A Deaf gentleman about my age saw me signing, and got very excited. He came over, and signed, "You know ASL?" (In the case of signs that I don't know myself, but whose meaning was evident from context, I'm including them to form actual sentences.)
I signed back "A little." Emphasis on "little."
He asked what I knew...so I showed him. Around the time I hit "working in a mine for our robot overlords" and "did I say overlords? I meant protectors," he started to look, well, dubious. Like there was a chance I thought I knew some ASL, when really, someone was messing with me.
Then I signed "The Turtle can't help you."
His eyes widened, and he proceeded to finger-spell "IT?" I nodded. He made an "S" sign, followed by a gesture like putting on a crown. I nodded again. He got even more excited, especially since now he knew I actually understood my messed-up assortment of signs. He had me teach him "robot overlords," and he taught me the sign for "weird."
ASL and Stephen King: bringing the world closer together. The best part is that, for once in my life, I can legitimately say that the Turtle did help us.
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February 19 2010, 16:41:53 UTC 7 years ago
Despite some people having apparently already read the story, it was still a big hit. Just so you know, you keep my audiences entertained even when you're not there. :)
February 19 2010, 17:32:04 UTC 7 years ago
And they didn't even bring us a flying car.
February 19 2010, 16:46:24 UTC 7 years ago
Also, I need to learn ASL. It's been on my list of things I want to do for, like, ever.
February 19 2010, 17:32:17 UTC 7 years ago
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February 19 2010, 16:48:55 UTC 7 years ago
I have to laugh--most Deaf folks get "Hi...my name is _______" or "Do you read lips?" from neophyte signers. That guy's probably telling all his friends about his conversation with the Hearing woman with the robot overlords. And I bet it's making ALL their days!
Did he teach you "weird" with 3 fingers that scrunch up and release as you move your hand across your nose, or "weird/strange/odd" where you rotate your hand in a C shape 45 degrees in front of your nose? Just curious...
February 19 2010, 17:10:27 UTC 7 years ago
* Okay, so usually more politely. But it's some of the bits of Japanese I remember is how to say 'read/listen/watch this, please', and 'repeat this louder/again/slower, please'.
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February 19 2010, 17:14:17 UTC 7 years ago
Very awesome. And yeah, very amused that you work on Coulton lyrics :-}
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February 19 2010, 17:43:08 UTC 7 years ago
How I'm going to fit that re-reading in I just don't know, because some people just insist on writing new books that I need to read, too.
February 21 2010, 19:41:52 UTC 7 years ago
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February 19 2010, 18:45:34 UTC 7 years ago
(I thought that was redundant in certain contexts?)
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February 19 2010, 19:58:44 UTC 7 years ago
At some point, technology like Natal is going to get good enough to recognize ASL. And then someone will make that the spellcasting system for a popular online role-playing game. And then there will be massive growth in the number of people who can sign “Kill it with fire!” and similar phrases.
February 20 2010, 04:07:33 UTC 7 years ago
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February 19 2010, 20:33:01 UTC 7 years ago
My (british - I don't know how different it is from ASL) sign language skills are limited to an assortment of animals, 'ruler', and 'birthday'. I think I need to learn some fun things. And joining words, so I can make a complete sentence.
February 19 2010, 22:36:16 UTC 7 years ago
I hope I meet you sometime to learn the British sign for "birthday," because that's a sign that changes regionally, and I like to collect ways to sign it.
(I feel so very clueless when watching the signing on Four Weddings and a Funeral.)
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February 20 2010, 01:44:13 UTC 7 years ago
You are full up of rawk and win. I bow to your greatness.
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February 20 2010, 03:46:31 UTC 7 years ago
--The professor who recognized Humboldt's parrot from Vixy's "Strange Messenger."
--The counter band dog
--This!
Lola
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:D
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