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From: lwmson@scn.org (SCN User)
Subject: More ways to say yes and no
Message-ID: <DFEB24.EMK@scn.org>
Sender: news@scn.org
Organization: Seattle Community Network
Date: Sun, 24 Sep 1995 05:54:03 GMT
Lines: 24


American Sign Language also has some interesting examples of
negations that are not an explicit "no."  For a whole set of
yes/no questions, the appropriate negative response is something
that translates roughly as "not yet."  (But unlike the English
phrase "not yet," there is no implication that the event is
imminent, expected, or even likely.)  So, the correct negative
response to questions such as "Do you know how to ski?"  "Have
you been to California?"  "Did you know/have you heard that
Joe won the election?" is, roughly translated, "not yet."  "No"
would only be an acceptable response if the event was totally
impossible and COULD NOT happen.  [This way of responding is]
often troublesome for interpreters, particularly in legal settings,
where the misunderstanding of "not yet" can lead attorneys and
judges to the mistaken impression that the Deaf person means
he/she would or could have committed the crime (or whathaveyou),
given just a little more time, information, etc.  In that 
circumstance, a more correct interpretation of "not yet" would be
to answer "no" - the answer the English-speaking people expect -
but sign language interpreters often gloss rather than interpret
completely between the two languages.]

Linda Williamson, CSC
(Certified American Sign Language Interpreter for 15+ years)
