# "Nelson Mandela ceremony interpreter branded 'fake'" **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 11, 2013, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-ceremony-interpreter-branded-fake/676068 "2013-12-11T14:13:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![amorali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3e96dc/32.png) [@amorali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amorali)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-ceremony-interpreter-branded-fake/676068/21 "2013-12-12T03:31:41Z")
The more I read about this, I’m wondering if he might be the only black certified interpreter in SA because there are only six total. And maybe he knew the black signs but not the new SA signs. And they chose him because it would look bad if they had a white person up there? ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-ceremony-interpreter-branded-fake/676068/22 "2013-12-12T03:53:20Z")
> [@amorali](#): > > The more I read about this, I’m wondering if he might be the only black certified interpreter in SA because there are only six total. > And maybe he knew the black signs but not the new SA signs. And they chose him because it would look bad if they had a white person up there? So what you’re really saying is that they’re bigoted pieces of shit? ---
**Author:** ![amorali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3e96dc/32.png) [@amorali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amorali)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-ceremony-interpreter-branded-fake/676068/23 "2013-12-12T04:24:22Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > So what you’re really saying is that they’re bigoted pieces of shit? Just a guess… ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-ceremony-interpreter-branded-fake/676068/24 "2013-12-12T04:26:48Z")
> [@ENugent](#): > > The image that I have been enjoying in my head all day is the Swedish chef doing the live translation at the UN. Herdie Herdie ve hønør the late President. Børk! Børk! Børk! ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-ceremony-interpreter-branded-fake/676068/25 "2013-12-12T04:35:48Z")
> [@amorali](#): > > He looks so serious, how did he do that with a straight face? And that’s actually one of the things that gave him away. There should have been facial expressions to go along with the hand gestures. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-ceremony-interpreter-branded-fake/676068/26 "2013-12-12T04:39:38Z")
> [@GrizzRich](#): > > I’m fairly proficient in American Sign Language and remember thinking that his signing seemed fairly repetitive (CNN was on in my office, with the sound off). > Not all english sign-languages are the same (ASL differs quite a bit from it’s British counterpart) and, not knowing the South African equivalent, I thought that maybe the speaker was saying something repetitive as well. I also noticed that he was only using one hand. ASL, and even other sign languages, use both hands. ---
**Author:** ![Cerealbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Cerealbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerealbox)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-ceremony-interpreter-branded-fake/676068/27 "2013-12-12T04:47:46Z")
[The article I read](http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/deaf-interpreter-nelson-mandela-memorial-fake-officials-article-1.1544251) stated that he didn’t make a single real sign and was “'literally flapping his arms around.” That man has confidence I will never dream of having in my day-to-day life. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-ceremony-interpreter-branded-fake/676068/28 "2013-12-12T04:59:37Z")
'so the guy is either the greatest prankster in the world with absolutely no shame for crashing a memorial service, or he’s a loon who believes he’s actually signing. The SS looked pretty lame on this one. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-ceremony-interpreter-branded-fake/676068/29 "2013-12-12T06:16:52Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > And that’s actually one of the things that gave him away. There should have been facial expressions to go along with the hand gestures. But I would say the main thing that gave him away was that _deaf people could literally see that he was just flapping his arms about!!!_ ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-ceremony-interpreter-branded-fake/676068/30 "2013-12-12T07:57:21Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > 'so the guy is either the greatest prankster in the world with absolutely no shame for crashing a memorial service, or he’s a loon who believes he’s actually signing. > > The SS looked pretty lame on this one. What does it have to do with the Secret Service? The guy was supposed to be there. He’s been hired by either the ANC or the government before. This seems to actually be his job, not some random prank. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-ceremony-interpreter-branded-fake/676068/31 "2013-12-12T08:36:54Z")
I think he’s supposed to be the third base coach. ---
**Author:** ![DataX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DataX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataX)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-ceremony-interpreter-branded-fake/676068/32 "2013-12-12T09:39:29Z")
I don’t get why the secret service is being picked on - you can bet he went through security. A sign language interpreter isn’t some magic - get out of the security line pass. The secret service is not stupid. If this bozo was hired - it isn’t up to the secret service to investigate his proficiency with sign language - any more than it is to decide Sarah Palin isn’t qualified to be VP. He would have been screened whether or not he actually knew sign language. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-ceremony-interpreter-branded-fake/676068/33 "2013-12-12T09:47:51Z")
Maybe he was just doing the sing-language equivalent of Pig Latin? ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-ceremony-interpreter-branded-fake/676068/34 "2013-12-12T10:03:18Z")
**Sign language ‘fake’ blames illness** Johannesburg - The man who has been blasted on social networks and accused of providing “fake” sign language interpretation at Nelson Mandela’s memorial service says he suffered a schizophrenic episode. > **[Sign language ‘fake’ blames illness](https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/gauteng/sign-language-fake-blames-illness-1621044)** > > Thamsanqa Jantjie says he suffered a "schizophrenic episode" at Mandela's memorial service. ---
**Author:** ![DataX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DataX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataX)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-ceremony-interpreter-branded-fake/676068/35 "2013-12-12T11:18:08Z")
> [@Floater](#): > > **Sign language ‘fake’ blames illness** > > Johannesburg - The man who has been blasted on social networks and accused of providing “fake” sign language interpretation at Nelson Mandela’s memorial service says he suffered a schizophrenic episode. > > [http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/gauteng/sign-language-fake-blames-illness-1.1621044#.UqlpdhbvK-U](http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/gauteng/sign-language-fake-blames-illness-1.1621044#.UqlpdhbvK-U) Well gee - now I don’t know what to think. Although he was an awful interpreter - he was pretty mild for what I would imagine a schizophrenic episode being like. I don’t know much about that - so don’t know if it is real or not. Although he seems to be claiming he knows sign language - while others are suggesting he knows none. When seeing him side by side on the video - granted he seems to be making stuff up, but some of the rhythm looked similar to (Mandela’s Grandaughter??). I would find it hard to believe you’d forget all your sign language training, but I don’t know what an episode is like… ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-ceremony-interpreter-branded-fake/676068/36 "2013-12-12T11:38:10Z")
BBC TV just interviewed him. I found it difficult to understand his English, but he seemed to be saying something about seeing angels dropping down into the stadium and things chasing him. Really. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-ceremony-interpreter-branded-fake/676068/37 "2013-12-12T12:52:14Z")
All signs point to crazy. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-ceremony-interpreter-branded-fake/676068/38 "2013-12-12T12:53:27Z")
Saw the interview again. Yes, he definitely said he was distracted by trying to remain calm and collected amid angels dropping into the stadium and things chasing him. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-ceremony-interpreter-branded-fake/676068/39 "2013-12-12T14:30:16Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > What does it have to do with the Secret Service? The guy was supposed to be there. He’s been hired by either the ANC or the government before. This seems to actually be his job, not some random prank. They’re suppose to vet everybody that gets close to the President. It doesn’t matter if the ANC hired him. They check out his credentials and do background checks to weed out people with mental problems. Luckily none of the angels he saw landed near the President. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-ceremony-interpreter-branded-fake/676068/40 "2013-12-12T14:45:21Z")
I have no doubt they had some agent eyeballing everyone on that stage just in case. And I’m (fairly) certain they would have checked him for weapons beforehand. Hell, we’ve had whole Presidents who were this crazy. (I’m looking at _you_, Nixon!) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-ceremony-interpreter-branded-fake/676068.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-ceremony-interpreter-branded-fake/676068.md?page=3)