How do we start?
Let's start at the beginning!
First I will introduce myself and
then I would like to explain my work
in relations to sign language
and the deaf community.
But don't think I want to torture you.
What I want to do is help you.
Because in the future, one day when I die, if one day
walking down the street
you see a statue, maybe
the face might look familiar but
you might wonder, "Who was that?"
You look around an at the base you see
a plaque that says....
What does it say? Let's ee...
R-a-m-o-n F-e-r-r-e-r-o-n-s.
Bad luck!
Because the plaque doesn't tell you
what my personal sign was.
But don't worry, I will tell you know.
This is my personal sign: ... Okay?
Good, long ago
in the middle of the 20th century, more or less
I was born.
And I am a little bit disappointed,
a bit sad
that the Romans and Vikings
were already extinct.
I was born and raised
in a tiny flat
full of family
it was totally crowded.
Among my family
there was a very interesting person,
a deaf person.
The two of us
were first cousins.
He is the reason
I am so interested
in sign language.
But don't publish this.
Please: it's a secret!
Ok. It's a secret. And then what?
Later, when I was bigger
life took us down different paths.
I got into politics
I got married, had a couple of kids.
Where does your personal sign come from?
My cousin gave me my sign
and he is 3 and half years older than me.
When I was little, if I cried for something
my cousin would tell my father or mother
signing that "the one with a dummy is crying"
and using this sign.
As an adult I attended courses
on Catalan sign language
for the pleasure of learning it well
and have the 3 levels at the time.
I enjoyed it.
And so there I was
And when Boronat, my teacher
for the first level,
asked me if I had a sign and
I said: "No idea. But when I was little I had
this one:"
He laughed and suggested that it would be better
if I moved my finger tip to my chin.
This is the deaf goose!
An article about Goya published in the press...
The figures of the hand of Goya. Then you explain more to us.
The action of the LSC Platform Now
at the Congress of Sign Language,
in 7 or 8 years.
It was a very long process.
With Segimon,
we published our point of view
in magazine from La Caixa.
What was your first research about deaf people?
This was probably the first article about
the deaf community.
This is by Bonet.
This other is a compendium from the confrences at congress.
And we have the biography of J.M. Segimon's father.
Interesting! Show us more!
Etymology of the days of the week?
The signs for the 7 days of the week
have a reason behind them.
The sign for the first day, Monday, in LSC...,
comes from the old custom
of holding bullfights on Mondays.
And the craftsmen
from all different trades (shoemakers, carpenter, etc.)
Had a holiday on Sunday
but also on Monday
so they could go see the bulls.
In Madrid in LSE, they use a similar sign.
Both signing communities (LSE and LSC)
associate Monday with bulls.
As for Tuesday and Wednesday
I will talk about them in the end.
The reference for the sign for Thursday, I think is clear
cutlery, and
how it is set on the table.
Before, Thursday was the day of the week
of eating well and having a good meal
normally, a pot of rice.
Nowadays, people usually have paella
but before rice was made
with chicken or whatever else
but rice because the
next day one ate fish.
No just fish: small fish. The commoners
didn't eat fish often.
The sign and movement for Friday
are the same sign as for small fish.
Saturday is clear. It was when
the men had to get
shaved at the barber.
The meaning behind Sunday is obvious:
the sign of the cross on the forehead for going to mass.
Before there were other symbols
the one that represented the action of dipping your fingers
in holy water and making the sign of the cross, among others.
For the signs for Tuesday and Wednesday
it is more difficult
to figure out the origin.
I finally figured out
that Tuesday is the second day of the week
just like February is the second month of the year.
And how is February made up?
It is the same as Tuesday
the day that is also in
the second position.
Wednesday follows the same logic.
It is the 3rd day of the week right?
It has the same configuration as March.
And this....
Wednesday
The sign went out of my mind!
But that is why they look so much the same.
And have you written anything else?
Wow, you have worked. This dictionary is famous.
I worked for 5 years
but not continuous.
Of true work, maybe two or three years
The rest of the time I spent it
looking for an editor that would publish it.
But I ran into a lot of difficulties.
I think it is an interesting piece.
I don't know if other sign languages
have a similar publication.
This dictionary is about
the origen of the signs.
For example, the origin of the sign THERE IS:
comes from oscillation and shape
of the long Roman arm.
That scale, you know
that you hold with one hand or that you hang
depends on an uncentred support.
When there is nothing to weigh
the pillar at the end of the long arm
holds the instrument up.
When there is something on the scale, the arm
where the pillar moves
until it is horizontal.
The movement indicates that there is weight: that THERE IS.
How interesting! And another example?
And well....the sign CANNOT reminds us
of a popular balance test
that is given to suspected drunks: touch your nose
with your wriist and your knee with you little finger.
To do it you need to bend your leg and if your are under the influence,
you can't. That where we get the sign CANNOT.
I do not can! And examples of a more specific field?
Here we have insults and some other words.
For example the sign for SHOW-OFF.
Do you know where it comes from?
When a male pigeon tries to impress a female pigeon
it puffs out its chest and struts
to show its power and strength.
A show-off like the pigeon
is vain and wants to be seen.
Another example: the sign for CHILDISH
This is a sign that looks like
an old fashioned puppet
different than the classics.
It was inside a cone
with a stick to hold it and a string
that when you pull it, it raises its arms.
How curious? Any other work?
This is a biography by Imma Codorniu,
Carlos García's wife
my cousin.
Judit Farrerons, co-wrote the book...
But first let me explain to it how it went.
Imma shares her experiences
with Catalan sign language
which Judit translated really well into Catalan
and organized into chapters.
But they had doubts about titles
and things such as form and style
so they asked me to participate
and finally finish off the book.
So that is what I did.
I think all together, it is pretty interesting.
Biography of a Catalan deaf. Besides, you have a blog, right?
I have a blog where I write about different things
one of which is the deaf community
and sign language.
Earlier you began to explain something to us about a painting by Goya..
I discovered the alphabet drawn by Goya.
I discovered that Goya had
done a study on hands
titled “Les cifras de la mano”.
Cifras: means number really
perhaps it is signs of a secret language?
I needed to see the work. Where could it be?
Well it is part of a collection
of a private museum in Madrid
that did not want publicity.
With one look I had enough
to understand that it was a signed alphabet
without any doubt.
Then it became public
since the Year of Goya was coming to an end.
And it was shared
through different kinds of media
newspapers, television, and others.
That how it went.
And once that drawing had been seen, there was no debate
about it being the signed alphabet.
Thank you very much for having us. Anything to add?
I think that Catalan sign language
is currently regressing.
Finally, I would like to make a proposal
the those who use it.
If I compare the signed alphabet
that was used when I was little
with current sign language, there are some differences.
There are some who have no interest.
For example, P back then was made like this....
X, like this.. T, like this.. It's true!
There are others that in exchange I think
would still be valid today.
But with the U, X, or....
But wait a minute!
Let me think.
The old signed alphabet was clearer.
The current sign for U
looks like a written letter V.
It doesn't make sense.
The old U actually made more sense
Another example:
the sign for F.
So easy to confuse
with the sign for T.
And this F comes from
the cross of PROMISE.
I think the old sing was better.
it was clearer.
Today in some cases it is still used.
In the field of cinema
in the beginning of the word "end."
Which indicates that the film is over.
It is this F...
Since it is clearer.
Finally the sign for Y, requires
requires skills.
It is not comfortable to make. Almost impossible.
Before a different sign was used
that looked like this....
It is borrowed from French sign language but it contributes nothing.
This is much easier right?
Well, I think that's all...
To read more or buy a book, here: