OK
here's some sign language for you.
Mr
Tumble, a kids TV presenter on the BBC's Something Special,
greets deaf preschool children by rubbing the palms of his
hands together between his thumb and index finger. He's
even smiling from ear to ear when he does it.
It
all seems very innocent.
He's
saying 'I'm happy to see you', in the Makaton sign
language.
Unfortunately,
there are different versions of sign language.
The
language Mr Tumble is using is one designed for children
with learning difficulties.
According
to some reports we have seen on the internet, the same sign
in British Sign Language, the much more common version of
sign language, means
"I'm
fucking you!"
It
appears that the problem was helpfully brought to the attention
of the world's media by an employee of the Royal National
Institute for the Deaf (RNID) who claims to have been watching
the show with his 5 year-old daughter. She asked him what
the sign meant.
Reports
are that the RNID had advised the BBC that there could be
confusion caused by using Makaton, rather than British Sign
Language...
Priceless...
