Most deaf people agree that subtitles need to improve, but there is one subtitling issue that is not so black and white.
It’s whether BSL videos ought to be subtitled for people who don’t understand sign language.
Or in other words, should there be subtitles for the, ahem, ‘signing impaired?’
The digital revolution means deaf associations across the land can produce the equivalent of the local TV news for deaf people.
The Gloucester Deaf Association is the epitome of this idea with their excellent BSL news videos. Good local BSL news, broadcast across the internet every month. BSL videos are also a hit on Facebook at the moment with hundreds of people expressing their frustrations and hopes in BSL on the ‘Spit the Dummy’ Facebook group.
Could BSL content be seen as being a bit exclusive though? Aren’t deaf associations the ones who campaign about problems with TV subtitles? What about the ‘signing impaired?’ ‘Hypocrisy’ say some. ‘See how you like it’ say others.
We should note here that (after a Facebook outcry!) the term ‘signing impaired’ is a made-up term that is used for humorous effect, and we don’t mean to offend anyone by using it. By ‘signing impaired,’ we simply mean (in an admittedly mischievous way) people who have not learned sign language (fortunately for me, my parents taught me it).
However, in the name of accessibility, if all BSL content were expected to be subtitled then does it follow that any broadcaster in Britain, like BBC Alba for example (exclusively Scottish Gaelic language programming), has a responsibility to provide subtitles in English for my benefit? I am, after all, ‘Gaelic impaired’ but that’s my choice – I could learn Gaelic if I was that interested.
Some would say that you can’t apply that simple linguistic argument to BSL content. The content is normally about issues that affect all deaf people – and not all deaf people can understand sign language. It’s been said that it’s needlessly exclusive not to subtitle BSL content and it would help foster a bigger deaf community if it was.
Deaf kids or those deafened later in life maybe linguistically somewhere along the line between speech and sign. They might watch a BSL video and get some, but not all of it. Maybe subtitles would also help other deaf or hearing people to learn the language. It could be argued that subtitles on BSL videos would be good for the common cause. All for one and one for all.
One downside is that making subtitles without professional equipment can be very time consuming. I’ve done it plenty of times and I can understand why people who create video in BSL don’t always add subtitles.
The amount of time taken to subtitle a video can be many times longer than it takes to film it. Is it really right to guilt-trip a deaf organisation or vlogger into subtitling long into the night – especially if their message was actually directed at the BSL community?
So the question for you, the reader, is this: Should all BSL videos be subtitled? Is it a question of “practice what you preach” for signers? Or do you believe that if the ‘signing impaired’ really want to know what’s being said, they should learn the language? Tell us what you think below.
Andy volunteers for the Peterborough and District Deaf Children’s Society on their website, deaf football coaching and other events as well as working for a hearing loss charity. Contact him on twitter @LC_AndyP (all views expressed are his own).
The Limping Chicken’s supporters provide: BSL translation, multimedia solutions, television production and BSL training (Remark! ), sign language interpreting and communications support (Deaf Umbrella), online BSL video interpreting (SignVideo), theatre captioning (STAGETEXT), legal advice for Deaf people (RAD Deaf Law Centre), Remote Captioning (Bee Communications), visual theatre with BSL (Krazy Kat) , healthcare support for Deaf people (SignHealth), specialist lipspeaking support (Lipspeaker UK), sign language and Red Dot online video interpreting (Action Deafness Communications) education for Deaf children (Hamilton Lodge School in Brighton), and a conference on deafness and autism/learning difficulties on June 13th in Manchester (St George Healthcare group).
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Eireen Cullen
April 16, 2013
I would dearly love it. In addition to aiding the signing-impaired, late-deafened, etc. it would also benefit those whose primary sign language is not BSL. If subtitling ability improved to the point of “copy and paste,” it would become de rigueur to include them. Subtitling can also be a great teaching tool. Therefore, it is less a matter of not knowing the native sign language, and more a predicament of being technologically-impaired.
Andy not Mr Palmer but another one
April 16, 2013
It’s a question of equality of access. Having campaigned for equal access for all disabled people we can’t really be seen to tolerate groups that discriminate against other deaf people. It’s not a cultural or language issue, simply a consequence of having the Equality Act, which decrees equal access for ALL.
Ted Evans
April 16, 2013
It is common sense in that subtitling would benefit and reach more people. It all depends on the person producing the videos. If they want to make their video exclusive to people who can sign then they have every right to. However I feel that videos with public interests or films which perhaps provide information about a service, TV programmes and films in general that are made for the general public should always be subtitled. It’s a no brainer really – if you want more people to watch and understand your message then subtitle it… From a filmmaker’s perspective I want as many people to watch my films. From an audience member’s perspective I want access to as many films as possible and to be able to receive that information, if and when I want it. Maybe I’m greedy… ‘Signing Impaired’?… You’re asking for it Chicken!
Alison
April 16, 2013
http://www.subtitle-horse.com/ is a FREE and easy-to-use tool for adding subtitles to youtube videos. There are no excuses – if we want hearing people to support ‘Deaf Issues’ then they need to be able to understand our views. We can’t complain of lack of access if we don’t make our own content accessible.
Nils Wieboldt
April 16, 2013
Hi Andy,
really interesting article. As a hearing person working with many deaf and hard-of-hearing people, I have learned that BSL is more than just a language, it is also a culture. As such I believe that news or other programmes aimed principally at BSL users or the big D community will necessarily contain a view on things that will differ from the main stream news. As such I believe that opening this content to people who cannot read sign language is actually beneficial to the recognition of BSL and to the viewpoints of the big D community.
A foreigner myself I have lived in many different countries over the past 15 years. I had to learn each of the local languages, and subtitles in television programmes are one of my favourite ways of learning a new language. I would therefore also argue (albeit based on personal experience) that subtitling BSL videos would greatly help the people who want to learn BSL.
You mention “guilt-tripping” the vlogger into adding subtitles. I realise it is more work to add subtitles, and not everyone will have the time to do so. I do also believe though that there would be a learning curve meaning that the time needed to add this feature will diminish over time as other technology becomes available and people exchange their experiences.
So in one sentence: Yes i believe it is absolutely important to add subtitles as it widens the range of your audience which is something everybody who wants his/her opinion understood should strive for.
Cheers,
Nils
iseewhatyousay
April 16, 2013
It all boils down to communication access. If an organization cares about making their content available to all, then no perceived “hardship” with regard to subtitling would matter much. One would think that the Deaf community would be more sensitive on this issue. However, I’ve watched many ASL (I’m in the U.S.) videos where no subtitles or captions exist. It’s a fact, the vast majority of people who need to see speech (I am one of them) do not know or use sign language. Captioning and subtitling is our language. You either have an attitude of inclusion, or you don’t care to reach anyone who cannot understand in a conventional way. I’d venture to say the Deaf community doesn’t like it when the mainstream leaves them out by not providing BSL, ASL, or whatever form of sign language they use. Therefore, those of us who need captions and subtitles want the same consideration when viewing a video in sign language.
Angela
April 16, 2013
Sign Language students and overseas Deaf people would benefit from subtitles on BSL videos so they can understand the content and learn new signs.
Jill
April 16, 2013
Having a deaf mother who was never taught sign laguage as a child and who tried to learn it several times when she was older (she attended three BSL level 1 courses but found it too confusing) it makes me sad when she cannot watch and understand a video in BSL with her Deaf grandson. If subtitles were added both deaf grandmother and Deaf grandson could watch and enjoy the same videos and clips together.
Many older deaf people who were not lucky enough to be born into Deaf families do not have the fluency to be able to watch these videos and fully understand without subtitles.
I just wanted to add this but I also agree with many of the comments above.
Sylvia Webb
April 16, 2013
Yes, definitely should be. For so many reasons – most given above. Anything which helps the general public to understand the Deaf culture and encourage them to think about it, has to be positive. Subtitles, captions, STTR, are MY lifeline, but again anything which helps to bring our problems into the public view is brilliant and we have to work together to really achieve. Hearing folk do NOT have any comprehension of the problems faced by those with any sort of “defective hearing” (how about that one!). Sadly, older folk who are “wired for sound” will not, in many cases, have the need to make the leap and learn BSL, and they will assume it is like learning a foreign language and therefore not something they can attempt at their stage of life. But they are the largest proportion of those with hearing loss in the population …. so the youngsters are left to fight the battle.
diana
April 17, 2013
If you are a late deafened adult, then learning sign IS a foreign language; not so easy to do in your later years unless you are liguistically gifted. I’m 63 and I became deaf 4 years ago. I’m profoundly deaf in both ears. Lip reading is crazy hard for me so last year I decided to try and learn ASL (I’m in the U.S.) but I dispair over ever becoming proficient. Needless to say, subtitles are very important to me. Without them I am isolated.
AJWSmith
April 16, 2013
Excellent question Andy!
In the spirit of inclusion and accessibility, I do think more effort at subtitling BSL videos is a great idea. While D/deaf people don’t all have the same language, we do all share similar experiences.
I have three observations to make:
Firstly, BSL is a completely different language to written English. As someone who has got stuck at BSL Level 3, I know how difficult it is to translate from BSL into English or vice versa. Many vloggers are not fluent in English and it is unfair to expect them to translate into a language that is not theirs.
Secondly, to be consistent in demanding accessibility for D/deaf people, demanding only subtitles is not inclusive. Subtitles only benefit people fluent in English. True accessibility for D/deaf people has to involve both English subtitles and BSL.
Thirdly, nothing kills the spirit of inclusion if the traffic is one way. For example, this article is available only in English. Wouldn’t it be more inclusive and accessible if it was translated into BSL as well? After all, Andy is aiming this question at BSL users. Plus he is capable of doing it, so there’s no excuse 😉
And shouldn’t all articles in Limping Chicken be available in both languages? What about the comments too? OK I’m getting a bit silly now… 🙂
But the spirit of inclusion should include generosity, making allowances for each other.
Editor
April 16, 2013
I think that’s a good question! Ideally I’d love all our content to be signed as well but the reality is, this would require a much bigger budget and much more time. One day…
Totally agree with your point about the ‘spirit of inclusion.’ Ed.
JGJones
April 16, 2013
Equality means just that: everyone is equal. We want equality, then we must practice what we preach. It’s not even a question really.
Furthermore it would show that we mean business if we do it allowing access for all. We don’t then how can one preach equality with a straight face?
Smarty
April 16, 2013
I think the answer to your question Andy is ‘no’. It all very much depends who you are aiming to reach when publishing a BSL video. If you want to spread out your message to as wide a range of people as possible then yes it makes sense to subtitle it. But I don’t think Deaf people need to be made to feel obliged to subtitle their videos.
After all, its not an easy task. You not only need some technical skills but the ability to translate your own BSL into clear written English. This is something that a lot of Deaf people would struggle with.
CCAC
April 16, 2013
We’ve been involved in this discussion for about 3 years now with many producers of sign language videos. From our perspective (deafened) we sure believe strongly in captioning inclusion (closed captions if you prefer, yet at least accessible for all who want to turn them on). There are many benefits as others mention already here, for all involved (sign language advocates, hearing, many who are deaf/hoh and do not sign, language learning, etc.). CCAC also offers a new service, and it “pays” to have a look please: http://captionmatch.com/press-release-sign-language-transcription/ and consider it.
John Bosco Conama
April 16, 2013
“…. the term ‘signing impaired’ is a made-up term that is used for humorous” – in fact, one of Deafhood principles cited in Paddy Ladd’s book refers to those who can’t sign as ‘the sign impaired’…in that sense this principle shift the negativity arising from the medical model of deafness away from Deaf people…
For what it is worth, I do think subtitles should be added provided the content is of relevant interest beyond the Deaf community.
Editor
April 16, 2013
That’s very interesting, thanks John for pointing that out. Ed
Lana
April 17, 2013
I do not enjoy watching TV with someone signing and read the subtitles at the same time – if the signer is good, I watch him/her if not, I read subtitles but often feel irritated with the signer being there.
bozothewondernerd
May 19, 2013
Maybe we need, ‘Closed signer’ technology to match with, ‘Closed caption’ technology 🙂
Maria Ebbeskog
July 11, 2013
Yes I think so. Its a good way for hard of hearing people from other countries to learn English. The program See hear has subtitles.
LJ.
August 30, 2013
I’ve been profoundly deaf all my life and have never used BSL, I use a bit of rubbishy SSE (Sign Spoken English) which seems to help me more, a sort of sign & lip reading combination although I am getting on very well with my cochlea implant the last couple of years. I do think that subtitles should be available in BSL programs otherwise if there are not any subtitles it would be a form of discrimination to the so called signing impaired. Because of this I sometimes feel really left out by the deaf world & hearing world, I’m in a sort of no mans land and I don’t want to learn BSL.
daisys mum
February 9, 2016
yes please! my daughter was born deaf, we signed until she was three and then she dropped signing for talking and refused to sign, she is now six, and now she has a few deaf friends, she wants to lean BSL.. I have watched a few videos of people signing in silence and it is so hard for me as a hearing person to grasp the signs with no clue… it is beautiful to watch, but i only pick up signs i already know in these videos….
Also, i am new to this forum, I live in UK and i am a member of a Deaf culture group in USA, they talk a lot about Audism, Tone policing, and hearing privilege, and I wondered if these terms are used in the UK, from what i have researched we just tend to use the word discrimination in the UK, am I right?