cee lo green - fu - sign language

thats awesome, she needs an A+

I had the opposite reaction and would have given her an F.

Even if she is not singing the words (how to tell with the sound quality) one thing is pretty clear. She is making fun of how Deaf people sound as she did not NEED to be mouthing the words.

If she had just danced and signed it would be one thing. She did not though. Look at the vid and you will see that her mouth is moving.

I will give her the benefit of the doubt that maybe that was not her intention. It does not excuse the result though and someone in a sign language class should know better. Hopefully the teacher had the same reaction.

KaraH said:

Even if she is not singing the words (how to tell with the sound quality) one thing is pretty clear. She is making fun of how Deaf people sound as she did not NEED to be mouthing the words.

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You must not know any deaf people (although in D.C. you are near Gallaudet).
Some deaf people use both ASL and lip reading for comprehension of communication. In addition facial expression is useful to relay emotion. For that reason many interpreters sign and lip sync.

Her audience also was comprised, I supposed, of hearing people. Her lip synching the words helps them match the signs with the words.

If she was vocalizing like a hearing-impaired person (think Marlee Matlin in "Children of a Lesser God") you would have a point.

It's very common for interpreters to mouth words as they are signing. Not mocking or rude at all.

eawmp1 said:

You must not know any deaf people (although in D.C. you are near Gallaudet).
Some deaf people use both ASL and lip reading for comprehension of communication. In addition facial expression is useful to relay emotion. For that reason many interpreters sign and lip sync.

Her audience also was comprised, I supposed, of hearing people. Her lip synching the words helps them match the signs with the words.

If she was vocalizing like a hearing-impaired person (think Marlee Matlin in "Children of a Lesser God") you would have a point.

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Yes, I know a 'few'. My spouse is Deaf, my first class in signing was at Gally, and one of my pet issues is disability rights. Since most of our interactions are with mixed hearing/Deaf crowds people are usually already talking at the same time as they are signing. If they are just signing though they do not try mouthing what they are saying. I rarely use lip movements when signing myself.

Yes, facial expressions do convey emotion. Expressions are not lip movements though.

In the video there is singing in a 'Deaf accent' going on. I am going to guess that was the soundtrack she was playing, but IN THE CONTEXT of her mouthing the words it changes any communication she is adding with lip movements to that of trying to lip sync to it.

Rossatron said:

i know couple of deaf people and they prefer lip reading to SL as far as communicating with "normal" people goes.

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Most that I know say the exact opposite!

KaraH said:

Yes, I know a 'few'. My spouse is Deaf, my first class in signing was at Gally, and one of my pet issues is disability rights. Since most of our interactions are with mixed hearing/Deaf crowds people are usually already talking at the same time as they are signing. If they are just signing though they do not try mouthing what they are saying. I rarely use lip movements when signing myself.

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My apologies, but I think you are being a bit defensive.

Cee Lo is quite expressive in his facial expressions in his video. I saw an enthusiastic girl dancing and signing and lipsyncing her heart out. I suspect when she dances and is not signing she sings with the same facial expressions. I didn't see her mocking the deaf. Pehaps the laughter of her audience (usually when Cee Lo drops the F-bomb) also colors the perception of the video.

KaraH said:

I had the opposite reaction and would have given her an F.

Even if she is not singing the words (how to tell with the sound quality) one thing is pretty clear. She is making fun of how Deaf people sound as she did not NEED to be mouthing the words.

If she had just danced and signed it would be one thing. She did not though. Look at the vid and you will see that her mouth is moving.

I will give her the benefit of the doubt that maybe that was not her intention. It does not excuse the result though and someone in a sign language class should know better. Hopefully the teacher had the same reaction.

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Wrong. You mouth words along with lots of signs. Anyone that studies ASL/BSL knows this.