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Sign language interpreter: How do you explain "incidence" to the deaf?

2021-04-13T08:23:05.180Z


Constantly new rules also mean constantly new terms. Claudia Franz is an interpreter for sign language, for example for Saxony's prime minister. How does she turn the words of the pandemic into pictures?


Expand the video transcript area

Claudia Franz builds pictures with hands.

As an interpreter, she translates the words of the Saxon Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer into sign language.

The corona pandemic has ensured that she has to use new terms.

There is no lexicon or a central point - the images for it are created in the community of the deaf.

Claudia Franz:

"

The pandemic surprised us all, so that, for example, the term 'corona' was derived from the image of what the corona virus looks like.

It's round and around it is a crown.

And that's why Corona is signed like this.

I do it slowly like this.

This has meanwhile also established itself internationally.

«

We'll just take Robert, then we'll take the cook, and then we'll add the institute.

So we can get the information across very quickly.

And the deaf person knows that this is an institute called Robert Koch, because we take the gesture for the cook with us.

«

Lockdown is a very interesting gesture.

We imagine the picture, everything is closed, everything is closed, and everything is shut down.

Quiet.

And from that the sign arose: Lockdown.

«

The challenge: some of the new terms that are central to the pandemic are easier to translate, others are more difficult.

“The

incidence is the new infections to 100,000 within seven days.

We had no sign for this process.

At first I had the sign: seven days, number like this.

That has not established itself.

This number has become established for the incidence in Germany.

After at some point there was the opportunity to explain the content of this term.

That is actually not a sign, because it is the 'i' of the finger alphabet, the incidence is now like this across Germany.

Always with a face.

«

At a press conference in the state parliament, Franz takes turns with her colleague every five to six minutes.

In tandem, they manage to keep up with the high speed of the spoken language.

At the first PK on the pandemic in March 2020, however, she was solely responsible for Prime Minister Kretschmer, stood directly behind him and had to speak for 20 minutes at a time.

Michael Kretschmer:

»

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

Today we completed a cabinet meeting on the important topic of Corona and measures by the state government and will have a debate on this tomorrow in the Saxon state parliament.

«

Meanwhile, Franz translates the words of the parliamentarians from the home office.

Since the new Corona rules and regulations contain a lot of facts, teamwork remains important.

Claudia Franz observes her colleagues in other federal states.

Coronavirus, incidence and pandemic are apparently translated the same nationwide.

It is not safe at the Robert Koch Institute.

Source: spiegel

All life articles on 2021-04-13

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