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Workshop - Sign Language Humour

  • Remark! 18 Leather Lane London, EC1N 7SU United Kingdom (map)

Friday 1st December 2023

9am - 5pm

Gavin Lilley

Cost £110 this will award 8 CPD points

Suitable for Level 3+, TSLI, TSLT, RSLI and RSLT as well Deaf people.

Attending this workshop will award 8 CPD points.

• What is the difference between deaf and hearing humour?

• What constitutes “funny” in sign language?

• Can spoken humour work in sign language and vice versa?

Summary

This one day workshop led by deaf stand-up comedian Gavin Lilley explores the concept of humour within spoken and signed languages and whether it can be efficiently interpreted.

About the Trainer

Gavin has been doing stand up shows all over the UK and Europe with a fast growing fan base. He delivers his humour in a variety of sign languages, including BSL and international signing. Having grown up with a love for spoken stand up comedy, he brings the concept of what is usually a fast-spoken, punchline and innuendo filled setting to the sign language community. He recently appeared on ITV alongside the renowned John Bishop and continues to work with him on this very topic.

Workshop Content

The workshop is sure to be a lot of fun! We will look at examples of both deaf and hearing humour and discuss strategies on how this would work for the other audience. There will be a range of video material from stand up comedians and comedy programmes that we will analyse as a group on our journey of discovery. We will particularly look at sign language and how it can be made “funny” through use of complex morphology, syntax and a range of grammatical features. How important is facial expression and body language when it comes to making people laugh? How can you explain sound based humour to deaf people? The workshop will take a range of formats from pair work, group tasks, receptive and productive exercises and a lot of discussion. Don’t worry, you won’t be expected to do a stand up show at the end! (Maybe Gavin will!)

Work Related Aims

Whether you are a hearing or deaf sign language interpreter / translator, this workshop will be sure to benefit your careers in sign language. You’ll be more confident in recognising signed or spoken humour, innuendos and learn how these can be appropriately translated or interpreted. This will develop your skills in interaction and understand how to recognise when one wants to lighten the mood in otherwise tense work meetings or presentations.

Learning Objectives

At the end of the workshop, participants will:

  • Develop an understanding of deaf and hearing humour and explore efficient ways of bringing them closer together.

  • Gain an insight in how spoken and sign humour works and how to relay this in other languages.

  • Achieve new standards in translation, conversation, presentation and receptive skills with their own signed language.

  • Participants will have the confidence to engage in humour and light-hearted dialogue in work settings.

Location

18 Leather Lane, London EC1N 7SU

Cost

£110

All major debit / credit cards accepted

 
Earlier Event: 13 November
Free Sign Language Class - November