09-13-2016, 09:27 PM
My close cousin, though hearing, is fluent in American Sign Language. It's important to recognize this as a language on it's own, and trying to translate poems (or anything) from English into ASL or vice versa will introduce miscommunications. Its nature as a language gives it an aesthetic quality, visible in ASL jokes, which means one could certainly make poetry in ASL.
When doing this translation, in order to preserve as much effect from the original language as possible, I would probably be a little more diverse in texture selection. P would likely be a drum hit, perhaps with a students hand against the drum. In some cases, maybe the popping of a small balloon. B would be similar, but perhaps a larger ("bassier") drum, or some other object. F and V are fricatives - they deserve objections with friction, and a distinction between voiced and unvoiced - perhaps greater friction on V. That part is particularly difficult. F and P are very different, however. I wouldn't represent them in similar ways. S sounds, are smooth, slithery. H, of course, is aspirated, and complements P- it needs to reinforce to the student that there is air moving. A balloon deflating works well in my mind.
I'm not sure entirely, just a few thoughts. I would only use colours in special situations. I wouldn't want it to alter the visual perception they should already have.
When doing this translation, in order to preserve as much effect from the original language as possible, I would probably be a little more diverse in texture selection. P would likely be a drum hit, perhaps with a students hand against the drum. In some cases, maybe the popping of a small balloon. B would be similar, but perhaps a larger ("bassier") drum, or some other object. F and V are fricatives - they deserve objections with friction, and a distinction between voiced and unvoiced - perhaps greater friction on V. That part is particularly difficult. F and P are very different, however. I wouldn't represent them in similar ways. S sounds, are smooth, slithery. H, of course, is aspirated, and complements P- it needs to reinforce to the student that there is air moving. A balloon deflating works well in my mind.
I'm not sure entirely, just a few thoughts. I would only use colours in special situations. I wouldn't want it to alter the visual perception they should already have.
If you're the smartest person in the room, you're in the wrong room.
"Or, if a poet writes a poem, then immediately commits suicide (as any decent poet should)..." -- Erthona
"Or, if a poet writes a poem, then immediately commits suicide (as any decent poet should)..." -- Erthona