happyA 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.
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.)
February 21 2010, 19:45:40 UTC 7 years ago