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Hey! What's up, everybody?
My name is Danny Gong.
I want to tell you about some videos I've made.
- about Japan, and about living in Japan, and my experiences there.
I want to talk a little bit more about - I've been signing very slowly for my international friends so that they can understand and pick up my signs,
but now I really want to focus fully, fully on ASL.
My parents are deaf. They do sign language.
I learned from them. You probably know them.
There they are.
So, I was really born in New York City, NYC, born with ASL, grew up with ASL,
Nihono Sign Language was involved also.
I'm hearing. My parents are deaf. I'm a CODA, C.O.D.A. That's right, remember that.
I grew up in New York City, moved to Japan, moved there for a little new culture, a little new language, learned a new sign language, too, JSL.
Now I've been there for six years.
So what have I been doing there. I've been meeting people, meeting deaf people, some hearing people, just meeting people, partying, and having fun.
Getting serious, like I had some interpretation work from different countries coming to Japan, asking me if I could interpret for them.
So, I've been here in Japan for so long and it's pretty cool, pretty fun, so come on over to Japan if you want.
So, I've been talking a little bit about Japanese culture, but I've learned something new,
and that new information is, well, OK. Well, let me ask you a question.
Can animals communicate?
I mean, look! Can dogs communicate? Cats? Mee-ow! mee-ow!
Can they communicate?
No, no, you're probably thinking, no, it's impossible.
What about monkeys? Can they communicate?
Monkeys can communicate with other monkeys, sure.
But can monkeys communicate with humans?
Well, there was an ape, a gorilla that did communicate with people through sign language.
And another monkey named Lucy, a chimpanzee, who would communicate in sign language.
And I thought this was really interesting, and it really touched my heart, and humans want to talk with animals and monkeys.
and find out their personalities, what they are thinking, or what is funny? Can they make jokes?
So, I thought about this information, and I thought it was pretty cool, but wait a minute.
Wait a minute!
I also learned that another monkey, just last year in Iowa, can speak - speak.
Speak. Speak.
Yes, speak.
Learning English.
Really.
Really?
You've got to be lying?
But, how the heck can monkeys learn how to speak English? It's impossible!
But, monkeys can't - what? Monkeys can't --
And so there are scientists [e.g., William M. Fields] working with monkeys,
He teaches how to communicate through icons.
What do you want to eat?
The monkey would press on a symbol - banana.
And pretty easy to understand, asking the monkey if he is happy or sad, and the monkey says I'm happy.
And then later on, the scientist kept talking with the monkey and communicating with the monkey with the icons,
The monkeys voice [mimicks monkey sound]
The scientists did not think anything of it, and just gradually over time the scientists would communicate with the monkey,
[mimicks monkey sound] and one day it just occured to them.
The scientists were saying, Wait a minute!
Wait.
Let me be clear. It is not clear English. Monkeys have an accent, too, but they can still try to copy and speak in English.
And the scientists later on realized that more and more, as they taught words like banana and so forth, the monkey would say me me banana, banana.
And they started having conversations, started learning more words.
And that monkey started to, gradually improve.
Now, let me tell you something. If I saw this monkey/ape, I could not talk to it, because I couldn't understand, I wouldn't be used to its pronunciation, but
there are two scientists. They can communicate with these apes.
And have like a full conversation.
How are you doing today? I'm fine. What do you find that is interesting? I don't know. Come on! Come on!
A monkey and scientist, communicating clearly?
What does this mean?
Well, then boom! One day, both scientists, the female scientist and the boss came to have a meeting,
and the meeting was about what program to use for the next software, and they had this discussion and the boss said no, no. We need to change the software.
The female scientist said no, I don't think it's a good idea.
So, that was the kind of meeting they were having, and discussion.
The ape saw the boss and the female scientist having the conversation and saw that the boss was not very friendly, and they were having pretty much an argument,
but it was not a full-blown out argument, it was just a discussion.
And the monkey saw this, and he did not like what was going on. He was getting mad and gradually getting angry.
And he didn't like what the boss was doing. He didn't look friendly, and he was not nice, and the ape started hitting and pounding on the glass,
and the male scientist came into the room and said hey! Be quiet, what's going on. Why are you so upset?
And the ape explained to the scientist: I don't like the boss. He is a bad man. He is yelling at the female scientist [mimicks monkey voice]
Go punch him. Go bite him.
And the scientist said, What? You want me to go bite that man? No!
If you don't bite him, I'm going to bite you!
Ah, whatever. So, the scientist went back to his work, and after that meeting, about a week later,
the female scientist opened the door to feed the ape, and the ape ran out the door, ran into the corridor searching and searching,
finally saw the door that was the scientist's door, opened the door, and the scientist just looked up. What? The ape ran to him and bit his finger!
Blood just spurting out. He had to go to the hospital. The ambulance took him and he was sent to the emergency room, and they operated on him to put the finger back on.
The only thing is the medication to sedate the scientist, he was allergic to that medication.
And his heart stopped. They performed CPR, and they had to use electricity to bring him back to life and in about 2 or 3 weeks he finally came out of a coma,
and gradually came back to work, and when he went back to work, he did not to see the monkey, the ape.
For the past three weeks, the ape was asking the female scientist where is the male scientist? Where is Bill?
And Sue said, Hey Bill, Kanzi wants to say hi, he wants to see you. Bill said no, I am not going to see him until he says sorry.
Please say hi.
So, Kanzi said no, I don't need to say sorry. I don't need to apologize.
Sue went back to Bill and said Konzi does not want to say sorry. Bill said all right, then forget him.
A week passed. Two weeks passed. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 weeks passed
Konzi, the ape, kept saying where is Bill?
Hey, where is Bill? Eight weeks later.
Finally, Konzi knocks on his window, and Sue comes - what's going on? Konzi: I'm sorry. Please tell Bill.
Sue goes and tells Bill Konzi finally says sorry.
Bill walks, opens the door, and he looks at Konzi. Konzi looks at Bill. Bill looks at Konzi. Konzi looks at Bill.
Then Konzi runs up to Bill and hugs Bill
That's a true story.