[JITF2020] Welcome to the World of Communicating with the Hands and Listening with the Eyes

Chiharu Tani

Born in Tokyo in 1960.  Discovered sign language in high school days.  Served as NHK sign language newscaster and instructor of sign language courses on television. Currently serves as Vice-President of the not-for-profit Sign Language Proficiency Test Association and as a part-time lecturer at the Japan College of Social Work.  

His hobbies are enjoying “rakugo” (traditional comic story telling), wine and yachting.

Welcome to the World of Communicating with the Hands and Listening with the Eyes

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, we live at a time when it is taken for granted that sign language interpretation should be provided not only for press conferences of prefectural governors in Japan but also for announcements by overseas leaders and other such occasions.

Once one experiences the world of sign language, one discovers many interesting things.

Foer instance, “thank you” is expressed by the chopping gesture made by Sumo wrestlers when receiving an award, “Yamanashi Prefecture” is signed as “grape prefecture” and “I did not notice” is coded as “eyes are cheap.” Though there are new discoveries when learning any language, the many differences between a vocal language and a visual language using space can be surprising.  The speaker will guide you through the mysterious and intriguing world of sign language.