Lately I've been seeing hearing people sign a lot... Some are experts and have good reason to do so. Others just flail about hopelessly, butchering any intelligible message in ASL. But the ones I'm interested in are the people who don't realize they do it.
My favorite example of all time may be from last football season, when Santana Moss, Clinton Portis, and Fred Smoot were broadcast on national TV during the games following The Taylor Tragedy, holding up their index, middle, and pinkie fingers in tribute to #21, Sean Taylor. Two fingers, then one, equals 21. Get it? Totally foo.
Of course, CK and I at first couldn't figure out if they were using some play signal or if they really did mean to run around the field visually hollering "whoo-hooo!!!! seven! SEVEN, baby, SEVEEEEEN," which is what that gesture means in ASL. Which also made no sense at all because no play equals seven points, there are not seven men on the field, and seven yards is nothing to get all excited about. Either we were missing something or the Redskins were going loco in their grief. Finally we unplugged the "Deaf" part of our brain and put on our think-hearing caps. *headsmack* Ohhhh! 2 and 1 for Sean! How darling. *25 on chest* (See, we can't stay mentally hearing for more than two seconds before we switch back to ASLthink.) I'm just upset I can't find any pictures of them doing it.
Then came the "Gratitude Campaign," which my friend Amy (hello Houston!) drew my attention to last fall. It's a sweet public relations campaign that suggests a certain gesture become a way for us to thank our military servicepeople. It was kinda funny because when Amy blogged about it, she was a bit anxious that the Deaf community see it not as an impingement on ASL but as a genuine gesture from the heart. Well, come to find out, the gesture actually originates in ASL to begin with!
Back to what I was saying about hearing people signing... I am so totally convinced it's the human race's intuitive way to communicate, and the speaking/hearing thing is altogether an artificial construct. Someday I need to do more research on this.
Ahem. ANYWAYYYYY.... here's my latest proof, courtesy of the wonderful world otherwise known as the blogosphere and a woman named Maggeh, aka "Mighty Girl." (Psst... the hands in these photos belong to none other than Dooce's husband, who is a pretty good blogger himself.)
And in other news, I now announce my brand-new internet crush. Her name is Kate, and she blogs at arbofo, which is one of the coolest blog names ever. Plus after looking around her blog, I'm wondering whether she is responsible for stealing little pieces of my brain over the last several months and using them to post things that sound like things I'd say if I wasn't so worried about plugging up teh holes in me head.
No clue how I found my way to her, but she has just blogged about something dear to my heart: the tragedy that is caption-less indie movies, especially those made ostensibly in connection to Netflix-owned Red Envelope. Once upon a time, I blogged about this too, though very much more incoherently than Kate. I was pissed about movies like Sherrybaby and Born into Brothels not being captioned. Well, check out Banjo's knowledgeable-sounding response over there. There may be hope after all. *crossing fingers*
My heroes!!! *swoon*
Thanks for sharing those Mighty Girl pics, I got behind with her!!! :)
Posted by: Sazzy | March 10, 2008 at 09:25 AM
This post reminds me of some unexpected sign language I saw on Broadway a couple of weeks ago. The cast of Hairspray incorporated three signs into their "Stop, Don't Go" song. An arm-stretched-out 5 = Stop, a finger pointing to the side = Go and the actual sign for "Don't" = don't. Had me wondering who they consulted for the "don't" sign since it couldn't have been just made up. Or maybe it was?
Am enjoying this site! So glad you created it!
Posted by: Rob R. | March 10, 2008 at 03:39 PM
Hey - check out blurb's site. He's actually apologizing for "gesturing too far."
http://blurbomat.com/archives/2008/03/11/sxsw-maggie-captures-my-gestural-problem/
Posted by: Sazzy | March 12, 2008 at 09:18 AM
Wow, thanks for the mention! Is it okay if I return the blog crush? I love that you have a category called "Effects of the lack of birth control." :)
Posted by: Kate | March 12, 2008 at 04:27 PM
You know, I didn't see the football players doing the "21"/"7" thing, but I would have thought the same thing you guys did. And probobly would not have realized it was meant to be 21 until someone told me.
Posted by: Lara | March 12, 2008 at 04:49 PM