Some questions for those who know sign language??? [View all]

[procon]

I know nothing about sign language. Kudos to Florida for always having spanish language and sign language interpreters standing right next to the key speakers giving emergency directions to as many people as possible. I can't recall that Texas provided that assistance to their citizens.

As I watched the people who are doing sign language, there appears to be a wide range of "styles", for lack of a better word in my limited understanding. Some, but not all of the sign language interpreters are very animated, their body language and rapid, choppy hand movement seemed to convey a sense of urgency (even to me!), am I reading that correctly? Is that part of sign language, and if so, why do the interpreters appear to be so different? Is it an individual preference, or something like there are some excellent public speakers, but also some speakers are just mediocre? Are they all delivering the same warnings and info?

I also note some interpreters used very exaggerated facial expressions, presumably to illustrate the emotions or the alarming tone of voice that we talkers would use to equate our warnings about a scary hurricane? There was one man in particular, black hair and a neatly trimmed beard, that caught my attention because his approach was just so energetic, but he kept sticking his tongue out, not just a little, but all the way out like Gene Simmons from KISS. None of the other sign language interpreters have done that tongue thing, so what was he trying to communicate?