The enchanting music of sign language | Christine Sun Kim

Summary

In this insightful talk, the speaker, a deaf artist, explores the intersection of silence, sound, and American Sign Language (ASL). She challenges the traditional concept of silence and delves into the history of ASL, sharing her personal journey of understanding sound through observation and experience. The artist then creatively incorporates sound into her artwork, demonstrating its power as a social currency. She concludes by advocating for the recognition of ASL as a rich, visual language that enriches society, encouraging inclusivity and appreciation for non-auditory forms of communication.

Takeaways

• 🎼 The 'p' symbol in music stands for 'piano', instructing musicians to play softly, with increasing numbers of 'p's indicating softer dynamics.
• 🌳 The speaker uses a 'p-tree' metaphor to illustrate the concept of silence as an elusive, never completely silent sound.
• 📚 A brief history of American Sign Language (ASL) is shared, highlighting its evolution from French sign language over 200 years.
• 👶 The speaker, born deaf, challenges the notion that sound is not a part of their life, recognizing its omnipresence and influence.
• 🌍 Living as a Deaf person in a hearing world is likened to living in a foreign country, following unspoken rules and norms.
• 👂 Understanding sound for the speaker involves observing and mirroring the behaviors and reactions of hearing people to sounds.
• 🍽️ The concept of 'sound etiquette' is introduced, which includes social norms around noise levels in various situations.
• 🎨 The speaker's artistic journey includes a pivotal moment in Berlin where they decided to incorporate sound into their visual art.
• 💰 Sound is likened to a form of social currency, with the speaker choosing to be empowered by it rather than disempowered.
• 🗣️ The importance of having a voice in society is emphasized, with ASL interpreters acting as the speaker's voice in various settings.
• 🎹 A piano metaphor is used to explain the complexity and expressiveness of ASL, comparing it to playing chords on a piano.
• 🕒 The representation of time in ASL is demonstrated, showing how spatial relationships can convey temporal concepts.
• 🌐 The speaker calls for a reevaluation of what constitutes social currency, advocating for the recognition of ASL's value in a sound-centric world.
• 🤝 An invitation is extended for the audience to engage with Deaf culture and ASL, suggesting that appreciation may lead to a deeper connection.

Q & A

What does the musical symbol 'p' represent and how does it relate to the speaker's drawing of a 'p-tree'?

The musical symbol 'p' stands for 'piano', indicating that the music should be played softly. The speaker's 'p-tree' drawing illustrates the concept that no matter how many 'p's are added, complete silence cannot be achieved, suggesting that silence is an elusive, very soft sound.

How did the speaker initially perceive sound in relation to their life as a deaf person?

The speaker was born deaf and was taught to believe that sound was not a part of their life. However, they later realized that sound was very much a part of their life and was constantly on their mind.

What is the speaker's definition of 'sound etiquette'?

The speaker defines 'sound etiquette' as the set of behaviors and norms related to sound that they have learned from observing others, such as not slamming doors, not making noise while eating, and not burping or scraping utensils on plates.

How does the speaker describe their experience living in a world of sound as a deaf person?

The speaker compares living in a world of sound as a deaf person to living in a foreign country, following its rules and customs without questioning them, and learning to understand and respond to sound through observation and mimicry.

What was the speaker's realization about sound during their artist residency in Berlin?

The speaker realized that sound had entered their art territory and that it did not have to distance them from art. They understood that sound could be experienced in various ways, not just through hearing, and decided to incorporate it into their art practice.

Why did the speaker choose to 'reclaim ownership of sound' in their art?

The speaker chose to 'reclaim ownership of sound' because they realized that sound, like money and power, could either disempower or empower them. They decided to use sound to empower themselves and their artwork.

How does the speaker view the role of ASL interpreters in their life?

The speaker views ASL interpreters as individuals who support them as an equal and become their voice. Their voices hold value and currency, allowing the speaker to maintain relevancy in society.

What similarities does the speaker find between music and ASL?

The speaker finds that both music and ASL are highly spatial and inflected, meaning that subtle changes can greatly affect the meaning of both signs and sounds. They also note that neither can be fully captured on paper.

How does the speaker use the piano metaphor to explain ASL?

The speaker uses the piano metaphor to illustrate how ASL is composed of various grammatical parameters, similar to playing different keys on a piano. In ASL, all parameters must be used simultaneously, like pressing multiple piano keys to form a chord, to express a clear concept.

What is the speaker's perspective on the social currency of sound and ASL in today's society?

The speaker believes that in an audio-centric world, ASL holds no social currency because it has no sound. They advocate for rethinking what defines social currency to allow ASL to develop its own form of currency and lead to a more inclusive society.

What is the speaker's invitation to the audience regarding ASL and music?

The speaker invites the audience to open their ears and eyes to participate in Deaf culture and experience ASL as a visual language. They suggest that one might fall in love with ASL and its rich treasure, just as they did with music.