Mandela memorial interpreter asks forgiveness, calls himself champion

[chaya]

(CNN) -- [Breaking news update 8:23 a.m.]

The sign language interpreter widely ridiculed for his performance at the Nelson Mandela memorial spoke Wednesday with CNN's David McKenzie. "For the deaf association, if they think that I've done a wrong interpretation, I ask forgiveness," Thamsanqa Jantjie said. But he said he has long been "a champion

Comments

[nitasee]

On the news this morning, they talked about this interpreter and one of the things they mentioned was that he was being treated for schizophrenia. They also showed some of the late night talk shows mocking him including one which had a real deaf interpreter reading what Jantjie was signing. Listening to that, my first thought was that it sounded like what is called word salad, a symptom that occurs with some schizophrenics. Also, the lack of expression fits in with schizophrenia - there's often a flattened affect of emotions. I'm wondering if the pressure of signing at the event triggered something with his mental illness. If so, maybe we should have more compassion than contempt.

[chaya]

Word salad involves words, though.

[teacoat]

Do you think sign languages don't have words?

[chaya]

Of course it does. And people have clearly said he wasn't signing any words.