Speech for the deaf

The Minister of Broadcasting, Dr Shearer, was getting in some last-minute swot on sign language, in his Beehive office today, from a member of his staff, Mrs Cheryl Rushworth.

The minister will use sign language tonight when he speaks in Auckland to an audience made up mainly of deaf people.

He will give the first two sentences of his speech both in sign language and orally, and the rest of his speech will be translated by somebody else into sign language for him.

Dr Shearer said he had been learning the language for only about two weeks from Mrs Rushworth during morning and afternoon tea breaks. She had learned sign language from a cousin in Christchurch, and later from a deaf Johnsonville woman, Mrs Pam Witko.

After that short time, Dr Shearer said he knows the alphabet — there is a sign for each letter — and the single signs for a number of words.

Dr Shearer has chosen an appropriate two sentences to convey to his audience of deaf and hearing listeners. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. The ability of all of us to communicate is vital to the understanding of every need.”