BBC presenter swears at handicapped kids

[Shakey]

From Sky News:

A children's television favourite has been accused of greeting young viewers with abusive sign language.

CBeebies character Mr Tumble appears at the beginning of Something Special.

He signs "I'm happy to see you" - but experts say his gestures also mean: "I'm ******* you".

The problem arose because Mr Tumble - presenter Justin Fletcher - uses the Makaton signing system, which varies from British Sign Language.

And the words for happy and the swear word are very similar.

However, Jamie Miller, who works for the Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID), told The Sun: "It's still an awful error to make."

He has contacted the BBC but Mr Tumble continues to use Makaton and the Beeb says no mistake has been made.

But an RNID spokeswoman said: "We advised the BBC that using Makaton would cause confusion.

"Makaton is used more for children with learning difficulties - it's essentially a different language."


Is this what I pay my TV licence fee for?
Yours,
Disgusted of Rotherham.


I put 'disgusted'. I meant pissing myself laughing.

 

[wet_blobby]

Basic Makaton is regularly taught in Primary schools, I would guess more young viewers would understand Makaton than "proper" sign language.

 

[NZ_Bootneck]

Slow news day in UK, then? Murdoch owned business bashing the Beeb well I never. Murdoch's lot would tell you to vote for the Devil if he thought he could make a few more quid.
Trouble is half his viewers/readership would.

 

[wompingwillow]

the one sign I make sure all children I come in contact with learn is the makoton sign for toilet

Stick your middle finger up and rub in on you left nipple in a downwards direction

 

[Shakey]

Stick your middle finger up and rub in on you left nipple in a downwards direction

Basically, you tit yourself up?!!? :shock:

This Makaton language seems like an excuse to be as obscene as possible. Might have to learn it.

 

[wompingwillow]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/somethingspecial/

 

[wet_blobby]

alternativley make the V sign with your right hand whilst tapping your left bicep with it.

Just dont make the "on me" sign in the middle of a mong convention, your liable to have thirty odd 20 stone lardies jumping on your head and slobbering over you..... :twisted:

 

[snapdragon]

Completely different language, don't know how someone from the RNID can get uppity over it, it's only like taking offence at some foreign spoken words that sound like English swear words. Surely we have the brains to realise the context in which the signs are made? And i think someone from the RNID has about as much right to tell the makers of the programme what to do as i have to tell a Spanish school teacher what to teach. None.

Tch!

I'd like to have learned Makaton but never did it in our school and it seems like you have to buy books on it to be taught unless someone can teach you. Which seems to make it a little inaccessible to most. You can't learn stuff like that from books.

 

[JunglyDaz]

Surely the kids will only take offence if they KNOW it also means a swear word? And if they do, it won't offend them. Does that make sense? :???:

 

[dhobyitch]

alternativley make the V sign with your right hand whilst tapping your left bicep with it.

Just dont make the "on me" sign in the middle of a mong convention, your liable to have thirty odd 20 stone lardies jumping on your head and slobbering over you..... :twisted:

Similar to saying good night to the Joss then.

 

[NZ_Bootneck]

sorry guys been out of UK, civilisation(?), too long Makaton whats the coup?

 

[NZ_Bootneck]

I could google it but can't be arsed, so if you can't be arsed either, don't worry as ignorance is bliss, but no defence apparently.