Sign Language and Grice

Speranza

Sign Language and Grice

http://www.aol.com/article/2013/12/12/interpreter-for-mandela-event-i-was-ha
llucinating/
20787079/?icid=maing-grid7%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D418440
JOHANNESBURG  (AP) -

"The man accused of faking sign interpretation next to world  leaders at
Nelson Mandela's memorial told a local newspaper that he was  hallucinating
and hearing voices."

"Thamsanqa Jantjie did not describe  his qualifications for being a sign
language interpreter, but told The Star he  works for an interpreting company
that paid him $85 for interpreting Tuesday's  event."

"He told Radio 702 Thursday he's receiving treatment for  schizophrenia and
had an episode while on stage."

"Jantjie did not  address allegations by sign language experts that he
faked interpretation for  the Mandela memorial attended by scores of world
leaders and broadcast  internationally."

"The Star quoted him as saying: "I tried to control  myself and not show
the world what was going on. I am very sorry, it's the  situation I found
myself in."" 

It may be  claimed that sign-language is a complex thing, and the case of
Thamsanga Jantjie  may provoke the philosopher of language and communication
into what he  (Thamsanga Jantjie) was actually 'meaning' (if anything) -- or
even  'signifying'.

Is 'sign language' a redundancy? It isn't for Grice who  claims, rather
arbitrarily to some, that 'words are NOT signs' (as he used the  words 'sign'
and  'word').

Cheers.

 

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References:

Grice on  'Meaning'.