Sign Language Interpreter Signs Gibberish at Mandela's Funeral

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The investigation into Thamsanqa Jantjie, the sign language interpreter at Nelson Mandela's memorial, revealed significant concerns regarding his qualifications and mental fitness. Jantjie, who has a history of schizophrenia, was accused of signing gibberish, failing to convey any recognizable sign language during the event. The South African Deputy Minister, Bogopane-Zulu, indicated that while Jantjie had some knowledge of sign language, he was overwhelmed and unable to translate effectively. The incident has raised serious questions about the vetting processes for interpreters at high-profile events.

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zoobyshoe
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Weirdly hilarious, albeit a little scary:

The vetting of a sign language interpreter who got within three feet of world leaders including President Barack Obama during Nelson Mandela's memorial was being investigated Thursday after organizers admitted they were unaware of his violent history of schizophrenic episodes.
Thamsanqa Jantjie, 34, was accused of gesticulating gibberish during Tuesday's service. Members of the deaf community said his movements did not resemble any recognized form of sign language and some groups accused him of being a "fake."...

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/12/12/21873839-violent-sign-language-interpreters-access-to-obama-triggers-investigation
 
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zoobyshoe said:
Weirdly hilarious, albeit a little scary:
Not all that funny if he and his friends suspected you of stealing a TV. Being tied up and treated to a tire "necklace" to be burned alive is not a great punishment.
 
I saw it, I don't know sign language but I noticed he was doing the same thing over and over..
 
turbo said:
Not all that funny if he and his friends suspected you of stealing a TV. Being tied up and treated to a tire "necklace" to be burned alive is not a great punishment.
Yeah, obviously I meant the fact he was signing gibberish and no one seems to have checked his suitability.
 
I don't find that funny at all - he detracted from an important event.
 
Jimmy Kimmel had a real interpreter interpret the interpreter. Definitely gibberish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-DxGoIVUWo
 
There was an interview with the guy broadcast on BBC news. Apparently he has schizophrenia. He claimed he was "seeing angels coming into the stadium" during the event, etc, etc.

If the US security services let Obama get close to a fruitcake with a history of violence, I guess that just proves they weren't doing their job very well either.

The company that supplied him to sign the event has apparently vanished. Maybe the angels took it away somewhere to keep it safe :smile:
 
BTW, the courts didn't prosecute him for murder along with his 2 companions for burning a couple of men alive because he was found mentally unfit for trial. How is he remotely fit to be in close proximity to world leaders?
 
You could probably make a list of "world leaders" who are mentally unfit for trial as well - and some of them might even have been leaders of South Africa in the past.
 
  • #10
Borg said:
Jimmy Kimmel had a real interpreter interpret the interpreter. Definitely gibberish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-DxGoIVUWo
So, he apparently knows some authentic signs, he was just stringing them together at random. He signed, "cigarette" at least three times, apparently, which obviously could have nothing to do with anything in the speeches.

A South African Deputy Minister said (from my link above):

“I do not think he was just picked up off the street, he was from a school for the deaf," Bogopane-Zulu added. “Whoever saw him being able to communicate with his deaf peers, with his deaf friends, understood that he can speak sign language. [But] he could not translate. English was a bit too much for him…he became overwhelmed."

So, somehow he created the impression to non-signing people that he could sign well, and had been hired to do this before.
 
  • #11
Speaking as a south african I can say that my country has always been.. lax when it comes to hiring people. Virtually every politician here is either guilty of murder, nepotism or corruption. I'm assuming they didn't vet the majority of the staff there properly to save money.
 

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