. It simply IS.
Like you say, it can be used for any number of reasons, and some of those reasons ain’t very pretty. There’s nothing beautiful about hearing/seeing some redneck card-carrying KKK member screaming racial epithets at some African-American individuals, in any language.
To me, it’s like asking if I am a good witch or a bad witch…or if I practice white magick or black magick.
I am neither, and I do neither. I am a witch, period. I practice magick, period.
I speak English, period.
And by the same token, Osh speaks ASL…period.
I’ve seen her use ASL to sign a blessing during a ritual that was so visually eloquent that it moved everyone in the circle to tears.
I’ve also seen her use it to cuss a blue streak that would make a sailor blush. Trust me… you don’t want to see Osh when she’s pissed off. What comes out of her mouth and off her hands at such moments can be pretty damn ugly.
I believe that all languages have power, yes. I believe that all languages are capable of both expressing and inducing strong emotions.
But let’s not contribute to the narcissistic complex by automatically labeling any and all languages as beautiful… whether we know them or not. Let’s acknowledge their awesome power and their ability to express both feelings of beauty and thoughts of ugliness.
Let’s give them the respect they deserve.
I too have wondered many times that why couldn’t someone make a “silent” movie of a different type. A movie that emphasized upon exploring the beauty of sign language and the amazing manner in which it allows communication…I am rooting for George Clooney in the lead.
You’re forgetting something. George Clooney doesn’t know sign language. As Ocean states in her blog, ASL should be “used correctly and respectfully by skilled sign artists who know how to do so properly.”
George Clooney does not qualify as such.
The “amazing manner by which it allows communication” ???
Oh puleez!!!
family friendly or no I showed a bit of this video to my girls (15 and nearly 11) to illustrate to them that ASL is simply language and that it can be as beautiful or ugly as any form of spoken speech
I love B. Storms interpretions to the songs he has chosen. It shows that he truly understands the meanings of the songs and the genre!
If B. Storms is reading this (LOL; not likely) You seem to like hard core as I do. Would love to see your interpretation of some Disturbed songs!
As a hearing ASL student that has adored sign language all her life, I can say from my experience that ASL isn’t necessarily put on a pedestal, but revered as an amazing language. So far the people I’ve met have been intrigued by signing, because it’s such a unique way of communicating, not because they imagine it’s all rainbows and puppies. It’s the same as reading as great piece of literature and saying “wow that’s a beautiful use of words.” or how some languages just sound so romantic when spoken. Now I’m only 16, and my experience with ASL and the deaf community is pretty limited, but I just wanted to put in my two cents and say that in my experience it’s always been a compliment when people think signing is the bee’s knees.
It is an extremely important point you have raised, a lot of people can patronise sign language as being “beautiful” however just like English, Spanish it is just another way of speaking and holds all the power as any other language does or form of speaking. I was reading an interesting article yesterday of a guy who is deaf but also have turrets and people seem blinded that someone who is deaf can not have turrets and sign foul language? If it is a language it should not matter!
I think that sign language is very beautiful and it is the language for many people. I think that there should be more TV shows that have a sign language person who delivers the messages to people who have a hearing disability.