Humor and stories for interpreters: The world of Deaf humor

David Bar-Tzur

Links updated monthly with the help of LinkAlarm.

A man in a suit seriously discusses sex while the female interpreter in the'bubble' gets funky

The image above is from Isat Sex Sign Language Translation.

Sign Language iconmeans a video in the Sign Language of the country under which it is listed.


Brazilian flagBrazilBrazilian flag

stained glass bulletHavaiana commercial with interpreter.Sign Language icon


French flagFranceFrench flag

Demonic surgeon, with a hammer and chisel, runs after a boy who is fleeing.

Surgeon: "Hey, come here! You'll be able to hear if I perform this surgery."

Fleeing boy: "Never! I'm not crazy. I'd rather be deaf. Help!"

Surgeon practicing with a drill on the model of a head.

"And you want to do that to my head? Are you crazy?"

Doctor looks puzzled during an eye exam when the patient starts to fingerspell.

Doctor screaming at patient.

Doctor (screaming at the top of his lungs): "I said, 'How long have you been deaf?'"

Patient (responding): "What's that you say?"

stained glass bulletDeafFunnyVideos.com. Sourds.

golden marble bulletGag humour "Internet".Sign Language icon

golden marble bulletHumour Gag No. 19 "Rallye".Sign Language icon

golden marble bulletHumour vidéo.Sign Language icon

golden marble bulletjunkam. (2007, May 13). Sex For The Deaf.Sign Language icon

stained glass bulletvidéo humour lsf.Sign Language icon


German flagGermanyGerman flag

Dein Suchergebnis zu "deafabdola".

Building labled 'Crash course in Sign Language'. One person exiting says, 'Now, I'm an interpreter!'

golden marble bulletCaptions for Paul's 100 Deaf jokes.

Visualbrain - visualfun. If you can't read German, watch the videos and use these translations:


Israeli flagIsraelIsraeli flag

Below is a rather obscure piece of humor. Someone in Israel has taken pictures of ASL signs (not Israeli Sign Language) and used them as humor about the Pesach Seder (ritual meal eaten Passover night to commemorate the Exodus from Egypt under Moses). I can't find anyone to translate the Hebrew better than I have, so if you have any improvements, please let me know.

Title page showing a young boy wearing a yermulkeh and written in Hebrew. The translation is below

At Uncle Josh's for Passover 2006:
A guide to Passover abroad at my Deaf Uncle's.

Hebrew title bar translated below

Going shopping.

Drawing of the ASL sign BEAUTIFUL OLD WHERE SUN
If I take off my tourist's mask, will you take off your crook's mask? No, no, I'll wait. I was just hoping you had a comb for my beard. Do I look like a striped stripe? Had you asked me, that's more or less how much I thought of taking out.
WATER SETTLE LOOK-AT-me TEACH CHICKEN
The store logo is terrific, but is it possible to gift wrap it? Look me in the eyes and tell me honestly, do I need a Pyrex cover? The cemeteries are full of people that didn't pamper holiday buyers. Stop complaining about your store, and show me more jewelry please.

Hebrew title bar translated below

At the dinner table.

TEACH MOTHER FATHER CAT
I recognize this present from somewhere. No, thank you. I' m finished with the chicken. No, really! What kind of work do I do? Let's just say, in L.A. I'm known as Pedro.
WE I WISH UNCLE
Is it just me, or did Grandma's stomach just yell, "Plumber!" Everyone likes to dip their pinkie [in the wine], but you have to wait your turn. I found a tick in my chazeret. Is that supposed to be a side dish? Excuse me. Can I read the part about Ben Zoma and the breasts?
GOOD WHY
I left to make room for the main course. So you're telling me, one telephone call and I will know how to prepare egg noodles?

Hebrew title bar translated below

At Uncle's house

WHO LOOK FALL-DOWN FOOTBALL
You're a captivating girl, but you drink too much. You know exactly which afikomon I'm talking about! You'll know on your own when you need to stop drinking. Just the opposite. It's perfectly natural for uncles to worry about each other.
BASEBALL WHEN HOT WORK
DO you like music? One more shot and you'll start to feel dizzy. I'm sure you understand I have to take my bridge out every once in a while. Aunt Knaidlach went to sleep and kept Uncle Josh's secret.

Italian flagItalyItalian flag

Two people dancing in a dance club

First dance partner: Why do you like this dance club? Why do you like...
(Yelling:) Why... Second dance partner (signing): What's that?

Man trying to read the screen of a mini-TV

Translation: This TV is astounding, and it has such a great picture. (Looks at screen.)
Too bad it doesn't come with a microscope to read the captioning!

(Both cartoons above are from La pagina del fumetto.)

Superman Sordo. Humor 2007. Several countries are represented here, including the U.S.


Jordani flagJordanJordani flag

Interpreter gesturing on the news

From Mahjoob's House: Daily cartoon.

The interpreter depicted in this political cartoon is a guy I saw quite a bit of while in Jordan. He does the "bubble" thing on the evening news on Jordan TV's channel 1. There is also a family show which gets interpreted (I helped with a grass-roots effort to get that off the ground while I was out there), so lots of folks are exposed to the sign language of Jordan, and the interpreters are familiar faces.

The caption in the last frame of the cartoon reads, loosely, "... and that was the news in Palestine and Iraq, in Sign Language!!"


Dutch flagNetherlandsDutch flag

DovenHumor.Dutch flag,Sign Language icon

Stoter, T. Sign Language icon

Man standing in a sports commentator's booth signing into the microphone.

Deafmute soccer commentator.

One man sign to a stranger who pulls out an ear horn to 'hear' the signer.

Deaf man holds a signing 'doll' with an antenna on its head, to understand the hearing person talking to him.

Picture of hippo with hand to its ear

Warning sign: Deaf hippo crossing.

drawing of a child all twisted up trying to sign

Cover from a Dutch book entitled "Sign Language dictionary for children."

Deaf demonstrators stand in a courtyard and look up at a man in the window of a building that is giving them the finger.

Title at top of cartoon: "Deaf people demonstrate in a courtyard for recognition of Sign Language."

Man in the street says: "Well, I see this as a first step towards recognition."

Stoter, T.Sign Language icon


Filipino flagPhilippinesFilipino flag

MCCID - Filipino Deaf Comics.


Dutch flagSwitzerlandDutch flag

stained glass ballimpronaut. (2007, February 20). Die Impronauten aus Basel: Gebärden: Seehund mit Tischler. Not real sign language, but a funny improv on an interview about seals and carpenters. I think the "interpreter" is fun to watch even if you don't understand German.

Creamer tops from Switzerland that teach Swiss Sign Language.

Stained glass ballJUNIOR'94 en suisse !!! Junior for DEAF - Junior pour SOURD - Jüngeres für TAUBES - Junior per SORDO - Joven para SORDO !!! NOUVELLES - HISTORIQUE - ACTIVITES - PHOTOS - DOWNLOAD - CONTACT - LIENS - WEB VIDEO.Sign Language iconClick on "Junior '94" in the upper lefthand corner, then "Web vidéo", then on a specific video box. WARNING!: Some of these videos are obscene.


Thai flagThailandThai flag

Deaf Thai. coffee nescafe.Thai flag,Sign Language icon


UK flagUnited KingdomUK flag

Sign reads, 'This bar welcomes careful signers. No swearing (Please wash your hands). Binge drinkers, splash wear provided).

(From http://melows.blogspot.com/ (MMBLOG), which is no longer extant.)

Traffic sign shows icon for slippery road and reads, 'WARNING: BSL and Driving Doesn't Mix'.

(BSL = British Sign Language. From MMBLOG.)

Stained glass ballSirDavidHay. (2008, March 20). Never Trust An Interpreter (subtitled).Sign Language icon,Closed Captioned iconWhen Chris the Nerd confesses to his mate that he has never been with a girl it sets off a disasterous plan to get his first succesful lay! Never trust an interpreter is a story of what can go wrong when you enlist the help of your friend and an interpreter for a date.

Stained glass ballSwinbourne, C. Four Deaf Yorkshiremen.Sign Language icon,Closed Captioned iconHow hard was growing up deaf? In this comedy sketch, four old deaf men try to tell the worst story about their childhood - and there's ten pounds on the table for the 'winner!' The film was inspired by the classic 'Four Yorkshiremen' sketch made famous by Monty Python, but with a new script for a deaf cast. Written and directed by Charlie Swinbourne, made in association with Remark Production.


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