Watch an action show without sounds or captions.
Here's a great way to practice gleaning information from only visual cues. Look for relationships and emotions. See how well you can figure out the point of the show. Later, play it back or watch the re-run and see what you missed.
A second reason to employ this tip is to understand a little more about the culture we serve. In the years before captioned media, the most popular movies among the Deaf community were action films. Dramas were poorly lit and had too much talking to lipread, even if one were good enough to lip read around the camera angles. Comedies had their moments, but also relied often upon verbal puns that were easy to miss. If it wasn't a slapstick comedy, most of my Deaf friends skipped it. Musicals were also hit and miss. The old MGM musicals had enough dancing to keep my friends interested, but later shows like Moulin Rouge were again dark and relied upon the words too much to make sense.
But action shows were a hoot. The dialogue was only as important as the plot. No one really cared why Harrison Ford was jumping off a train or a dam, my friends just though it was exciting to watch. Their parents would share the same feeling about Hitchcock thrillers. The intricacies of the storyline were lost but a plane chasing a man down in a corn field was exciting regardless!
So give it a try. You may understand your Deaf friends more - and have a great opportunity to improve your observation skills and by extension, your interpreting skills.
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Fun with Idioms: Acid test
With Idioms: Acid Test
The English language is just full of little phrases that say one thing but mean something completely different. Most people go through life hearing idioms daily but never thinking about exactly what those idioms really mean.
As an interpreter, it is vital to understand the meaning behind the words. Since idioms don't really make literal sense, they can be incredibly confusing if they aren't translated properly. That's why it's important to learn the real meaning behind as many idioms as possible so that you are prepared for any interpreting situation.
Today's idiom is "acid test." The literal meaning of an acid test would be to perform a test on acid, right? The truth is, the phrase does come from a real test involving acid. Scientists use litmus paper to determine the acidity or baseness of a chemical. It is also called a "Litmus test."
Of course, when someone uses the phrase in conversation it means something completely different. Outside of the laboratory, an acid test is a severe or crucial trial. Something is going to happen that will expose the true nature of the person or thing being considered.
Idioms are signed in different ways depending on the context, but one suggestion for acid test would be to sign "investigate" with an affect showing intensity.
The English language is just full of little phrases that say one thing but mean something completely different. Most people go through life hearing idioms daily but never thinking about exactly what those idioms really mean.
As an interpreter, it is vital to understand the meaning behind the words. Since idioms don't really make literal sense, they can be incredibly confusing if they aren't translated properly. That's why it's important to learn the real meaning behind as many idioms as possible so that you are prepared for any interpreting situation.
Today's idiom is "acid test." The literal meaning of an acid test would be to perform a test on acid, right? The truth is, the phrase does come from a real test involving acid. Scientists use litmus paper to determine the acidity or baseness of a chemical. It is also called a "Litmus test."
Of course, when someone uses the phrase in conversation it means something completely different. Outside of the laboratory, an acid test is a severe or crucial trial. Something is going to happen that will expose the true nature of the person or thing being considered.
Idioms are signed in different ways depending on the context, but one suggestion for acid test would be to sign "investigate" with an affect showing intensity.
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