This “sign language interpreter” at Tuesday’s memorial service for Nelson Mandela was just waving his arms around and not actually saying a damn thing. Bruno Druchen, national director of the Deaf Federation of South Africa tweeted his suspicions of the man, calling him a “CLOWN interpreter.”
Thus starting a frenzy to figure out who this guy is and how he got up there; the answers to such questions remaining unknown.
One thing we do know for sure, according to AP:
Four sign language experts, including Druchen, said the man was not signing in South African or American sign languages and could not have been signing in any other known sign language because there was no structure to his arm and hand movements. South African sign language covers all of the country’s 11 official languages, according to the federation.
So this guy is up there, next to major world leaders such as Barack Obama and is making meaningless hand motions like a goon. Not a good look in honoring one of the world’s greatest leaders, but you got to admit, it’s pretty funny.
