Sign language interpreter delivered gibberish in Florida

ABC ^ | Dec 4, 2017 | AP

[Gamecock]

Hearing-impaired people tuning in to a news conference about the arrest of a suspected serial killer last week in Florida got a message of gibberish from an American Sign Language interpreter.

As Tampa police Chief Brian Dugan announced the arrest of Howell Donaldson Wednesday night, interpreter Derlyn Roberts was there beside him, making signs that made no sense.

"She sat up there and waved her arms like she was singing Jingle Bells," Rachell Settambrino, who is deaf and teaches American Sign Language at the University of South Florida, told the Tampa Bay Times through an interpreter.

In 2013 in South Africa, a fake interpreter appeared beside former President Barak Obama and other world leaders during a memorial service for Nelson Mandela, apparently signing gibberish. He later said he is schizophrenic and had seen angels descending in the stadium where the event took place.

[ConservativeWarrior]

Kramer.

[beergarden]

“In 2013 in South Africa, a fake interpreter appeared beside former President Barak Obama”

What’s the big deal? He appeared beside a fake president too.

[Gamecock]

[Gamecock]

See 4

[Magnum44]

Should have hired this guy

[Pollard]

maybe she was signing bilingually. English and Espanol

[Red Badger]

“murder bush “

Well we know she was a Democrat................

[COBOL2Java]

It is the most recent example of an apparently unqualified signer appearing at news conferences. In September, as Hurricane Irma approached Florida and officials announced a mandatory evacuation, an interpreter in nearby Manatee County began signing words like "pizza," ''monster" and "bear," along with other gibberish.

Hey, wait a minute, LOL. There are legitimate signs for those three words!

---

...Manatee County officials later said they were in a pinch and called on a county employee who had an understanding of sign language because he communicates with his deaf brother. However, it quickly became apparent he was in over his head. The deaf community demanded an apology and the video of the news conference went viral.

Sign interpretation is damned hard to do, especially for news conferences like that. Too bad Florida doesn't require ASL interpreters to be certified through RID.

[aquila48]

I be right! It was ebonics sign language.

[Balding_Eagle]

Ebonics?

[backwoods-engineer]

Affirmative. Action. Hiring.

Causes troubles the whole world over.

Competence first.

[piasa]

Could have been Ebonics for the Deaf

[Skooz]

He later said he is schizophrenic and had seen angels descending in the stadium where the event took place.

That's my go to when called upon to answer a question in an office meeting.

[Enchante]

His signing probably made more sense than anything uttered by Obozo.

[moovova]

Affirmative Action sign language.

I’d love to say that’s gotta be a first...but I’d be wrong.

[Enchante]

"He later said he is schizophrenic and had seen angels descending in the stadium where the event took place."

Maybe Colon Krapperdick could offer this excuse and try to get his NFL career back....

[NohSpinZone]

Thing is the cops are claiming that they didn’t even hire her for her services. They seem to be clueless as to how or why she was there. Bizarre.

[Steely Tom]

I think “signing” translators for the deaf was one of those SJW fads that came and went.

It “went” about 30 years ago, replaced by something else.

[dfwgator]

But was it Authentic Frontier Gibberish?