The enchanting music of sign language | Christine Sun Kim

譯者: Adrienne Lin 審譯者: Regina Chu

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

手語翻譯：弱音 (piano)， “p" 是我最喜歡的音樂符號。

It means to play softly.

它代表輕輕彈奏。

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

如果你在彈奏樂器時， 注意到樂譜上有一個 p，

you need to play softer.

你就需要放輕的彈奏。

Two p's -- even softer.

兩個 p， 更輕。

Four p's -- extremely soft.

四個 p， 非常非常輕。

This is my drawing of a p-tree,

這是我自己畫的 p- 關係圖，

which demonstrates

它說明

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

不管有多少 p，

you'll never reach complete silence.

永遠都不會達到完全無聲的狀態。

That's my current definition of silence:

這是我目前對無聲的定義：

a very obscure sound.

一種非常晦澀朦朧的聲音。

I'd like to share a little bit

在這裡，我想跟你們分享一些

about the history of American Sign Language, ASL,

美國手語 ASL 的歷史，

plus a bit of my own background.

和我自己的故事。

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

法國手語在 19 世紀初 傳播到了美國，

and as time went by, mixed with local signs,

經過時間的推衍， 它融入了當地的手語元素，

it evolved into the language we know today as ASL.

最終形成了我們今天所熟知的手語，

即 ASL 美國手語。

So it has a history of about 200 years.

所以，ASL 有大概 200 年的歷史。

I was born deaf,

我天生便失聰，

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

別人教導我要相信 聲音不是我生活的一部分。

And I believed it to be true.

我也相信了。

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

我現在意識到，那並不正確。

Sound was very much a part of my life,

聲音是我生活非常重要的一部分。

really, on my mind every day.

真的，每天縈繞在我的腦海。

As a Deaf person living in a world of sound,

作為一個生活在 有聲世界中的失聰者，

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

就好像我生活在一個陌生的國度，

blindly following its rules, customs, behaviors and norms

盲目的遵守它的規則、 傳統、行為習慣和準則，

without ever questioning them.

從不質疑它們。

So how is it that I understand sound?

我是如何理解聲音的呢？

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

我經常觀察人們對聲音的反應。

You people are like my loudspeakers, and amplify sound.

你們就像我的揚聲器， 你們好像擴大了聲音。

I learn and mirror that behavior.

我學習並且模仿這些行為。

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

在此同時，我知道了 我也可以創造聲音，

and I've seen how people respond to me.

我看到了人們 對我發出的聲音的反應。

Thus I've learned, for example ...

我從中學到了， 舉幾個例子：

"Don't slam the door!"

「別摔門！」

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

「從袋子裡拿洋芋片吃的時候 不要發出太大的聲音！」

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

"Don't burp,

「不要打嗝，

and when you're eating,

而且吃飯的時候，

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

不要把餐具在盤子上劃來劃去。」

All of these things I term "sound etiquette."

我將這些稱為「聲音禮節」。

Maybe I think about sound etiquette

有可能我比常人

more than the average hearing person does.

更注重這種聲音禮節。

I'm hyper-vigilant around sound.

我對聲音非常敏感。

And I'm always waiting in eager nervous anticipation

我總是熱切並緊張得期待著聲音

around sound, about what's to come next.

和即將發生的事情。

Hence, this drawing.

因此，這幅圖中，

TBD, to be decided.

TBD，表示待決定的。

TBC, to be continued.

TBC，未完待續。

TBA, to be announced.

TBA，待宣佈的。

And you notice the staff --

相信你注意到了這一點：

there are no notes contained in the lines.

在這些譜中並沒有音符。

That's because the lines already contain sound

那是因為這些抖動的線條 已經包含了聲音，

through the subtle smudges and smears.

儘管輕微，難以辨別。

In Deaf culture, movement is equivalent to sound.

在失聰者的世界中， 動作與聲音同等重要。

This is a sign for "staff" in ASL.

這是美國手語 ASL 中， 「五線譜」的手勢。

A typical staff contains five lines.

正確的五線譜應該要有五條線。

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

但於我而言， 把拇指向上比出這種形狀

doesn't feel natural.

感覺很不自然。

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

因此我只在紙上畫了四條線。

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

2008 年，我有幸到德國柏林

for an artist residency there.

做駐地藝術家。

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

在這以前，我一直是畫家。

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

那年夏天，我參觀了 很多博物館和畫廊。

and as I went from one place to the next,

當我穿梭於這些地方的時候，

I noticed there was no visual art there.

我注意到這裡並沒有視覺藝術。

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

那時，聲音非常流行， 我突然才意識到，

there was no visual art,

視覺上的藝術被忽略了。

everything was auditory.

所有都是聽覺上的盛宴。

Now sound has come into my art territory.

現在，聲音已經進入我的藝術領域。

Is it going to further distance me from art?

它會更加阻礙我對藝術的理解嗎？

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

我意識到這一點也不會。

I actually know sound.

事實上，我懂聲音。

I know it so well

我如此深入地了解它，

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

以至於我無需通過耳朵來獲取聲音。

It could be felt tactually,

我可以觸摸到它，

or experienced as a visual,

也可以像視覺上一樣體現，

or even as an idea.

甚至可以像捕獲一個想法那樣捕獲它。

So I decided to reclaim ownership of sound

所以我決定重新掌握聲音，

and to put it into my art practice.

並且將聲音運用到藝術中。

And everything that I had been taught regarding sound,

別人說的所有類似於 「聲音不屬我」的言論，

I decided to do away with and unlearn.

我統統拋之腦後。

I started creating a new body of work.

我開始創作一些新的作品。

And when I presented this to the art community,

當我向藝術界展示它們時，

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

大家的支持和關注深深地打動了我。

I realized:

我意識到：

sound is like money,

聲音就像財富、

power, control --

權利、操縱——

social currency.

社交貨幣。

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

在我心中，我總是覺得 聲音是屬於你們的，

a hearing person's thing.

是屬於有聽覺的人的。

And sound is so powerful

聲音是多麼的強大，

that it could either disempower me and my artwork,

既可以剝奪和削弱我及我的作品，

or it could empower me.

也可以賜予我力量。

I chose to be empowered.

我選擇了讓自己變得更加有力量。

There's a massive culture around spoken language.

口語是大多數文化中的重要成分。

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

僅僅是因為我沒有使用語音去交流，

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

在社會的眼中，我彷彿不能發聲。

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

所以我需要和那些 平等對待我的人一起工作，

and become my voice.

讓他們幫助我發出聲音。

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

這樣，我才能與社會保持聯繫。

So at school, at work and institutions,

在學校、工作和各式機構團體，

I work with many different ASL interpreters.

我與手語翻譯者一起工作。

And their voice becomes my voice and identity.

他們的聲音變成了我的聲音， 並成為我的身分。

They help me to be heard.

他們使得我的聲音能被傾聽。

And their voices hold value and currency.

他們的聲音裡蘊含了價值 和（社交）貨幣。

Ironically, by borrowing out their voices,

諷刺的是，通過他們的聲音，

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

我才擁有一種暫時被認可的方式。

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

這有點像借高利貸的感覺。

If I didn't continue this practice,

如果我不這樣做，

I feel that I could just fade off into oblivion

我會覺得我自己逐漸被遺忘，

and not maintain any form of social currency.

再也無法維持任何形式的社交貨幣。

So with sound as my new art medium,

所以當聲音作為我的新藝術媒介時，

I delved into the world of music.

我陶醉於音樂的世界中。

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

我驚訝地發現 音樂與手語之間的聯繫。

For example,

例如，

a musical note

一個音符，

cannot be fully captured and expressed on paper.

是無法全然幻化為文字來表達的。

And the same holds true for a concept in ASL.

對於手語來說，也是這樣。

They're both highly spatial and highly inflected --

兩者都具有高度空間感 和複雜多變的性質——

meaning that subtle changes

任何微妙的變化，

can affect the entire meaning

都會影響手語及聲音的整體意思。

of both signs and sounds.

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

我想和大家分享一個 有關鋼琴的比喻，

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

讓你們能更加理解手語的表現形式。

So, envision a piano.

假設有架鋼琴。

ASL is broken down into many different grammatical parameters.

ASL 被分割為不同的文法單位。

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

若將每個單位 分配為琴鍵上的不同手指，

such as facial expression, body movement,

像是臉部表情、肢體動作、

speed, hand shape and so on,

速度、手型等等

as you play the piano --

就像彈琴一樣。

English is a linear language,

英文是一貫下來的線性語言，

as if one key is being pressed at a time.

好比一次只能按一個鍵。

However, ASL is more like a chord --

ASL 則像是和弦，

all 10 fingers need to come down simultaneously

需要十根指頭一起按下，

to express a clear concept or idea in ASL.

才能清楚表達你的想法。

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

稍微的改變和弦，

it would create a completely different meaning.

語意便會大為不同，

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

就如同音樂上的音高、音調和音量。

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

在 ASL 中，變換文法單位，

you can express different ideas.

便可表達不同想法。

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

拿「看」字來舉例。

This is the sign TO-LOOK-AT.

這是「看」的手勢。

I'm looking at you.

「我在看你」。

Staring at you.

「我凝視你」。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Oh -- busted.

噢——被逮到了！

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Uh-oh.

糟了。

What are you looking at?

「你在看什麼？」

Aw, stop.

「噢，別這樣。」

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

I then started thinking,

我接著想到，

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

如果我從音樂的角度 來看 ASL 會怎樣？

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

如果我創造一種手勢並不停重複，

it could become like a piece of visual music.

它就會變成視覺上的音樂。

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

舉例來說，這是「一天」的手勢，

as the sun rises and sets.

就像是日出日落。

This is "all day."

這是「一整天」的手勢。

If I was to repeat it and slow it down,

如果我重複並放慢速度，

visually it looks like a piece of music.

它就會像視覺音樂。

All ... day.

「一...整...天」。

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

我覺得「一整晚」也可以這樣表示。

"All night."

「一整晚」。

This is ALL-NIGHT, represented in this drawing.

這幅圖代表了「一整晚」。

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

這又讓我想到三種「夜晚」：

"last night,"

「昨晚」

"overnight,"

「通宵」

(Sings) "all night long."

和（哼唱） ♪ 「整整一夜」 ♪

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

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

我覺得最後一項最有音樂性。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

This represents how time is expressed in ASL

這幅圖表明了 ASL 表達時間的方式，

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

與身體距離不同 可以表達不同時間變化。

For example,

舉例來說，

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

1H 是一隻手， 2H 是兩隻手。

present tense happens closest and in front of the body,

現在式在貼近身體處，

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

未來式在比較遠處， 而過去式在身後。

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

所以第一個舉例是 「很久很久以前」，

Then "past,"

接著是「過去」，

"used to"

「曾經」，

and the last one, which is my favorite,

然後是最後一個，我最喜歡的——

with the very romantic and dramatic notion to it,

因為它有浪漫且戲劇的概念——

"once upon a time."

「往昔」。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

"Common time"

「四四拍」

is a musical term

是一個音樂術語，

with a specific time signature of four beats per measure.

代表每小節有四拍。

Yet when I see the word "common time,"

當我看到四四拍這個字眼時，

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

心中會自然聯想到 「於此同時」這個詞。

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

所以注意 RH 是右手， LH 是左手，

We have the staff across the head and the chest.

五線譜在頭胸之前。

[Head: RH, Flash claw]

［頭部:：右手，閃動手掌］

[Common time]

［四四拍］

[Chest: LH, Flash claw]

［胸部：左手，閃動手掌］

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

我現在來示範 flash claw 閃動手掌這個手勢。

Can you please follow along with me?

可以跟我一起嗎？

Everybody, hands up.

大家把手舉起來～

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

我們現在要在頭和胸前做這個動作，

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

像是「四四拍」或「於此同時」。

Yes, got it.

沒錯，就是這樣。

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

這在國際手語代表「相愛」。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

International [Sign], as a note,

國際手語就像音符，

is a visual tool to help communicate

是一種視覺工具來幫助

across cultures and sign languages around the world.

不同國家不同文化的人溝通。

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

第二個我想示範的是這個，

please follow along with me again.

請跟我一起比這個手勢。

And now this.

這次是這樣。

This is "colonization" in ASL.

這在 ASL 是殖民的意思。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Now the third --

第三個，

please follow along again.

再舉起你的手。

And again.

再次。

This is "enlightenment" in ASL.

這在 ASL 是啟蒙的意思。

So let's do all three together.

現在三個一起比。

"Fall in love,"

相愛、

"colonization"

殖民、

and "enlightenment."

啟蒙。

Good job, everyone.

大家都做得很好。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Notice how all three signs are very similar,

可有注意到這三個手勢都很相近，

they all happen at the head and the chest,

這些動作都在頭胸之前，

but they convey quite different meanings.

卻傳遞了不同的訊息。

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

ASL 的存在和發展真是令人驚訝，

just like music is.

就像音樂一樣。

However, in this day and age,

但時至今日，

we live in a very audio-centric world.

我們生活在以聲音為重的時代；

And just because ASL has no sound to it,

而僅因為 ASL 沒有聲音，

it automatically holds no social currency.

便失去社交貨幣的價值。

We need to start thinking harder about what defines social currency

我們應該要更深入思考 社交貨幣的意義，

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

讓 ASL 發展出自己的貨幣形式，

without sound.

而且是在沒有聲音的狀態下。

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

而這可能使社會更為包容，

And maybe people will understand

或許大眾便會理解，

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

學 ASL 不一定有聽覺障礙，

nor do you have to be hearing to learn music.

就像聽不見也能學音樂。

ASL is such a rich treasure

ASL 是個豐富的寶藏，

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

我想要你們一同體驗，

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

邀請你們用心聆聽，

to open your eyes,

用眼察覺，

take part in our culture

並進入我們的文化，

and experience our visual language.

體驗我們的視覺藝術。

And you never know,

說不定

you might just fall in love with us.

你將愛上它。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

Thank you.

謝謝。

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

手語譯者：嘿，是我。

(Applause)

（掌聲）