Page 126 - Reading Between the Sign Intercultural Communication for Sign Language Interpreters

American Deaf Culture 111

Enemies of the sign language, they are enemies of the
true welfare of the Deaf…. As long as we have Deaf
people on earth, we will have signs…. It is my hope
that we will love and guard our beautiful sign language
as the noblest gift God has given to Deaf people. (as
translated by Padden in Padden and Humphries 1988,
36)

Storytelling Skills
As a rich visual language that employs the narrative mode of ex-
pression, ASL is a storyteller’s dream. A good storyteller is part
actor and part cinematographer, because a good story in ASL in-
volves changing character as well as perspective, including ex-
treme close-ups to long shots from every conceivable angle. Skill
in ASL storytelling is admired regardless of educational back-
ground. Everyone knows who the best storytellers are. These
people are in heavy demand at parties, talent nights, storytelling
festivals, and other events, and favorite old stories are requested
again and again. One’s skill in ASL might even take precedence
over other personal characteristics. I have heard of an excellent
storyteller who is still invited to share his talents even though people
in the community do not approve of how he runs his personal
affairs. Stories are not only saved for formal entertainment but
are also used in everyday discourse to present, emphasize, warn,
instruct, or inspire (Smith 1996, 221–34).

Traditional Folklore
Deaf culture is very rich in folklore. Because ASL is not a written
language, stories, games, and humor are shared and passed down
through performance, both formal and informal (and nowadays
by videotape). Simon Carmel, a Deaf folklorist, has identified sev-
eral genres: jokes, tales about the old days, stories of personal
experience, legends, games, and signplay including ABC and num-
ber stories (Carmel 1982). Anthropologist Susan Rutherford has
described several additional folk traditions: group narratives,
fingerspelling mime, one-handshape stories and skits (Rutherford
1993).
There are a few “old chestnuts” that are often given in re-
sponse to a request for examples of Deaf humor. One classic joke
with many variations involves an interpreter. One version told by

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