Times of the Signs

Signing on TV

Those old enough to recall Jackanory (BBC story telling series for youngsters, 1965 – 1996) will have their favourite story tellers. The talents of Bernard Cribbins and Kenneth Williams always prompted me to pretend it was my young brother who wanted programme on, me being too old.

Sue is enjoying Crackernory, the adult version now showing on Dave, which tend to be well subbed. The other week’s story ‘The Translator’, which showed the perils of not knowing BSL, made her giggle in a wry fashion – well, she was preparing her homework for the following day’s BSL class.

Then there was the chap providing signing translation during the service for Nelson Mandela, I make no comment about him but wonder how much coverage there would have been if it had (merely!?!) been a signer on a ‘run of the mill’ UK TV programme.

Would anyone have even noticed or cared? At least the subject of signing was brought to massed attention, shame the subtitles on news coverage were so poor – oh the irony. Subtitles did go into total meltdown when a speaker began talking in her own language, not a few misspelt words on the screen, just blankness. Could almost hear the system panicking.

Spin City, starring Michael J. Fox, featured an episode where a fake signer translated at a Mayoral press conference. His signs, especially for drug abuse, weren’t just funny, they were followable.

Deafness, of all types and severity, is treated with better understanding and consideration than in previous decades, but listening to a BBC radio comedy show recently I was surprised when cracks of the type I’d associate with the 1970s were made about a deaf character.

Things have come a long way since the Seventies, even if the clothes and make up is sneaking back.