Author Topic: What would your sign name be? (Read 2108 times)

little miss mac · « **on:** 24 October, 2008, 02:48:51 pm »

I am taking a Deaf Awareness evening class, before starting to learn sign language. Our teacher explained last night that Deaf people tend to have a sign name that is used in preference to their given name, and that the sign name often reflects a trait of the person. Hers, for example, is twisting her finger around by the hairline - because as a little girl she had a habit of twisting her hair around her finger. Cute or what. Her (Deaf) husband is French so his sign name is "French". And a pal of hers, when a child, always wore shirts with sleeves that were too short for him, so his sign name indicates short sleeves.

I was fascinated by this and asked how a hearing person acquires a sign name. "Well," she said, "I refer to everyone in my classes by sign names that I've given them. You, for example, are this." And she signed "cycling", because I am always in my cycling kit in her class.

How cool is that - my sign name is "cycling". I think I'll keep it.

What would your sign name be?

Wowbagger · « **Reply #1 on:** 24 October, 2008, 02:51:12 pm »

Beard.

Julian · « **Reply #2 on:** 24 October, 2008, 02:52:58 pm »

Shorty.

Dual advantage that it works in the hearing community too.

clarion · « **Reply #3 on:** 24 October, 2008, 02:56:17 pm »

I'd sign it for you. But it's basically T-wicked.

Basil · « **Reply #4 on:** 24 October, 2008, 03:28:52 pm »

Eating

Wobbly John · « **Reply #5 on:** 24 October, 2008, 03:36:40 pm »

I want to learn the sign for wobbly now!

Jacomus · « **Reply #6 on:** 24 October, 2008, 05:01:57 pm »

"Ice Man" would be cool, but it doesn't suit me.

Most likely to be "Blondie"

Gandalf · « **Reply #7 on:** 24 October, 2008, 05:24:40 pm »

Tummy.

Aidan · « **Reply #8 on:** 24 October, 2008, 05:34:20 pm »

Deaf Bloke

Although that may cause some confusion in a room of deaf people

How do you sign super fit hot stud?

Gus · « **Reply #9 on:** 24 October, 2008, 05:52:45 pm »

Since Wowbagger took Beard, I'll have go go for either "RED" or " Red Beard"

Mike J · « **Reply #10 on:** 24 October, 2008, 05:58:05 pm »

Jezza · « **Reply #11 on:** 24 October, 2008, 06:26:22 pm »

Tall hair. It's shorter these days, but when I worked with deaf kids at Outward Bound that was the name they gave me.

One instructor had an interesting nickname. Draw back elbows and raise fists to chest height. Extend index fingers. She never wore a bra.

Fixedwheelnut · « **Reply #12 on:** 24 October, 2008, 08:07:07 pm »

'Fixed' of course

Ariadne · « **Reply #13 on:** 24 October, 2008, 08:17:01 pm »

What's the sign for 'cycling'?

I want it for me, too! Or 'bike' but that could have dodgy connotations

RJ · « **Reply #14 on:** 24 October, 2008, 09:57:31 pm »

Grumpy.

(Probably).

rogerzilla · « **Reply #15 on:** 24 October, 2008, 10:06:33 pm »

Probably the hand signal I got from a taxi driver today

nicknack · « **Reply #16 on:** 24 October, 2008, 10:14:16 pm »

Is there one for Chewbacca?

nuttycyclist · « **Reply #17 on:** 24 October, 2008, 10:24:04 pm »

Plastered

Jurek · « **Reply #18 on:** 24 October, 2008, 10:37:11 pm »

Bicep.

No, I don't understand it either - but Rob, with whom I used to work, has profound speech and hearing difficulties, and chose to use this as his sign for me.
You can picture it, I'm sure.
Occasionally he would refer to me using an uncannily animated likeness to Edvard Munch's The Scream
I'm kinda taken with that.
I like the contrast between the two.

Rob's sign for my colleague Keith (a Scot) was an animated movement of bagpipe playing.

Rob's sign for Derek Bell (another colleague) was that of a hand bell being held aloft and, well, tinkled (as it should be).

Sometimes I cannot help but think that Rob was making up this stuff as he was going along.
Really.
Not to entertain the rest of us.
But to help him on his way.

Deano · « **Reply #19 on:** 24 October, 2008, 10:42:40 pm »

Scruffy.

ABlipInContinuity · « **Reply #20 on:** 24 October, 2008, 11:21:29 pm »

My son (who is profoundly deaf) has been given the sign name "gate" because of his fixation with doors and gates. Anything that can be closed or open or on or off. (Could be an autistic trait).

I think, I'd call him binary!

Snakehips · « **Reply #21 on:** 25 October, 2008, 11:06:05 am »

Mine would be Snakehips

my bikes ......... http://beta.yudu.com/library/item_details/17432/Snakehips--Bikes

Torslanda · « **Reply #22 on:** 25 October, 2008, 09:35:35 pm »

Anything that denoted 'Fat' or 'Slow'

Can't think of anything more appropriate ATM

J

Author Topic: What would your sign name be? (Read 2108 times)

Jezza

ABlipInContinuity