The enchanting music of sign language | Christine Sun Kim

翻译人员: kaidong Yao 校对人员: chordy left

Interpreter: Piano, "p," is my favorite musical symbol.

在钢琴乐理中，“p”是我最喜欢的音乐符号

It means to play softly.

它表示（音乐中）弱音

If you're playing a musical instrument and you notice a "p" in the score,

如果你在弹奏乐器时注意到了乐谱中的“P”

you need to play softer.

那么你的（乐器）弹奏力度就要相对弱一点

Two p's -- even softer.

两个P 的意思是弹奏力度还更弱

Four p's -- extremely soft.

4个p的是非常弱

This is my drawing of a p-tree,

这是我画的有关符号“p”的树状图

which demonstrates

它表现了

no matter how many thousands upon thousands of p's there may be,

无论有多少p符号存在

you'll never reach complete silence.

你的弹奏力度也永远不会 达到完全的静默（最弱）

That's my current definition of silence:

这是我目前对于静默（最弱）的定义

a very obscure sound.

一种非常晦涩模糊的声音

I'd like to share a little bit

现在我想分享一些

about the history of American Sign Language, ASL,

关于美国手语(ASL)的历史

plus a bit of my own background.

和一些我的个人经历

French sign language was brought to America during the early 1800s,

在19世纪早期，法国手语传到了美国

and as time went by, mixed with local signs,

并且随着时间的流逝与当地手语结合

it evolved into the language we know today as ASL.

逐渐发展成为了一种新的语言， 就是我们今天所熟知的美国手语（ASL）

So it has a history of about 200 years.

所以美国手语的历史已经有200多年了

I was born deaf,

我出生的时候就伴随着语言和听力障碍

and I was taught to believe that sound wasn't a part of my life.

他们让我认为声音并不是我生活中的一部分

And I believed it to be true.

我一直认为这是对的

Yet, I realize now that that wasn't the case at all.

但是现在我意识到其实不是这样的

Sound was very much a part of my life,

其实声音是我过去生活中非常重要的一部分

really, on my mind every day.

真的，（声音）一直都在我的脑海中

As a Deaf person living in a world of sound,

作为一名生活在声音世界里的聋哑人

it's as if I was living in a foreign country,

这中体验仿佛就像我生活在异国他乡

blindly following its rules, customs, behaviors and norms

盲目地遵循这个国家的规则， 风俗，行为和标准

without ever questioning them.

而并不去质疑它们。

So how is it that I understand sound?

那么我是怎样理解声音的呢？

Well, I watch how people behave and respond to sound.

其实， 我会去观察人们对声音的行为举止和反应

You people are like my loudspeakers, and amplify sound.

你们就像我的扩音器 帮我放大这些声音

I learn and mirror that behavior.

我会学习并且映射这些行为

At the same time, I've learned that I create sound,

与此同时，我知道自己可以创造出声音

and I've seen how people respond to me.

也知道了人们是怎么反应

Thus I've learned, for example ...

像这样我学到的，比如

"Don't slam the door!"

不要用力的关门

"Don't make too much noise when you're eating from the potato-chip bag!"

当你从土豆片包装袋中吃薯片时 不要发出太多的杂音

(Laughter)

（笑声）

"Don't burp,

不要打嗝

and when you're eating,

并且当你吃东西时

make sure you don't scrape your utensils on the plate."

要确保不要将餐具刮到你的盘子

All of these things I term "sound etiquette."

以上的这些事情我都称作“声音礼仪”

Maybe I think about sound etiquette

也许我考虑到的声音礼仪

more than the average hearing person does.

会比一般（拥有正常听力）的人们更多

I'm hyper-vigilant around sound.

我对声音非常敏感

And I'm always waiting in eager nervous anticipation

并且自己总是保持着急切的期待

around sound, about what's to come next.

对于声音，和将要发生的事情

Hence, this drawing.

因此，这张图画

TBD, to be decided.

TBD，表示有待确定的

TBC, to be continued.

TBC，表示未完待续的

TBA, to be announced.

TBA， 表示有待宣布的

And you notice the staff --

你会注意到这种五线谱

there are no notes contained in the lines.

并没有包含任何的注释

That's because the lines already contain sound

因为这些线已经包含了声音

through the subtle smudges and smears.

贯穿于由铅笔擦痕形成的污迹和污点之间

In Deaf culture, movement is equivalent to sound.

在聋哑人的文化中， 动作有和声音一样的地位

This is a sign for "staff" in ASL.

在美国手语中，这是“五线谱”的意思

A typical staff contains five lines.

一个典型的五线谱包括五条线

Yet for me, signing it with my thumb sticking up like that

但对于我来说， 像这样竖起我的拇指来表示它

doesn't feel natural.

显得并不自然

That's why you'll notice in my drawings, I stick to four lines on paper.

这就是为什么你会注意到我的图画中， 只用了4条线

In the year 2008, I had the opportunity to travel to Berlin, Germany,

在2008年， 我有一个机会去德国柏林旅行

for an artist residency there.

作为一名艺术家访问那里

Prior to this time, I had been working as a painter.

在此之前，我做过一段时间画家

During this summer, I visited different museums and gallery spaces,

这个夏天 我参观了很多不同的博物馆和画廊

and as I went from one place to the next,

当我从一个地方启程到下一个参观点，

I noticed there was no visual art there.

发现竟然没有视觉艺术（展览）在那里

At that time, sound was trending, and this struck me ...

那个时候，声音是流行的主题

令我痛心的是视觉艺术完全被忽视了

there was no visual art,

everything was auditory.

所有的一切都是关于听觉（艺术）

Now sound has come into my art territory.

现在声音已经走进了我的艺术领域

Is it going to further distance me from art?

这是否将会疏远我于艺术的联系？

I realized that doesn't have to be the case at all.

我意识到不一定是这样的

I actually know sound.

我其实知道声音

I know it so well

并且我非常了解它

that it doesn't have to be something just experienced through the ears.

声音并不全是从耳朵里所听到的东西

It could be felt tactually,

我们其实也可以从触觉上感受到它

or experienced as a visual,

或者从视觉上

or even as an idea.

又或者是一个想法

So I decided to reclaim ownership of sound

所以我决定去收回属于我的声音

and to put it into my art practice.

并且其融合进我的艺术实践中

And everything that I had been taught regarding sound,

所有其他人告诉我的有关声音的一切

I decided to do away with and unlearn.

我决定全部抛弃和忘却

I started creating a new body of work.

我开始创造一些新的作品

And when I presented this to the art community,

当我向艺术界展示它们时

I was blown away with the amount of support and attention I received.

大家的支持和关注深深地打动了我

I realized:

我意识到

sound is like money,

声音就像财富

power, control --

权力， 支配

social currency.

和社会认同

In the back of my mind, I've always felt that sound was your thing,

在我之前的印象中， 我总是觉得声音只是属于你们的

a hearing person's thing.

属于有听觉的人

And sound is so powerful

声音是多么的强大

that it could either disempower me and my artwork,

即可以剥夺和削弱我的一切

or it could empower me.

也可以给予我力量

I chose to be empowered.

我选择了让自己变得更加有力量

There's a massive culture around spoken language.

口语是大多数文化的重要构成

And just because I don't use my literal voice to communicate,

仅仅是因为我没有使用语音去交流

in society's eyes it's as if I don't have a voice at all.

在社会的眼中 仿佛我不能表达出任何的声音

So I need to work with individuals who can support me as an equal

所以我需要和那些 平等对待我的人一起工作

and become my voice.

让他们成为我的声音

And that way, I'm able to maintain relevancy in society today.

正是因为这种方式， 我现今才得以保持与社会的关联性

So at school, at work and institutions,

在学校，工作和机构中

I work with many different ASL interpreters.

我与很多美国手语翻译人员工作在一起

And their voice becomes my voice and identity.

他们的声音成为了我的声音和身份

They help me to be heard.

他们使我得以倾听外面的世界

And their voices hold value and currency.

他们的声音蕴含了价值和认可度

Ironically, by borrowing out their voices,

讽刺的是，通过借用他们的声音

I'm able to maintain a temporary form of currency,

我得以维持一种临时的认可形式

kind of like taking out a loan with a very high interest rate.

这有点像借高利贷的感觉

If I didn't continue this practice,

如果我不继续这样做

I feel that I could just fade off into oblivion

我感觉自己会渐渐会被遗忘

and not maintain any form of social currency.

而且再也不能保持任何形式的社会认可

So with sound as my new art medium,

所以当声音作为我的新艺术媒介时

I delved into the world of music.

我陶醉于在音乐的世界当中

And I was surprised to see the similarities between music and ASL.

我很惊讶的发现音乐与手语的相似性

For example,

比如

a musical note

一个音符

cannot be fully captured and expressed on paper.

是不能完全被记录到纸上的

And the same holds true for a concept in ASL.

对于美国手语系统来说也是这样的

They're both highly spatial and highly inflected --

它们都具有高度空间感和复杂多变的性质

meaning that subtle changes

任何微妙的变化

can affect the entire meaning

都会影响整个

of both signs and sounds.

手语同声音的意义

I'd like to share with you a piano metaphor,

我想和大家分享一个有关钢琴的比喻

to have you have a better understanding of how ASL works.

让你们更好地理解美国手语的表现方式

So, envision a piano.

让我们设想下有一架钢琴

ASL is broken down into many different grammatical parameters.

美国手语系统（ASL） 被分散成不同的语法单元

If you assign a different parameter to each finger as you play the piano --

如果你把不同的语法单元 分配到每一个手指上

such as facial expression, body movement,

就像你的面部表情，身体的移动

speed, hand shape and so on,

手速和手型等等

as you play the piano --

当你在弹钢琴时

English is a linear language,

英语是一门线形语言

as if one key is being pressed at a time.

好比一次只能表达一种音符一样

However, ASL is more like a chord --

但是，美国手语更像是一种和弦

all 10 fingers need to come down simultaneously

10指需要一起敲击

to express a clear concept or idea in ASL.

来表达一个清晰地美国手语概念

If just one of those keys were to change the chord,

如果我们用一个音符来改变和弦

it would create a completely different meaning.

那么就会创造出完全不同的含义

The same applies to music in regards to pitch, tone and volume.

音乐的音高，音调和音量也是如此

In ASL, by playing around with these different grammatical parameters,

在美国手语中， 通过对语法单元多样地变化

you can express different ideas.

你可以表达出不同的思想

For example, take the sign TO-LOOK-AT.

例如，表现”看“的手势

This is the sign TO-LOOK-AT.

这样就是”看“的意思

I'm looking at you.

我在看着你

Staring at you.

瞪着你

(Laughter)

”笑声“

(Laughter)

”笑声“

Oh -- busted.

啊，糟糕了

(Laughter)

”笑声“

Uh-oh.

阿欧

What are you looking at?

你在看什么呢？

Aw, stop.

”啊，不要这样么“

(Laughter)

”笑声“

I then started thinking,

然后我开始想

"What if I was to look at ASL through a musical lens?"

如果我从音乐的角度 看待美国手语系统会是怎样的呢？

If I was to create a sign and repeat it over and over,

如果我去创造一个手势然后不同的重复它

it could become like a piece of visual music.

也许它会变成一段视觉音乐的形式

For example, this is the sign for "day,"

例如这是表现”天“的手势

as the sun rises and sets.

这是日出和日落（手势）

This is "all day."

这个是表现”一整天“的手势

If I was to repeat it and slow it down,

如果我去重复它并且放慢速度

visually it looks like a piece of music.

从视觉上来看它就像是一段音乐

All ... day.

整。。。天

I feel the same holds true for "all night."

我觉得”整晚“也可以这样来表现

"All night."

”整晚“

This is ALL-NIGHT, represented in this drawing.

这张图表现的就是”整晚“

And this led me to thinking about three different kinds of nights:

此外我也想到了3中类型的夜晚（形式）

"last night,"

”昨夜“

"overnight,"

”一夜（在晚上）“

(Sings) "all night long."

（哼曲）”整整一夜“

(Laughter)

”笑声“

I feel like the third one has a lot more musicality than the other two.

我感觉第三种（夜晚的形式） 比前两者具备更强的音乐表现力

(Laughter)

”笑声“

This represents how time is expressed in ASL

这张图表明了美国手语系统中 表达时间的方式

and how the distance from your body can express the changes in time.

与你肢体不同的距离 是可以表现出不同的时间变化的

For example,

例如

1H is one hand, 2H is two hand,

"1H"是一只手的意思,"2H"是两只手

present tense happens closest and in front of the body,

贴近你身体的前侧可以表现现在时

future is in front of the body and the past is to your back.

身体前侧用来表达将来时， 过去时是身体后侧

So, the first example is "a long time ago."

第一个例子是”很久以前“

Then "past,"

紧接着是”过去“

"used to"

”过去经常“

and the last one, which is my favorite,

然后最后一个是我最喜欢的

with the very romantic and dramatic notion to it,

因为它具有非常浪漫和令人注目的概念

"once upon a time."

”从前“

(Laughter)

”笑声“

"Common time"

”四分之四拍“

is a musical term

是一个音乐术语

with a specific time signature of four beats per measure.

意思是在一定时间内打四次节拍

Yet when I see the word "common time,"

然而当我看到”四分之四拍“

what automatically comes to mind for me is "at the same time."

脑海里总是自动联想到”于此同时“这个词

So notice RH: right hand, LH: left hand.

所以注意”RH“代表右手，”LH“代表左手

We have the staff across the head and the chest.

五线谱在我的头部和胸前

[Head: RH, Flash claw]

头部：右手，紧握成爪型

[Common time]

”四分之四拍“

[Chest: LH, Flash claw]

胸前，左手，紧握成爪型

I'm now going to demonstrate a hand shape called the "flash claw."

我现在来描述一下”flash claw“的手形

Can you please follow along with me?

请大家跟我一起来做

Everybody, hands up.

请大家把手举起来

Now we're going to do it in both the head and the chest,

现在我们在头部和胸前做这个动作

kind of like "common time" or at the same time.

有点像”四分之四拍“或者”与此同时“

Yes, got it.

对啦，就是这样

That means "to fall in love" in International [Sign].

这个意思”相爱“（在国际手语系统里）

(Laughter)

”笑声“

International [Sign], as a note,

国际手语就像一个音符

is a visual tool to help communicate

是一种视觉工具来促进

across cultures and sign languages around the world.

跨文化和手语系统的交流

The second one I'd like to demonstrate is this --

那么第二个手语动作是这个

please follow along with me again.

请大家再次跟随我做出动作

And now this.

现在变成这样

This is "colonization" in ASL.

在美国手语中这是”殖民“的意思

(Laughter)

”笑声“

Now the third --

第三个

please follow along again.

请再次跟随我的动作

And again.

再次

This is "enlightenment" in ASL.

在美国手语中它代表了”启示“的意思

So let's do all three together.

那么请让我们连贯的做出三个动作

"Fall in love,"

”坠入爱河“

"colonization"

”殖民“

and "enlightenment."

和”启示“

Good job, everyone.

大家都做的很好

(Laughter)

”笑声“

Notice how all three signs are very similar,

值得注意的是无论这三种手势有多麽相近

they all happen at the head and the chest,

你都要在头部和胸前做出它们（这些动作）

but they convey quite different meanings.

但是它们又传达了想到不同的含义

So it's amazing to see how ASL is alive and thriving,

所以美国手语的发展和壮大真的很令人惊讶

just like music is.

就像音乐一样

However, in this day and age,

但是在这个时代

we live in a very audio-centric world.

我们生活在以声音为核心的世界里

And just because ASL has no sound to it,

因为美国手语并没有融合声音元素在其中

it automatically holds no social currency.

自然而然造成了它没有得到社会认可

We need to start thinking harder about what defines social currency

我们需要开始进一步的去思考如何定义社会认可

and allow ASL to develop its own form of currency --

并且允许美国手语建立一种特有的的认可形式

without sound.

在没有声音元素融入的环境下

And this could possibly be a step to lead to a more inclusive society.

这样做可以很大程度上提升社会的包容性

And maybe people will understand

也许人们以后会理解

that you don't need to be deaf to learn ASL,

即使不是聋哑人也可以学习美国手语

nor do you have to be hearing to learn music.

也并不只有听力健全的人才可以学习音乐

ASL is such a rich treasure

美国手语是一笔宝贵的财富

that I'd like you to have the same experience.

我希望你们也都能体会到这一点

And I'd like to invite you to open your ears,

我诚挚的邀请你们打开双耳

to open your eyes,

睁开自己的双眼

take part in our culture

融入到我们的文化中去

and experience our visual language.

然后感受（我们的）视觉语言的魅力

And you never know,

你永远不会知道

you might just fall in love with us.

你有可能就会爱上了我们（和手语文化）

(Applause)

（鼓掌）

Thank you.

谢谢大家

Denise Kahler-Braaten: Hey, that's me.

Denise Kahler-Braaten（手语翻译）：这是我

(Applause)

（鼓掌）