Anthropomorphism
Constructed action and signed anthropomorphism
Targets of anthropomorphism
Different levels of anthropomorphism
Descriptive level
Pre-linguistic level
Linguistic level
Size matters: the golden rule of Mrs. Pepperpot
Deaf people as privileged humans
Blending of human and non-human features
Signers "become" the character they are talking about
Appeals to audiences because we can empathize with them
Easier for signers to give human characteristics of non-human things than for someone using their voice
use of body vs use of voice
Animals
Physically similar to humans
Easy to use hand shapes to represent different parts of the animals like ears, wings, tails and legs
Plants
Less human-like but signer can still take on qualities to become plant-like
Inanimate objects, constructed action and human emotions
Face and body important for showing emotions
Little humanity imparted
Anthropomorphism is minimal
Shows what humans see animals doing
Expression of animals basic
Non-human characters show personality
Look deeper into possible thoughts or feelings
Character given the same level of intelligence as humans
Animals talk to other animals and humans
Humans and non-humans become equal in size
Creates a way to communicate
Deaf people decide who can see the language in the story and give the characters of their choosing the ability to understand
Skillful signers will blend human and non-human elements in the correct proportion