ds_0064_holtetal_cap_01.mp4

ds_0064_holtetal_cap_01.mp4

Performances and presentation

Holt, Chris

American Sign Language literature

Storytelling

Deaf, Theater for the

Deaf, Writings of the, American

Deaf Poetry

ASL poetry

Chris Holt performs a poem, "Evolution," then Brenda Liebman Aron and Ilene Liebman Youngs present "Building Blocks of ASL Storytelling." This presentation describes the standard requirements of ASL storytelling which includes at its most basic, a specific form of rhythm and at its most complex, the nuances and climactic pauses that are the key to excellent storytelling characteristics. At the heart of American Sign Language storytelling are the stories themselves that have gone through changes as they are passed down from one storyteller to another over the generations in Deaf families. Lastly, Jose Saldana performs a dramatic narrative, "Wolf Land."

National Technical Institute for the Deaf

Rochester Institute of Technology - RIT Libraries - RIT Archive Collections

Aron, Brenda Liebman

Youngs, Ilene Liebman

Saldana, Jose

Karen Christie ASL Literature Collection

Sculptures in the Air: An Accessible Online Video Repository of the American Sign Language (ASL) Poetry and Literature Collections

American Sign Language Literature Conference (2nd 1996 National Technical Institute for the Deaf)

1996

2018

moving image

mp4

VHS

55 minutes

American Sign Language

English

RITDSA.0064

Sculptures in the Air: An Accessible Online Video Repository of the American Sign Language (ASL) Poetry and Literature Collections

Karen Christie ASL Literature Collection

2018-2019 CLIR Grant-ASL Poetry and Literature

https://albert.rit.…

https://archivesspa…

New York - Rochester

Henrietta Campus

RIT Libraries makes materials from its collections available for educational and research purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. It is your responsibility to obtain permission from the copyright holder to publish or reproduce images in print or electronic form.

CC BY-NC-ND: Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4.0 International

HOLT: FROM THE BLACKNESS
OF THE UNIVERSE,

A SPINNING ORB BEGINS TO FORM,

AND WE GO DOWN
THROUGH THE CLOUDS

UNTIL WE MEET THE LANDSCAPE
OF THIS SPINNING FORM--

MOUNTAINS,

GROWTHS, PLANTS.

MORE AND MORE THINGS DEVELOP
AND SPREAD OVER THE SURFACE

OF THIS PLANET--TREES...

RIVERS, BODIES OF WATER,

AND FROM THESE BODIES OF WATER,
ORGANISMS SPRING,

ORGANISMS WITH STRANGE
APPENDAGES WHICH OVER TIME

DEVELOP INTO OTHER
STRANGE APPENDAGES--

CLAWS, WINGS, FLIPPERS, BEAKS.

MORE TIME--BEAKS, TALONS, FANGS,

FEATHERS, WINGS, SNOUTS.

MORE AND MORE CHANGES OCCUR
UNTIL THESE ANIMALS

GO TO LAND,
AND THEN A CRUDE, FUMBLING,

4-LEGGED CREATURE WHICH
EVENTUALLY GOES UPRIGHT

AND THEN EVENTUALLY DEVELOPS
WEAPONS AND SUSPICION

AND ANGER, BOWS AND ARROWS
AND ANIMOSITY.

THIS CREATURE LATER
WEARS A LORGNETTE,

IS SOPHISTICATED,
SMOKES A CIGARETTE,

WALKS IN A MORE
SOPHISTICATED WAY.

THIS CREATURE THEN CREATES
THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE,

CARS, MORE AND MORE CARS,

MORE AND MORE WAYS TO DESTROY
THIS NEW WORLD

THAT HAS BEEN CREATED.

MORE AND MORE THINGS ARISE
ON THIS CREATED WORLD,

THINGS THAT ARE SEEN,
THINGS THAT ARE HEARD.

LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW,
I LOOK, AND I SEE IT.

I CALL ON THE PHONE,
AND I WATCH TV,

AND MY HEART POUNDS AS I SEE
WHAT HAS HAPPENED

TO THIS BEAUTIFUL WORLD--
AIRPLANES, AIRPLANES,

PEOPLE LEAVING THIS WORLD
TO A NEW WORLD

TO CREATE A NEW COLONY BECAUSE
WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THIS WORLD

WILL DESTROY THIS WORLD,
ALL THE TREES DESTROYED,

ALL OF THE ANIMALS EXTINCT.

THERE IS NOTHING LEFT
IN THIS WORLD FOR US ANYMORE.

ARON: THE PURPOSE
FOR OUR PRESENTATION TODAY--

THE TITLE IS KNOWN AS "BUILDING
BLOCKS OF STORYTELLING"...

AND I KNOW THAT THESE 3 DAYS,
YOU'VE SEEN

MANY FASCINATING PIECES OF
LITERATURE PRODUCED FOR YOU...

AND TODAY WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING
ABOUT THE WHAT AND THE HOW

OF IT ALL, AND I THOUGHT,

WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT
SOME OF THE TECHNICAL STRATEGIES

AND TECHNIQUES
OF EXPRESSING STORIES.

MY PURPOSE TODAY WILL BE
TO IDENTIFY AND DEFINE

SOME TERMINOLOGY,
AND THEN MY SISTER

WILL BE ILLUSTRATING
THE POINTS THAT I AM MAKING.

MANY OF THE STORIES
WE WILL BE SHARING

COME FROM STORIES
THAT OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS

HAVE SHARED WITH US AND PASSED
DOWN THROUGH THE GENERATIONS.

MOST OF THESE STORIES
ARE ORIGINAL STORIES

RATHER THAN TRANSLATIONS.

FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO TALK
A LITTLE BIT

ABOUT THE HISTORY
OF STORYTELLING

AMONG DEAF PEOPLE.

THERE'S NO RESEARCH THAT'S
REALLY BEEN DONE WITH THAT,

AND THERE IS A BODY
OF INFORMATION

ABOUT ASL LINGUISTICS
REGARDING MORPHOLOGY

AND SYNTAX AND ALL THOSE
TYPES OF TERMS,

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO POETRY
AND DISCOURSE

AND THINGS LIKE THAT,
NOT MUCH HAS BEEN DONE,

SO I'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE,
PERHAPS, SOME OF THE RESEARCHERS

TO TAKE THAT ON,

SO WHAT I'M PRESENTING TODAY
IS NOT SOMETHING

THAT'S BASED ON RESEARCH.

IT'S BASED ON THINGS
THAT I HAVE OBSERVED

AND BOTH MY SISTERS
WILL HAVE EXPERIENCED,

AND WHEN WE'VE SEEN
GOOD STORIES,

WE'VE ANALYZED THOSE STORIES...

AND PERHAPS YOU'LL THINK THAT
WHAT WE SHARE WITH YOU TODAY

IS INCOMPLETE AND THAT YOU
MIGHT HAVE SOME OTHER ASPECTS

THAT NEED TO BE ADDED, AS WELL.

THAT WOULD BE NICE, AND WE WOULD
ENCOURAGE THAT KIND OF FEEDBACK.

NOW, IN TERMS OF HISTORY AGAIN,

I WENT TO A RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL
FOR THE DEAF,

AND BACK IN THOSE DAYS,
WE DIDN'T HAVE

TV CAPTIONED PROGRAMS,
AND, OF COURSE,

THAT'S AVAILABLE NOW,
BUT AS CHILDREN,

WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT,
AND I REMEMBER,

IN THE DORMITORIES
IN THE EVENINGS

AT THE RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS,
WE USED TO TAKE TURNS

TELLING STORIES TO EACH OTHER,
AND WHENEVER SOMEONE

HAD A REALLY GOOD STORY,
THEN WE'D ASK MORE CHILDREN

TO COME AND WATCH THAT PERSON
TO REPEAT THE STORY,

AND WE TOOK TURNS DOING THAT.

NOW, WE HAVE OTHER
FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE DEAF,

AND I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW
THAT MY MOTHER

WAS A PHENOMENAL STORYTELLER.

SHE OFTEN TOOK STORIES
FROM BOOKS AND SHARED THOSE,

BUT SHE ALSO ALWAYS WOULD READ
THE STORIES AND THEN FIGURE OUT

HOW TO TELL THE STORIES HERSELF
IN ASL,

AND WE LOOKED FORWARD
TO THOSE TIMES.

WE OFTEN WOULD HURRY TO GET
INTO OUR BEDCLOTHES

SO THAT WE COULD WATCH MOM
TELLING HER STORIES TO US,

AND ONCE SHE HAD TAKEN
A LOOK AT A BOOK

AND SHE WOULD SHARE WITH US,
WE WOULD ASK FOR MORE,

AND SHE ALWAYS WOULD SAY,
"YOU'VE GOT TO WAIT

FOR THE NEXT DAY, AND I'LL TELL
YOU SOME MORE FROM THIS BOOK,"

BECAUSE SHE'D READ
A FEW CHAPTERS AT A TIME

AND DELIVER THEM IN ASL,

AND WE OFTEN WOULD WATCH THESE,
AND THERE WERE FRIENDS OF HERS

WHO SAID THAT THEY ALWAYS
USED TO BE FASCINATED

WITH THE WAY THAT SHE WOULD
TELL STORIES, AS WELL,

SO THESE STORIES
WE HAVE NOT YET PUBLISHED,

BUT WE HAVE BEEN
CARRYING THEM ON

AS PART OF A, QUOTE,
"ORAL" TRADITION,

AND VERY NATURALLY, OF COURSE,
OVER TIME,

THEY'RE GONNA CHANGE SOMEWHAT
DEPENDING IN THE STYLE

OF THE PARTICULAR PERSON
WHO'S DELIVERING THE STORY.

NOW, YOU MIGHT WONDER WHY WE
WANTED TO FOCUS ON STORYTELLING.

WHAT'S THE VALUE
OF STORYTELLING?

IF YOU THINK ABOUT
AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE,

YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT LANGUAGE,
BUT THAT WORD "LANGUAGE"...

THAT'S A WAY,
THROUGH STORYTELLING,

THAT WE CAN PRESERVE THE VALUE
OF OUR CULTURE

AND OUR BELIEF SYSTEMS
THROUGH CARRYING ON STORIES

AND SHARING THEM WITH OTHERS.

NOW, THERE ARE DIFFERENT
PURPOSES FOR STORYTELLING--

PERHAPS TEACHING A MORAL LESSON
OR SOMETHING ABOUT OUR WORLD,

MAYBE FOR ENTERTAINMENT--

AND THERE ARE A VARIETY
OF PURPOSES FOR STORYTELLING...

AND SOMETIMES WE TELL STORIES
TO TEACH A LESSON

OR SIMPLY TO SHARE LANGUAGE...

SO THE FIRST THING WE HAVE
TO THINK ABOUT IS THE GOAL,

THE REASON FOR WHICH
WE'RE TELLING THAT STORY,

AND THAT SHOULD DRIVE
HOW WE DELIVER THAT STORY.

WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT
HOW WE'RE GONNA SHARE IT.

WE HAVE TO THINK OF THE PURPOSE.
IS IT TO TEACH?

IS IT FOR ENTERTAINMENT?
IS IT FOR EXPLANATION?

IS IT FOR TEACHING
AND SO FORTH

AND IN ORDER TO MAKE
PEOPLE THINK?

IT IS TO MAKE THEM THINK
OR FOR THEM TO ENJOY

THE SIGN LANGUAGE ITSELF,
SO WE HAVE TO REALLY ANALYZE

FOR OURSELVES THE GOAL
BEFORE WE PRODUCE OUR STORY.

NOW, HEARING PEOPLE HAVE A TERM
THAT'S CALLED INTONATION

BECAUSE THEIR VOICES CHANGE
WITH INFLECTION

TO SHOW EMOTION
AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

WELL, DEAF PEOPLE HAVE THAT
BUILT INTO

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE, AS WELL,
THROUGH VISUAL IMAGERY.

FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU'RE WALKING,
THERE'S A WAY TO INFLECT

THE SIGN FOR WALK AND SHOW
WHETHER YOU'RE WALKING

IN A SLOW WAY OR A FAST WAY,
AND WE CALL THAT VISUAL IMAGERY,

AND THAT'S OUR EQUIVALENT OF
VOCAL INFLECTION OR INTONATION.

NOW, THE PURPOSE OF THAT

IS THAT WE WANT TO DELIVER
INFORMATION VISUALLY

FOR THE EYES TO SEE.

WE WANT THAT EXPRESSION
TO BE DELIVERED TO DEAF PEOPLE.

WE DON'T WANT TO FOCUS ON
SOMETHING THAT THEY CANNOT HEAR.

NOW, I'VE SHARED A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THE PURPOSE

OF STORYTELLING,
AND IT'S SOMETHING

THAT'S FOR PEOPLE
TO ENJOY WITH THEIR EYES,

AND BEFORE I CONTINUE,
WE HAVE TO HAVE A PLAN...

SO WHAT DO WE WANT TO SHARE
WITH OUR AUDIENCE?

WHO ARE OUR AUDIENCE,
OUR LISTENERS, OUR WATCHERS?

ARE THEY PEOPLE
IN THE DORMITORIES,

HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENTS?

SO IT'S IMPORTANT.
ARE THEY ADULTS?

ARE THEY SOMEBODY FROM A CLUB
FOR THE DEAF,

OR WHO ARE THEY, EXACTLY?

NOW, I DO HAVE AN OUTLINE

THAT I CAN SHARE WITH YOU,
IF YOU WOULD LIKE, LATER ON

SO THAT YOU DON'T
HAVE TO TAKE NOTES.

IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO THINK
ABOUT WHO THE AUDIENCE IS.

ARE THEY MALES OR FEMALES?

WHAT ARE THE AGES
OF THIS AUDIENCE,

AND WHAT'S THE CULTURE?

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
TO UNDERSTAND THEIR CULTURE,

AND PEOPLE FROM THE SOUTH
IN NORTH CAROLINA

HAVE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF CULTURE
THAN PEOPLE UP IN THE NORTH.

IT'S NOT THE SAME, SO WE NEED
TO ADAPT OUR STORIES

TO MEET THE NEEDS
OF THOSE REGIONAL DIFFERENCES.

NOW, HOW MANY OF YOU
ARE FAMILIAR

WITH THE SIGN "EASTER"
THAT I'VE JUST SHARED?

OTHER PEOPLE HAVE
DIFFERENT SIGNS FOR EASTER, OK?

THERE'S SOME COMMON
AGREEMENTS HERE, BUT, SEE,

I HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT SIGNS
FOR EASTER.

YES. I'M SHOWING A VARIETY
OF THESE SIGNS

THAT REPRESENT EASTER, OK,
SO WE HAVE TO FIND OUT

WHAT YOUR REGIONAL SIGNS ARE
AND THEN USE THOSE,

INCORPORATE THEM INTO
OUR STORIES THAT WE DELIVER.

NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT EASTER.

MAYBE WE'VE GOT A STORY
RELATED TO THAT,

AND I HAVE TO THINK.

I HAVE TO PLAN FOR MY AUDIENCE
AND HOW I COULD SHARE THAT

IN THE BEST WAY.

NOW, GOING TO TECHNIQUES
AND THINGS THAT WE NEED

TO PUT INTO IT,
MAYBE YOU'LL THINK THAT--

OH, I'VE FORGOTTEN--
I'M GONNA SHARE WITH YOU

THE TECHNIQUES I THINK
ARE IMPORTANT TO DO THIS.

FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE
11 OF THESE STRATEGIES

OR TECHNIQUES...

AND WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT SIGNING SPACE,

WE MEAN WE HAVE TO HAVE
RIGHT PERSPECTIVE.

WE CAN'T HAVE A LIMITED
SIGNING SPACE

UNLESS THE PERSON, OF COURSE,
IS SHY AND TIMID.

THEN WE WOULD WANT
A VERY SMALL SIGNING SPACE,

BUT IF WE GOT A PERSON
WHO'S VERY BOLD AND SO FORTH,

WE'D WANT TO USE A LARGER
SIGNING SPACE.

EVERYDAY CONVERSATION,
THEN WE WANT TO CHANGE OUR ROLES

ON THE STAGE ITSELF,
CHANGE POSITIONS.

THAT'S WHAT I MEAN WHEN I USE
THE TERM "SIGNING SPACE"...

AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
SETTING A SCENE...

IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
SOMETHING THAT OCCURRED

QUITE A WHILE AGO IN HISTORY,
WE MIGHT WANT TO CHANGE

OUR APPEARANCE THROUGH CLOTHING,
HAVING SOMETHING FRILLY

AND HAVING HAIR THAT LOOKS
BEFITTING THE TIME

THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

FOR EXAMPLE, WOMEN USED TO HAVE
BODICES A LONG TIME AGO,

AND WE MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT
HOW THE ENVIRONMENT WAS

BACK THEN AT THE PERIOD OF TIME
THAT WE'RE TRYING TO EMULATE.

MAYBE THE HOUSES WERE ROW HOUSES
AND JUST STRETCHED ON FOREVER,

AND THEN WE'D SEE A STEEPLE
AT THE END

WITH ONE CHURCH IN THE TOWN,
SO WE HAVE TO GIVE

THAT KIND OF VISUAL INFORMATION
TO SET THE SCENE

BEFORE WE TELL THE STORY.

NOW, ALSO IN TERMS
OF CHARACTERS,

SOME CHARACTERS ARE SHY.

SOME HAVE AN EGO
AND AN ATTITUDE.

WE HAVE TO SHOW THAT,
SO WHEN WE TELL NARRATIVE

AND WE HAVE A PERSON--
FOR EXAMPLE,

A GUY FALLS IN LOVE
WITH A SWEET, YOUNG THING--

WE WANT TO SHOW THE CHARACTER
WITHIN EACH PERSON,

AND SO WE CAN SHOW THAT
THROUGH OUR POSTURE

AND HOW WE MOVE
AND JUST ANY WAY.

THE PERSONS, WE HAVE
TO SHIFT OUR ROLES

BY ACTUALLY ACTING OUT
THE CHARACTER WITHIN OURSELVES.

NOW, THE PERIOD OF TIME
IS VERY IMPORTANT

TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT
EVERYTHING MATCHED UP CORRECTLY.

NEVER MAKE ASSUMPTIONS.

FOR EXAMPLE, BACK IN THAT PERIOD
OF TIME WHEN YOU TELL A STORY,

PERHAPS THERE WAS NOT
ELECTRICITY AT THE TIME,

SO YOU HAVE TO TAKE THAT
INTO ACCOUNT,

SO ALARM CLOCKS
WOULD BE DIFFERENT,

SO YOU HAVE TO EXPLAIN
THOSE KINDS OF DETAILS

BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT
TO EMPHASIZE AND MAKE SURE

THAT PEOPLE KNOW WHAT YOU KNOW.

FOR EXAMPLE,
BACK A LONG TIME AGO,

THERE WERE DIFFERENT TYPES
OF VEHICLES FOR TRANSPORTATION,

SO WE ALSO TALK
ABOUT ROLE SHIFTING,

AND I MENTIONED
ABOUT MOVING BEFORE.

NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
TIMES WHEN WE HAVE TO ACTUALLY

STEP TO A DIFFERENT PART
OF THE STAGE TO INDICATE

DIFFERENT CHARACTERS
ON THE STAGE,

SO WE INCORPORATE MORE MOVEMENT
INTO OUR DELIVERY.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
CHANGING PERSPECTIVES...

WE HAVE TO MOVE, AS WELL.

LET'S SAY, IF WE WERE GONNA TALK
ABOUT A RABBIT AND A TURTLE,

WHEN WE SHOW THE TURTLE
GOING VERY SLOWLY

AND THEN SHOW THE RABBIT
FROM A HIGHER LEVEL

AND VERY RAPID KINDS
OF MOVEMENTS

AND THE TURTLE MOVES
IN A SLOW WAY,

WE CAN SHOW PERSPECTIVE
THAT WAY,

OR IF AN ANIMAL IS UP IN A TREE
OR A BIRD'S UP IN A TREE,

THAT ANIMAL, THAT BIRD,
NEEDS TO LOOK DOWNWARD,

AND THE ANIMAL WOULD NEED
TO GAZE UPWARD INTO THE TREE,

AND THAT'S WHAT I MEAN
BY PERSPECTIVE.

NOW, WE ALSO HAVE A THING
WHERE WE CAN HAVE

INANIMATE OBJECTS TAKE ON
PERSONALITY.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE MOVIE
"BEAUTY AND THE BEAST,"

YOU HAVE TEACUP,
AND THAT TEACUP

HAS A LITTLE BABY TEACUP,

AND SO THE MOTHER TEACUP
WALKS ALONG,

AND SHE TELLS HER LITTLE BABY
TO HURRY,

SO WE CAN TAKE ON
THE PERSONALITIES

OF THE TWO TEACUPS
WHEN WE'RE DESCRIBING THAT

IN SIGN LANGUAGE,
SO WE CAN INCORPORATE

PERSONALITIES INTO
INANIMATE OBJECTS.

NOW, THESE ARE--

I ALSO HAVE 4 THINGS,
TERMS THAT BEGIN WITH "E,"

THAT WOULD HELP US TO MAKE
THE STORY COME ALIVE,

AND THE FIRST TERM THAT I USE
IS ELABORATION,

AND I'M MEANING DESCRIBING
SOMETHING BY ELABORATION.

FOR EXAMPLE,

IF I'M A SMALL CHILD

AND I'M GAZING UP
AT ABRAHAM LINCOLN--

THE STATUE IN WASHINGTON, DC--
AND I NEED TO GO UP THE STAIRS

TO GO AND SEE THAT STATUE,
I SHOW AS I'M CLIMBING

HOW LONG AND HIGH THOSE STEPS
ARE TO ME AS A CHILD,

AND WHEN I GET TO THE STATUE,
I HAVE TO LOOK WAY UP

TO SHOW THE PERSPECTIVE
INVOLVED,

AND THAT'S WHAT I MEAN
BY ELABORATION...

AND THE SECOND TERM I HAVE
WITH AN "E"

IS THAT OF ENHANCEMENT,

AND BY THIS,
I'LL GIVE AN ILLUSTRATION.

IF WE WANT TO SHOW
FEELINGS OR EMOTIONS

OR PERSONALITY,

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
TO ELABORATE ON THAT.

FOR EXAMPLE, IF A GIRL IS SHY,
YOU DON'T JUST USE THE SIGN.

YOU HAVE TO SHOW
HOW THE PERSON WOULD MOVE

AND HOW SHE WOULD HOLD HER HEAD,
OR IF A PERSON IS A BRAGGART,

HOW THEY WOULD WALK
IN A VERY BRAGGADOCIO WAY,

AND SO WE NEED
TO EMPHASIZE THAT,

AND THEN WE MOVE ON
TO EMBROIDERMENT...

AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT,
AS WELL.

WE HAVE TO SHOW CONFLICT
OF GOOD AND BAD

AND DARK AND LIGHT,

SHOW ANGER AND HAPPINESS.

WE SHOW CONTRAST,
AND WE HAVE TO SOMEHOW

WEAVE THOSE TOGETHER,
AND ALSO, OF COURSE,

EXPRESSION IS VERY IMPORTANT
AS A FOURTH TERM

AND SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.

WE HAVE TO SHOW OUR EMOTIONS.

SOME OF YOU,
WHEN YOU'VE TOLD STORIES,

YOU SHOW HOW A PERSON
CAN BE PLUMP

OR IF THE PERSON'S SCARED
AND HOW THEY MANAGE

TO WALK ALONG
WHEN THEY'RE SCARED.

IT'S ALL IMPORTANT,
HOW YOU CARRY YOUR BODY

AND SHOW EXPRESSION
THROUGH YOUR FACE.

ALSO, WE LOOK AT TIME.

WE CAN INFLECT OUR SIGNS
IN A WAY THAT SHOWS

THE TIME WAS A LONG TIME AGO

OR THAT IT'S GONNA BE
A GREAT DISTANCE IN THE FUTURE,

GREAT PERIOD OF TIME
IN THE FUTURE,

OR IF WE ARE HEARING SOMETHING,
WE CAN SHOW THROUGH RHYTHM

THAT SOMETHING'S COMING
CLOSER TO US,

AND WE CAN SHOW
HOW SCARED WE ARE.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT,
THOUGH, TO LOOK

AT THESE ASPECTS
OF STORYTELLING...

AND WE HAVE TO WATCH
OUR AUDIENCE, AS WELL,

AND SEE HOW THEY'RE REACTING TO
THE WAY WE'RE TELLING OUR STORY.

IF WE'RE NOT GETTING KIND OF
THE USUAL FEEDBACK

FROM OUR AUDIENCE
THAT WE WOULD EXPECT

IN LISTENING BEHAVIOR,
THEN WE NEED TO CHANGE OURS

ACCORDINGLY SO WE CAN MAKE SURE
THAT WE'RE MEETING

THE NEEDS AND EXPECTATIONS
OF OUR AUDIENCE,

SO THAT IS VERY CRITICAL

IN TERMS OF OUR DELIVERY
OF STORIES TO AN AUDIENCE.

NOW, IF I WERE PRESENTING
ON STAGE LIKE THIS,

YOU KNOW, I'D DO IT ONE WAY,
BUT IF I'M IN A CLASSROOM,

THEN I MAY HAVE TO TELL A STORY
IN A WAY THAT SUDDENLY,

I COULD GET THE CLASSROOM
TO PARTICIPATE, AS WELL,

AND ASK PEOPLE,
"WHO STOLE OUR HAT?"

AND SOMEBODY SAID,
"I KNOW. I KNOW,"

SO I COULD ACTUALLY STOP A STORY
AND ASK FOR PEOPLE

TO PARTICIPATE WITH ME
AND RESPOND,

SO MAKE IT INTERACTIVE
IN A CLASSROOM SITUATION.

YEAH.

I'D LIKE TO PUT AN OVERHEAD UP
AT THIS POINT IN TIME

TO SET THIS UP,
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA PICK

SOME OF THESE STRATEGIES
TO INCORPORATE INTO A STORY

TO SHOW YOU, TO DEMONSTRATE.

YOUNGS: OK. YOU CAN LOOK
AT THIS PICTURE.

IT SHOWS A LOT
OF DIFFERENT MOVEMENT

IN A DIFFERENT PLACE,
AND YOU WANT TO SET IT UP.

FOR AN EXAMPLE, HOW WOULD YOU
SIGN SOME OF THOSE THINGS

IF YOU WERE GONNA USE
THIS PICTURE IN A STORY?

YOU KNOW, YOU SEE THE ROCKS.

YOU SEE THE PEOPLE'S
CLOTHES THERE.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE
SOME OF THAT?

OH, I'M SORRY. YOU CAN'T SEE ME
OVER HERE ON THIS SIDE.

FOR EXAMPLE, YOU HAVE
A CHARACTER CHANGE AND THAT,

LIKE, THE ROCKS ARE
REALLY HEAVILY LAID OUT

UP OVER THE HILL,
AND YOU CAN SEE THE DRAGON

WITH THE BIG TEETH AND THE
SCALES ON IT AND EVERYTHING,

AND YOU SEE THE KNIGHT,
SEE THE KNIGHT WITH HIS SWORD

AND EVERYTHING,
AND YOU HAVE THE DRAGON

WITH HIS TONGUE HOT UP THERE
AND THE SOLIDER LOOKING AT THAT,

AND YOU'VE GOT THE RAM UP THERE
WITH HIS HORNS

HANGING OVER THERE...

AND YOU HAVE TO DESCRIBE
THE DRAGON WITH THE EYES

BUGGING OUT AND HIS TONGUE
FLICKING OUT OF HIS MOUTH

AND JUST BREATHING
THESE HEAVY BREATHS

AND THE BIG CLAWS
ON THE ENDS OF HIS PAWS

AND JUST FIRE COMING
OUT OF HIS MOUTH

AND THE FLAMES SHOOTING ACROSS

AND THE SOLDIER
DRAWING HIS SWORD OUT

AND FINDING THAT PERHAPS
IT WAS STUCK IN THERE,

AND HE FINALLY
GETS HIS SWORD DRAWN,

AND HE'S LOOKING AT THE DRAGON
AND CONTEMPLATING

CUTTING ITS HEAD OFF,

AND THE GIRL, YOU KNOW,
MAYBE YOU'D DESCRIBE THE GIRL

AS HAVING NICE CLOTHES
AND BEING AN ATTRACTIVE,

SWEET, YOUNG LADY
WITH A HEADBAND ON

AND THE FELLA ACTING
EXTREMELY MACHO

AND PUSHING THE GIRL ASIDE
TO PROTECT HER

AND STEPPING OUT IN THE PATH.

YOU CAN SEE THE KINDS OF CHANGES
THAT I MADE AS I DESCRIBED THAT.

ARON: OK, AND NOW I'D LIKE
TO TALK ABOUT THE TERM "GENRE."

I STILL THINK THAT MANY
OF OUR STORIES

WE'RE TRYING TO FIT
INTO THE FORMS OF FOLKLORE

AND LEGEND AND SO FORTH
THAT ARE ALREADY EXISTENT

IN THE SPOKEN ENGLISH LANGUAGE,
BUT I'M NOT SURE

THAT WE HAVE REALLY COLLECTED
ALL THE POSSIBILITIES

FOR ASL LITERATURE,
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF--

THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKLORIC
OR LEGEND EXAMPLES AVAILABLE,

AND I'M SURE THERE'S SOME THINGS
THAT ARE SIMILAR

BETWEEN BOTH ENGLISH AND ASL--
DON'T GET ME WRONG--

BUT WHEN WE DO TALK
ABOUT FOLKLORE,

I TOOK THE TERM AND THE
DEFINITION FROM THE DICTIONARY,

AND THIS IS WHAT
WE CAME UP WITH,

AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S
BEEN PASSED DOWN ORALLY...

PRACTICES AND BELIEFS,
TALES FROM A PEOPLE...

SO IT'S BEEN PASSED ON OVER TIME
AND BECOMES A LEGEND,

AND WE DON'T KNOW
WHETHER IT'S TRUE OR NOT,

SO THERE ARE ALWAYS
QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.

NOW, ILENE IS GOING
TO BE SHARING

SOME OF HER STORIES
THAT ARE WITHIN THAT REALM.

YOUNGS: MANY, MANY STORIES
AS I WAS GROWING UP

I SAW, AND I WATCHED.

WELL, I JUST KIND OF PICKED
A FEW OF THEM

THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE
WITH YOU.

WOULD YOU PLEASE
STEP FORWARD HERE?

THERE ARE MANY, MANY STORIES

THAT VARIOUS ADULTS HAVE TOLD.

OH, WAIT,
BUT YOU INTERRUPTED ME.

IT MADE ME MOVE HERE, AND I GO
TO GET MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT BACK.

ALL RIGHT.

WHEN I WAS A SMALL GIRL,
I WAS ALWAYS FASCINATED

BY THIS STORY THAT
OLDER FOLKS WOULD TELL.

I'D SAY, "PLEASE TEACH ME THIS,"
AND THERE WAS ONE STORY--

YOU KNOW, A MAN
WHO HAD TOLD THE STORY--

THAT REALLY IMPACTED ME,
AND I THOUGHT,

"WOW. THIS IS REALLY SOMETHING."

THE STORY WAS JUST TERRIFIC.

THERE'S A DEAF KING
IN THIS COUNTRY,

AND ALL OVER THE LAND
THAT THE KING HAD--

OK. I'VE GOT IT TOGETHER NOW.
LET ME GET STARTED HERE.

ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE TOWNS
ALL OVER THE LAND

WERE DEAF AND HEARING,
AND THE KING HIMSELF WAS DEAF,

AND THE KING, WHO WAS DEAF,
CALLED ALL OF THE VILLAGERS

TOGETHER AND SAID,
"COME ON OVER HERE,"

AND THE VILLAGERS ASSEMBLED,
WONDERING WHAT WAS WRONG,

AND THE KING SAID,
"I'M REALLY ANGRY.

SOMEBODY STOLE MY CROWN.
WHERE IS MY CROWN?"

AND THE PEOPLE WERE ALL LIKE,
"GEE, I DON'T KNOW.

I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED,"
AND THE DEAF KING LOOKED OUT

OVER ALL OF HIS PEOPLE,
AND HE SAID,

"I'VE GOT AN IDEA. ALL RIGHT.
ALL OF YOU FOLKS GET IN A ROW,"

AND THE MEN AND THE WOMEN
ALL LINED UP,

AND THERE WERE
DIFFERENT FOLKS THERE.

THERE WERE THIN PEOPLE,
AND THERE WERE BIG, STRONG,

HEAVY PEOPLE,
AND THERE WERE SOME FOLKS

WHO REALLY LOOKED
EMACIATED AND THAT,

AND THE KING SAID, "SOMEBODY'S
GOT TO BE LYING HERE.

OK. BRING THIS PRISONER
OUT FROM JAIL,"

SO THIS PRISONER CAME OUT,
AND HE WAS SHACKLED,

AND THE CHAINS WERE WRAPPED
AROUND HIS ARMS,

AND THE KING SAID, "YOU SEE,
THIS FELLA'S GUILTY

"FOR STEALING, AND HE'S BEEN
CONVICTED OF THAT ALREADY.

"I WANT ALL OF YOUR FOLKS--

"I DON'T KNOW WHO STOLE
MY CROWN,

"BUT I WANT YOU TO SEE
THERE'S THIS BIG POT

"OF WATER HERE,
AND IT'S A VERY SPECIAL WATER.

"IT'S NOT YOUR NORMAL WATER.
IT'S A SPECIAL--

"IT'S VERY UNIQUE.

"IF SOMEBODY DOES SOMETHING BAD
AND THEY DIP THEIR HANDS

"IN THE WATER,
THEY'LL COME OUT BLUE,

"AND THAT MEANS THEY'RE GUILTY
OF DOING SOMETHING,

"AND IF THEY DIP THEIR HANDS IN
AND COME OUT

AND THEY'RE UNCOLORED,
THAT MEANS THEY'RE INNOCENT,"

AND THE VILLAGERS WERE ALL
LOOKING AROUND AND THINKING,

"OH, WOW.
THIS IS SOMETHING SPECIAL,"

AND THE KING ORDERED
THAT THE PRISONER

IMMERSE HIS HANDS IN THE WATER,
AND WHEN THEY CAME OUT,

THEY WERE ALL COVERED WITH BLUE,
AND THE KING SAID,

"YOU SEE?

YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN
YOU'RE A GUILTY INDIVIDUAL?"

NOW HE ORDERED BOWLS OF WATER
TO BE SET FOR EACH PERSON

IN THE CROWD, AND ONE MAN
WAS STANDING THERE

THINKING TO HIMSELF,
"WHAT AM I GONNA DO?"

HE SAID, "OH, BOY,
I KNOW WHAT I'LL DO.

"I'LL JUST ACT LIKE I'M DIPPING
MY HANDS IN THE WATER

AND JUST BARELY TOUCH
THE SURFACE OF IT,"

SO THE KING SAID,
"ARE YOU READY?

EVERYBODY IMMERSE THEIR ARMS,"
AND ALL OF THE VILLAGERS

IMMERSED THEIR ARMS
AND THE KING SAID,

"RAISE YOUR HANDS,"
AND THEY RAISED THEIR HANDS,

AND THE KING LOOKED,
AND FIRST ONE WAS BLUE,

AND THE SECOND WAS BLUE.

EVERYBODY WAS BLUE.

THERE WAS ONE PERSON WHOSE ARMS
WEREN'T COLORED,

AND EVERYBODY ELSE'S WERE BLUE,
AND THE KING SAID,

"YOU'RE THE ONE WHO DID IT."

OUR SECOND STORY,
YOU KNOW, IMAGINE A KING.

THE KING IS HEARING NOW,

AND THIS HEARING KING THINKS,

"I'VE GOT ALL
OF THESE VILLAGERS,"

AGAIN, DEAF AND HEARING
COMINGLED IN THE COMMUNITY,

AND THE KING
ASSEMBLED EVERYBODY,

AND ALL OF THE VILLAGERS CAME,
AND THEY WERE WONDERING

WHAT WAS UP, AND THE KING SAID,

"I WANT ALL OF YOU
TO TELL ME A STORY,

"SOMETHING THAT I CAN ENJOY,
UNDERSTAND?

"TELL ME A STORY.
I DON'T WANT YOU TO STOP.

"I'LL DECIDE
WHEN THE STORY ENDS MYSELF.

"I WILL TELL YOU
WHEN IT'S THE END.

YOU CAN'T DECIDE THAT,"
SO THE VILLAGERS GOT TOGETHER

AND SAID, "WHAT ARE WE
SUPPOSED TO DO?

"WE HAVE TO AGREE ON THE STORY,
AND WE CAN'T STOP.

"WE HAVE TO CONTINUE
TELLING THIS STORY

"UNTIL THE KING
CAN TELL US TO STOP.

WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO?"

SO THE KING COMMANDED ONE MAN
TO STEP OUT FRONT,

AND THE MAN STEPPED OUT,

AND HE STARTED TO SPIN
THIS TALE,

AND HE CAME TO THE END,
AND THE KING SAID, "BEHEAD HIM,"

AND THE OTHER MEN WERE LIKE,
"OH, MY GOSH."

THE SECOND GUY CAME UP, AND
HE WAS TRYING TO TELL A STORY

AND GO ON AND ON AND ON,
AND HE RAN OUT OF THINGS TO SAY.

IT CAME TO THE END,
AND THE KING SAID, "BEHEAD HIM,"

AND THE NEXT PERSON
AND THE NEXT,

AND FINALLY, THERE WAS A DEAF
WOMAN WHO STEPPED FORWARD,

AND SHE THOUGHT, "OH, BOY,
THE PEOPLE HAVE DWINDLED.

OUR NUMBERS ARE GETTING
FEWER AND FEWER."

SHE HAD AN IDEA. SHE SAID,
"I'LL TELL THE KING A STORY."

KING SAID, "FINE. STEP FORWARD,"
SO THE WOMAN STEPPED FORWARD,

AND SHE STARTED TALKING
ABOUT THE TREE

THAT WAS OVER THERE,
AND THERE WAS A BABY BIRD,

A NEST THAT WAS IN THE TREE,
AND THE BABY BIRD WAS SO CUTE

AND JUST CHIRPED UP IN THE TREE,
AND THE BABY BIRD

SITTING IN A NEST AND WAS
JUST CROWING AND CROWING

AND TRIED TO FLY AS IT GOT
BIGGER AND STRONGER

AND WAS FINALLY READY TO FLY,
AND IT PRACTICED AND PRACTICED,

AND IT LAUNCHED ITSELF
OUT OF THE NEST

AND FLAPPED ITS WINGS,
AND IT WAS REALLY THINKING,

"OH, GEE, I JUST
CAN BARELY FLY,"

AND WAS GETTING STRONGER
AND READY TO DO ALL OF THIS

AND TRYING TO GET OUT
OF THE NEST A LITTLE MORE.

IT WAS INSPIRED AND FINALLY,
IT LOOKED AT THE GROUND

AND FLEW OUT AND THOUGHT,
"OOH, I CAN DO THIS.

I'LL BE ABLE TO FLY,"
AND FLEW UP

JUST A LITTLE HIGHER
AND FELT GOOD

AND STARTED TO TRAVEL ALL OVER

AND WAS JUST SOARING
ABOVE THE LAND AND FLYING

AND LOOKED DOWN ON ALL
OF THE TREES AND THE SCENERY

AND SAW THE RIVERS AS IT SOARED
THROUGH THE SKY,

AND THE MOUNTAINS SHE LOOKED AT
AND ALL ACROSS THE LAND

AND THE VARIOUS ANIMALS
AND WAS JUST FLYING

OVER THE TREES AND SOARING
BACK AND FORTH

AND ENJOY ALL THE SIGHTS
IN THE WORLD,

AND THE KING STARTED
TO BECOME SLEEPY

AND SAID, "THAT'S ENOUGH.
THAT'S OVER,"

AND THE WOMAN WAS LIKE--
HAD SAVED ALL OF THE PEOPLE

IN THE LAND, AND THE PEOPLE
WERE SO ELATED.

THAT'S A STORY A MAN TOLD ME
WHEN I WAS VERY SMALL,

AND IT REALLY HIT ME.

WHAT DID IT MEAN?
HE TAUGHT ME SOMETHING.

I LEARNED SOMETHING
FROM THAT STORY.

IT'S A TRUE STORY
ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED.

IT'S A TRUE STORY.

YOU KNOW, MY FAMILY--

MY SISTER WHEN SHE
WAS VERY SMALL...

YOU KNOW, SHE HAD A HOLD
OF MOM'S HAND.

WE WERE WALKING ALONG,
AND MY SISTER WOULD ALWAYS

BE BOTHERING MY MOTHER
AND HITTING HER

AND SAYING, "MOM, WHAT'S THIS?
WHAT'S THIS?"

AND MY MOTHER WAS CONSTANTLY
BEING INTERRUPTED

BY MY SISTER SAYING,
"WHAT'S THAT? WHAT'S THAT?"

SHE WAS SO CURIOUS, SO ONE DAY,
MY MOTHER DECIDED

SHE WAS JUST GONNA
IGNORE MY SISTER.

SHE HAD HAD ENOUGH OF THIS,
AND MY SISTER

JUST KEPT POKING HER
AND POKING HER AND POKING HER.

FINALLY, MY MOTHER
WAS EXASPERATED,

AND SHE LOOKED DOWN
TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED,

AND HERE, MY SISTER HAD BEEN
LOOKING UP AT A BIRD

FLYING IN THE SKY,
AND THE BIRD POOPED

RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE
OF HER FACE.

THERE'S ANOTHER ONE.
THAT STORY REALLY HAPPENED.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, MY MOTHER,
YOU KNOW,

WHO WORKED
THE RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL,

IT'S A TRUE STORY.

I DON'T KNOW IF THIS
IS TRUE OR NOT,

BUT IT MAKES YOU THINK
ABOUT SOMETHING.

THIS SMALL GIRL, YOU KNOW,
IN THE GIRLS DORM,

THEY ALL HAVE A LINE-UP
GETTING READY TO GO

TO THE BATHROOM
TO BRUSH HER TEETH

AND WASH HER FACE AND GET READY
IN THE MORNING,

AND THE DORM PARENT--
HER SUPERVISOR,

THIS VERY SWEET,
SOFTHEARTED WOMAN--

SAW WHAT WAS GOING ON,
AND SHE WOULD ALWAYS SIT

IN THIS CORNER
IN A ROCKING CHAIR,

AND SHE WOULD WATCH AS THE GIRLS
FILED INTO THE BATHROOM,

AND THEY'D ALL WAVE TO HER,
AND SHE'D WAVE.

SHE'S JUST SUCH A SWEET WOMAN,
AND THE GIRLS ALL LOVED HER,

AND IN THE MORNING AS THEY
WENT IN TO TAKE CARE

OF THEIR TOILETRIES AND GET
READY FOR SCHOOL EVERY DAY,

SHE'D SIT THERE
AND WATCH THEM COME BY.

IT WAS THE SAME OLD ROUTINE,
AND ONE DAY,

SHE WAS ABSENT.

SHE WASN'T THERE,
AND THE GIRLS,

AS THEY WERE LINED UP
GOING TO THE BATHROOM,

WONDERED WHAT HAPPENED,
AND THE SUPERINTENDENT

OF SCHOOL CAME OUT AND SAID,
"I HAVE SOME VERY SAD NEWS.

"YOU KNOW, THE DORM MOTHER
WHO WAS ALWAYS HERE

HAS PASSED AWAY,"

AND THE GIRLS
WERE JUST ASTOUNDED

TO HEAR THAT SHE'D DIED,
AND THEY LOOKED OVER

AT THE EMPTY ROCKING CHAIR,

AND THE NEXT DAY
AS THEY FILED IN

IN THE MORNING TO GO
IN THE BATHROOM

AND GET CLEANED UP
AND READY FOR SCHOOL,

THEY LOOKED
AT THE ROCKING CHAIR.

IT WAS EMPTY,

BUT THE CHAIR WAS STILL ROCKING,

AND THE GIRLS
LOOKED AT THE WINDOW

TO SEE IF THE WINDOWS WERE OPEN

AND THERE WAS A BREEZE
DOING THAT,

BUT THE WINDOWS WERE ALL CLOSED,
AND STILL, THE CHAIR ROCKED,

AND THE GIRLS ALL THOUGHT
ABOUT THAT,

AND AS THEY GREW UP,
IT WAS THE SAME.

THEY'D COME IN IN THE MORNING
TO GO TO THE BATHROOM,

AND THAT CHAIR
WAS ALWAYS ROCKING.

OK. YOU WANT TO COME BACK
AND GO ON

WITH THIS NEXT PART?

ARON: HMM. I'M THINKING
ABOUT THIS HERE.

YOUNGS: OK, OK.
I HAVE ANOTHER ONE.

I'VE GOT ONE MORE STORY
I CAN TELL.

OH, THAT STORY
ABOUT THE YOUNG GIRLS--

ARON: WAIT, WAIT, WAIT,
WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT.

TURN OFF YOUR VOICE, PLEASE.

YOUNGS: THE INTERPRETER
HAS BEEN ORDERED TO BE QUIET.



ARON: HOW MANY MINUTES
DO I HAVE LEFT?

10 MINUTES. ALL RIGHT.

OK. I THINK WE'LL MOVE ON
TO MYSTERY.

WE HAVE A LOT
OF DIFFERENT EXAMPLES.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE ROCKING CHAIR
COULD HAVE A LITTLE BIT

OF OVERLAP BETWEEN
LEGEND AND MYSTERY.

ANOTHER STORY THAT I REALLY
ENJOY WAS ABOUT MY MOM

AND MY SISTER,
BUT THERE ARE OTHER ONES.

THERE ARE MYSTERY STORIES,
AND SOME ARE SCARY

AND MIGHT NOT BE APPROPRIATE
FOR YOUNG CHILDREN,

SO WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT
THE AGE OF THE CHILDREN

THAT WE'RE TELLING
THE STORIES FOR.

NOW MY SISTER WILL TELL
ANOTHER ONE THAT'S A MYSTERY.

YOUNGS: ONE NIGHT
OUT ON A BLACK, DARK STREET...

THERE WAS A WHITE LIGHT,

AND I WALKED DOWN
THIS LONG, DARK HALLWAY

THAT WAS SO BLACK...

WITH THIS WHITE LIGHT
JUST AT THE END OF IT

AND KEPT WALKING AND WALKING,

AND IT JUST SEEMED SUCH A DARK,
BLACK NIGHT

WITH THAT ONE WHITE LIGHT
AT THE END OF THE LONG HALL

AND KEPT APPROACHING IT,
AND IT SEEMED

LIKE AN INTERMINABLY LONG,
DARK, BLACK HALLWAY

WITH A LITTLE, WHITE LIGHT
AT THE END

WHICH WAS WAVERING
AND MOVING AROUND...

AND WHEN YOU FINALLY GOT IT
ALL TUNED IN

AND THEN WATCHED THE PROGRAM.

ARON: NOW WE'D LIKE TO TALK
ABOUT ROMANCE.

AND HOW MUCH TIME DO WE HAVE
LEFT? SEVEN MINUTES.

I THINK WE'LL MOVE ON.

WE HAVE A GOOD STORY THAT'S
ABOUT ROMANCE

DURING THE WAR, THE GERMAN WAR.

AND IT'S ABOUT JEWS.
IT'S VERY TOUCHING--

IT'S SO LONG--ABOUT

A COUPLE THAT WERE SEPARATED
DURING THE WAR

AND THEN MET AGAIN AFTER
THE WAR.

SO WE DO HAVE ROMANTIC STORIES
LIKE THAT.

AND THAT IS AVAILABLE IN
THE ASL LITERATURE.

AND WE ALSO HAVE STORIES THAT
HAVE REPETITIVE LINES

THAT ARE GOOD FOR CHILDREN

BECAUSE THEY CAN LEARN HOW TO
GIVE AND TAKE IN A CHORUS

IN RHYTHM.

WE HAVE EXAMPLES OF THAT.

AND, LIKE, THE TEENY-TINY HOUSE,
AND HAD A TEENY-TINY CAT.

AND THE TEENY-TINY CAT LIKED
TO EAT WHAT?

LITTLE, TEENY-TINY MICE.

AND THEN IT'S REPEATED.

AND THERE WAS A LITTLE,
TEENY-TINY MOM

WHO LIVED IN
A LITTLE, TEENY-TINY HOUSE.

AND WHAT DID SHE HAVE?

SHE HAD A LITTLE, TEENY-TINY CAT
WHO LIKED TO EAT WHAT?

SMALL, TEENY-TINY MICE.

AND SO THAT'S HOW YOU PLAY THAT
KIND OF STORY WITH CHILDREN.

AND WE HAVE LOTS OF EXAMPLES
OF THAT.

LIKE, THERE WAS A PERSON
WHO CAME--

A MAN WITH A YELLOW HAT.

AND WHO CAME? YES, THE MAN
WITH THE YELLOW HAT.

YOU'RE CORRECT!
HE CAME TO EAT DINNER.

SO WE HAVE LOTS OF EXAMPLES
LIKE THAT

THAT ARE MORE INTERACTIVE.

THEN WE HAVE RHYTHMIC CLAPPING
STORIES.

AND BARBARA KANNAPELL
HAS A STORY THAT SHE TELLS

THAT'S JUST AMAZING.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER
SEEN IT.

BUT IT INVOLVES RHYTHM
AND CLAPPING.

AND, ILENE, COULD YOU PLEASE
SHOW THIS FOR US?

AND THEN I'LL EXPLAIN ABOUT IT.

YOUNGS: YOU KNOW, LIKE,
A BUNCH OF SMALL CHILDREN,

MAYBE THREE OR FOUR YEARS OLD.

AND YOU HAVE THE NURSERY.
YOU HAVE THEM IN A NURSERY.

YOU GET THEM TO CLAP.
THEY CAN CLAP.

THEY LOVE THE ACTION KIND OF
A STORY.

YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE,
EASTER IS NEAR,

SO YOU CAN TALK ABOUT
THE EASTER BUNNY.

AND YOU CAN SAY
"THE BUNNY HAS WHAT?"

IT'S GOT THIS CHARACTER,
AND IT'S GOT THE LONG EARS.

AND YOU SAY, "FINE."

YOU PULL SOMEBODY OUT THAT CAN
SAY "THE LONG EARS."

IT'S GOT THE BIG WHISKERS,

AND IT'S GOT THE BIG
THUMPING FEET

AND, OF COURSE, A COTTONTAIL
ON IT.

AND YOU CAN GET
THE CHILDREN INVOLVED

IN THAT KIND OF A STORY.

AND THEY REALLY ENJOY THAT.

SO FOLLOW ME BY CLAPPING IN
RHYTHM.

CLAP, CLAP, CLAP-CLAP...

[AUDIENCE CLAPPING THROUGHOUT]

RABBIT, RABBIT, HOP, HOP.

EARS. HOP, HOP.

WHISKERS. HOP, HOP.

THE COTTONTAIL. HOP, HOP.

FOOT, FOOT. HOP, HOP.

CUTE.

AND THAT'S IT.

THAT GIVES YOU THE IDEA

OF HOW YOU CAN GET
THE CHILDREN INVOLVED.

AND CHILDREN JUST LOVE THAT!

3- AND 4-YEAR-OLDS
CAN DO THAT.

AND THEY HAVE A TREMENDOUS
AMOUNT OF FUN WITH THAT.

ARON: AND IF YOU THINK
THAT'S ONLY FOR CHILDREN,

THAT'S NOT RIGHT BECAUSE THERE
ARE PEOPLE

WHO REALLY DO LIKE THAT
WHO ARE OLDER.

AND EVEN AT GALLAUDET,
FOR EXAMPLE,

THEY USE RHYTHMIC KINDS
OF SONGS.

AND CHEERLEADERS USE
RHYTHMIC KINDS OF SONGS

IN THEIR CHEERLEADING.

SO WE'VE SEEN EXAMPLES OF THAT.

AND THERE'S ONE THAT'S CALLED
"RYE WHISKEY."

IS ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH
THAT SONG

THAT HAS A RHYTHM OF
CLAPPING TO IT?

AND OLDER PEOPLE ENJOY
THE RHYTHM.

THEY HAVE A SENSE OF RHYTHM
WHEN IT'S REPEATED.

AND PERHAPS IT'S DIFFICULT
FOR CHILDREN WHEN THEY'RE YOUNG

WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE A RHYTHM.

SO IF YOU GIVE THEM STORIES
THAT HAVE

RHYTHM INCORPORATED INTO THEM,
IT HELPS THEM TO LEARN

A SENSE OF RHYTHM
FOR THEMSELVES.

NOW, THERE'S THIS WORD
THAT'S "VISUAL--

"VISUAL ONOMATOPOEIA."

WHICH IN ENGLISH,
WE HAVE SOUNDS

AND THE TERM "ONOMATOPOEIA"
THAT REFERS TO THAT.

BUT, ALSO IN ASL, THERE'S
A FORM OF ONOMATOPOEIA

THAT'S VISUAL IN NATURE.

FOR EXAMPLE, FOR "ALARM CLOCK"
AND "SHOES TAPPING,"

AND WATCHING THE REPETITION
OF THAT,

THAT'S A FORM OF ONOMATOPOEIA.

SOMETIMES YOU JUST LOOK AT
A LEAF

AND YOU SEE IT SWISH, SWISH,
SWISH, SWISH, SWISH, SWISH.

AND SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE,

AND EXAMPLE
OF VISUAL ONOMATOPOEIA.

NOW I'VE GIVEN YOU A LOT OF
DIFFERENT GENRES.

AND YOU MAY WONDER, HOW CAN
I START TO CREATE STORIES?

OH, BEFORE I FINISH, THOUGH,
I ALMOST FORGOT.

THERE'S SOLILOQUY,

AND THAT'S WHEN A PERSON--

IT'S A VERY COMPLEX KIND OF
A GENRE

WHERE A PERSON DELIVERS
A SOLO KIND OF PERFORMANCE.

AND YOU PROBABLY
SAW JULIANNA FJELD

WHEN SHE WAS TELLING HER
SOLILOQUY.

IT WAS JUST FASCINATING.

AND PATRICK GRAYBILL TOLD ONE

ABOUT THE EVILS OF
CHEWING TOBACCO.

AND SO I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT--

THAT'S A REAL TOUGH ONE
TO MASTER.

SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO START OUT

WITH SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT
MORE SIMPLE.

NOW, IF WE TALK ABOUT
FINGERSPELLING IN STORIES,

I'D LIKE TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS
ABOUT THAT.

IT'S IMPORTANT WHEN YOU THINK
ABOUT FINGERSPELLING

NOT TO USE TOO MUCH.

YOU HAVE TO REALLY RESTRICT
HOW MANY THINGS YOU'LL GO AHEAD

AND FINGERSPELL.

IF YOU WANT
TO EMPHASIZE SOMETHING,

YOU MIGHT GO AHEAD
AND FINGERSPELL A WORD,

LIKE "ALIEN" OR SOMETHING
LIKE THAT

THAT WOULD BE USED IN A STORY.

SO YOU DON'T REALLY USE IT
THAT MUCH.

AND WHEN YOU DO FINGERSPELL,

YOU SHOULD DO IT VERY SLOWLY,
THOUGH,

AND IN A PRONOUNCED WAY.

AND OTHER THINGS I'VE SEEN
IS THAT

WHEN YOU'RE TELLING A STORY,
YOU HAVE TO KNOW

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PANTOMIME
AND TELLING A STORY ITSELF.

WE CERTAINLY CAN INCORPORATE
PARTS OF PANTOMIME,

BUT WHEN YOU'RE TELLING
A STORY--FOR EXAMPLE,

TALKING ABOUT A MONKEY--
IF YOU TAKE ON

THE CHARACTERISTIC OF A MONKEY
AND JUST JUMP AROUND,

THAT'S NOT REALLY PART OF
THE STORY.

THAT'S A DESCRIPTION OF
THE MONKEY ITSELF

WHEN IT'S SCRATCHING ITSELF
AND HOW IT DOES THAT.

THAT'S FINE IF IT'S A PART OF
THE STORY.

BUT IF YOU JUST BECOME
COMPLETELY THE ANIMAL ITSELF,

THAT GOES ACROSS THE LINE
INTO PANTOMIME

RATHER THAN STORYTELLING.

NOW, ONE THING I HADN'T THOUGHT
ABOUT BEFORE,

BUT IN "NANCY DREW" STORIES,

YOU SEE THAT THINGS COME IN
AND MIME AS THAT.

AND MAYBE THAT'S IMPORTANT.

I'M NOT SO SURE...

THAT YOU SHOULD MIME IT
AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

SO WE NEED TO DO SOME RESEARCH
IN THAT.

SO I HAVE A LOT OF SUGGESTIONS
WITH STRATEGIES,

AND THEY'RE ALL INCLUDED IN
THE OUTLINE THAT I HAVE

AVAILABLE FOR YOU HERE.

YOU MIGHT WANT TO TAKE A LOOK
AT THEM YOURSELVES

AND THINK ABOUT THEM.

THANKS SO MUCH.

AND I WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND THAT

IF YOU LOOK AT CARTOONS
THAT HAVE NO WORDS TO THEM--

AND I'LL SHOW YOU ONE HERE
ON OVERHEAD--

THOSE ARE GOOD TO START WITH
TO PRACTICE DESCRIBING THEM

IN THE MIRROR.

ONE OF MY FAVORITES IS,
ONCE I'VE DONE IT,

I LOOK IN THE MIRROR
AND LOOK AT MYSELF,

AND THEN I REALIZE IT DOESN'T
LOOK SO GREAT.

SO I TEST IT OUT ON MY CHILDREN
AND MY FAMILY

AND PEOPLE WHO KNOW ASL.

AND IF THEY LOOK AT ME LIKE THEY
DON'T GET IT,

THEN I KNOW I'VE GOT TO DO
SOMETHING ELSE TO MAKE SURE

THAT IT REALLY EXPRESSES
IT WELL.

SO I KEEP TRYING UNTIL I'VE GOT
IT ADAPTED TO A POINT, YOU KNOW.

AND, OF COURSE, THESE THINGS ARE
NEVER THE SAME.

YOU'RE ALWAYS WORKING ON THEM
TO MAKE THEM BETTER.

OK. SO IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT
THIS CARTOON UP HERE,

THERE ARE NO WORDS.

AND SO YOU COULD USE SOMETHING
LIKE THAT

TO GET YOU STARTED ON HOW TO
EXPRESS THINGS.

BECAUSE THAT WAY, YOU WON'T
GET BOGGED DOWN IN ENGLISH

IF YOU LOOK AT ENGLISH, THEN
IT'S VERY HARD TO BE CREATIVE.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT SOMETHING
LIKE THIS WITHOUT ENGLISH,

THEN THAT MAKES IT A LOT EASIER.

WE MIGHT WANT TO LOOK
AT A COUPLE OF THINGS

THAT HAVE JUST A COUPLE OF
SENTENCES

OR LOOK AT FOLKLORE
AND TRY TO TAKE ON

THE CHARACTER
OF THE PERSON

AND CHANGE BEFORE CHARACTERS.

OR PERHAPS YOU MIGHT WANT TO
LOOK AT CHILDREN'S STORYBOOKS

THAT HAVE ONE OR TWO LINES

AND PONDER HOW YOU COULD TELL
THOSE STORIES.

AND I DO HAVE A BOOK HERE

THAT I REALLY RECOMMEND.

AND IT HAS SOME REALLY GOOD
STORYTELLING THINGS IN HERE.

AND IT WOULD BE GOOD
TO PRACTICE THEM.

SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE
ABOUT IT,

I DO HAVE AN ADDRESS WHERE YOU
COULD GET HOLD OF THIS BOOK

IF YOU'D LIKE.

AND I'LL PUT THAT UP ON
THE SCREEN.

NOW, I HAVE SHARED WITH YOU
SOME IDEAS

AND, ON THE OVERHEAD, HOW YOU
CAN START.

BUT I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT
CHILDREN

WHO ARE BEING MAINSTREAMED,

AND I'M SO CONCERNED THAT MAYBE
WE'RE GONNA LOSE THIS,

THAT CHILDREN AREN'T GOING
TO HAVE

DEAF STORYTELLING.

SO WE'VE GOT TO DO
SOMETHING MORE.

AND SO I REALIZE IT'S REALLY
CRITICAL TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE

TO GO INTO THE SCHOOLS
AND TELL STORIES

TO THEIR CHILDREN

AND TO PASS ON
THAT ORAL TRADITION

THROUGH THE GENERATIONS.

I HAVE SOME OTHER STRATEGIES
OF HOW TO DO THAT,

AND I'M SURE THAT YOU COULD
THINK OF SOME YOURSELF.

AND EVEN IF YOU DON'T WORK
IN A SCHOOL OR A COMMUNITY,

YOU COULD STILL VOLUNTEER
YOUR SERVICES

TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDREN.

MAYBE IN A PUBLIC LIBRARY
OR AT A CARNIVAL, A STATE FAIR,

AND GO WITH AN INTERPRETER
AND DO IT.

WE REALLY NEED TO GET
THIS WORD OUT

AND DO MORE OF IT FOR CHILDREN.

SALDANA: WHERE AM I?

I ENTER THROUGH A PORTAL

AND WALK ALONG A LANDSCAPE.

OVER THERE, A STATELY DEER
REGARDS ME.

AND AS I LOOK AT THIS LANDSCAPE
AND WORK MY WAY THROUGH IT,

I NOTICE THE PORTAL IS
DIMINISHING,

GETTING SMALLER
AND FADING INTO THE BACKGROUND.

A BEAUTIFUL GLITTERING STREAM
FLOWS NEARBY.

I CROUCH NEAR
THE STREAM'S WATERS

AND GATHER IT IN MY HAND
TO REFRESH MYSELF.

AND AS I REACH DOWN
FOR MORE WATER,

I SEE REFLECTED IN THE WATER
THE SHAPE OF EARS AND A SNOUT,

GLITTERING EYES
AND A SALIVATING MAW,

BREATHING HEAVILY.

AS I MOVE, THE WOLF MOVES.

AND I RETREAT AND THEN START
TO RUN, THE WOLF IN HOT PURSUIT.

I RUN AS FAST I CAN, FEELING
HIS PANTING BREATH BEHIND ME

AS I MAKE MY WAY THROUGH
THE TREES, THROUGH THE FOREST

WITH HIM SO CLOSE BEHIND.

AND I SEE ANOTHER PORTAL.

AND I RUN TOWARDS IT AS FAST
AS I CAN TO ESCAPE THE WOLF,

WHO'S GAINING ON ME.

FASTER I GO UNTIL I THROW MYSELF
THROUGH

AND ARRIVE ON THE OTHER SIDE
TO A DARK SPACE ALL AROUND ME.

AND I LOOK AT MYSELF
AS IF SEPARATE FROM MYSELF.

THIS PORTAL HAS DISAPPEARED,
AND I'M LYING THERE.

ALL IS DARKNESS,

AND I FEEL SOMEBODY TUGGING
AT MY ARM.

"HEY, HEY!" TUGGING AT MY ARM.

"YO, YOU SLEPT TOO LATE.
COME ON. GET UP.

WE GOT TO GET OUT OF HERE."

"WHAT? WHAT? LEAVE ME ALONE."

AND THEN AS I SIT UP IN BED
AND MY FRIEND TURNS,

I SEE BEHIND HIM A WAGGING,
LONG, FURRY TAIL.

AAH!

"This project is supported by a Digitizing Hidden Collections grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR). The grant program is made possible by funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation."