sum signsinging weeks ago posted following query taiwan tv program people compete see best singer different categories different types songs languages etc one category sign singing tape song played signer signs along words song seen compete deaf wondering common countries criteria judging best also done people deaf thanks received number interesting responses jane edwards edwards cogsci berkeley edu thought pertaining contests even singing matter saw something pbs couple months back wanted mention showed music appreciation class taught totally deaf high school kids wearing pad back converts acoustic output pressure stimulation students dancing music commenting different types music nt singing signing perhaps could jakob dempsey jakob u washington edu one largest popular choruses seattle regularly signlanguage interpreter stage performances particular one long time deaf seems also appeal lot general audience expressive exaggerated style midori yonezawa yonezawa student msu edu believe sign singing contest music shared everybody natural want show different expressions learned japanese sign language japan little bit sometimes practiced sign singing went concerts singers professional shanson singers shanson french loan japanese concert every year handicapped deaf people singers sang sign language time sang vocally singers nt interpreter sign language stage noticed surprised ways expressing sing language different occasions e g fast slow soft pressing emotional calm etc etc also remember tv program nhk equipment help difficulty hearing technical group developed equipment hear music peggy swartzel lott pslott utxvms cc utexas edu sign language interpreter interpreter coordinator san diego california quite todo years back issue song sign first remember encountering song sign early mid 70 groups deaf performers e musign toured country performing popular songs sign along recorded sound tracks later pair excellent performers sharon neumann solow gary sanderson individuals raised deaf parents fluent asl toured performed songs sign controversy san diego centered local annual song sign competition hosted area rid branch sanscrid competition open public established general deaf awareness activity raise funds various purposes prizes given best individual song best group etc performance competition quite popular seemed growing attendance participation year group deaf people contested competition various grounds points remember best objection personally found issues compelling actual performances offensive native signers way putting sign music distorted linguistic aesthetic dynamics asl order make signed narrative conform lyrics song translate simultaneously recorded music many grammatical patterns normal signing altered often performance bore little resemblance normal signing great debate community issue certain deaf people many hearing interpreters sign students defended practice song sign insisted allowed exercise artistic talents playing signing way others felt song sign provided important bridge enabled many uninformed hearing people become aware appreciate beauty signing community divided issue eventuall whole thing dropped meantime however certain concerns deaf people brought surface continued source discussion issues right make poetic use signing sorts alterations signing style acceptable native users found whole debate quite interesting genuinely convinced argument deaf people opposed practice richard arnold richard arnold vuw ac nz new zealand annual new zealand sign langauge story telling competition mostly competitors deaf codas also partipate well yet see hearing compete however know deaf nz sign language second language learnt later adult life also participate winners usually quite fluent nzsl criteria judging understanding follows signing clear audience signer get audiences attention story well structured story within time limits set usually 3 minutes signer keep rules usually consists dirty jokes overzealous religious contexts competitior must give title story state type ie true story joke story sad story true story etc story exceeds time limit point deducted however signer interrupted exceeds limit allowed complete story unless really long sometimes end winner popular audience asked repeat give another story signsinging common among deaf community far aware mostly done religious situations think nt strong component deaf culture however storytelling strong part deaf culture especially making jokes lighthearted teasing anyway thats deaf experience new zealand karina bingham karina uhunix uhcc hawaii edu african american cappella group called sweet honey rock fulltime signer group performs signs interpretations songs recently published book 25th anniversary reagon bernice johnson long journey home 1994 signer discusses experiences deaf community deaf church congregation sang sign parents deaf marina mcintire mmcintir lynx dac neu edu inadvertently touched upon tender issue deaf community us first let say us seen phenomenon brits deaf hearing work confounded amused us used quite thing translate songs develop routines go produce recitals concerts like arose likely strong churchrelated tradition helpers deaf people last ten fifteen years however deaf people begun liberation song signing casualty large viewed representing one aspect pathological clinical view deafness e worst loss resulting deafness music course far truth culturally deaf people music peculiarity belonging mainstream hearing world consequence lives whatsoever motive helping deaf people appreciate missing acceptable another complaint large translations influenced rhythm music sense might make asl presenting deaf audiences nonsensical distorted versions signs signed syntax arises partly course difficulty translating poetry language worst perhaps puzzling deaf people insistence songsigners including things like tra la la humming nothing could make less sense deaf audience say seen wonderful songsign translations done including rather elegant dance routines sometimes done deaf people sometimes hearing folks large however practice longer acceptable pasttime community exceptions made ironically interpreters work theater musical productions general inclusion dance interesting visual event costume props etc quite popular wellattended comparatively speaking deaf theatregoers many thanks replied randy lapolla institute history philology academia sinica