In a message dated 10/19/2006 5:35:14 PM Pacific Standard Time, kiirsih@ writes:
Hi Dr. Vicars,
I read your articles on name signs and all the FAQs. I don't want to take up your valuable time but I have a
question that I can't find an answer to so far. I read Sam Supalla's book on Name Signs and he says that the ANS
(arbitrary) and DNS (descriptive) name signs should not be mixed--that this is not traditional. He theorizes that
this tendency is creeping into Deaf culture because more and more hearing people are learning ASL.
I belong to an online signing message board and nearly everyone there (some of them very experienced signers) use
the "mixed" name sign version--a signed initial of the person's name while doing a motion describing some
characteristic, whether physical or whatever. Example: let's say Lori has long curly hair, so they sign "L" with
a downward spiral movement to indicate her hair. I also recently attended a class for children (my own children
are in it) for beginning sign and the hearing teacher of the class wanted to give every child a name sign, telling
them they needed to think of something they liked to do and then make the sign for that with their name initial.
According to Sam Supalla, this is not correct--this "mixing" of the two systems--and furthermore, only certain
movements/locations are correct for name signs.
Another issue: Sam Supalla says in his book that you can choose your own name sign and gives 500 signs for the
alphabet featuring correct movements and locations to help you choose. Everywhere else I've read that only a Deaf
person can give one to you.
What is the truth here? I'd love to know your opinion/knowledge on this subject.
(And thanks so much for the great website!! It is so helpful. It's fun learning you are from Utah. I'm not, but
I've lived here for several years now. Thanks for the great resources!!)
Sincerely,
Kiirsi Hellewell
Kiirsi,
You asked, "What is the truth?"
The truth is: "Things change."
When it comes to language--"the truth" is a moving target. That target is called "consensus." Consensus is "whatever
the group agrees on." Language experts are only experts to the extent that they have their finger on the pulse of the
group. The more language users you ask and the more often you ask them, the more accurate your facts will be. The fact
is that today, right now, many, many Deaf people have mixed namesigns. My own name sign, a "V" tapped to the side of the
head, was given to me by a Deaf man (Boley Seaborn) who was originally teasing me about being bald. At first the "V" was
tapped on top of the head, then later on a Deaf woman (Sandra Thrapp) modified the sign so that it taps to the side near
the temple and said it had to do with being smart. (Whew!) Thus you have two more examples of Deaf people giving mixed
name signs.
Another truth (?) to consider is the fact that 9 out of 10 deaf children have Hearing parents. Thus you have a huge
number of deaf kids receiving their first namesign from either their Hearing parents, their parents Hearing ASL teacher,
or their Hearing teacher's aide, their Hearing interpreter, or their Hearing teacher who works at the Deaf School. Many
of these namesigns stick with the deaf person for many years or even their entire life.
My opinion? It is definitely best to get your namesign from a skilled Deaf signer who is familiar with most if not all of
the other signers in the area. But let me ask you this: "Who is Deaf?" At what point does a person become "Deaf?"
"Woah!" Now there's a can of worms. Back to that consensus thing. It depends on who you ask and whom you are standing
next to. I have friends that I consider to be Deaf. They are physically deaf, they know ASL very well, they hang out in
the Deaf community, and in their hometown are considered Deaf by all the people around. Now suppose such a person were
to get on a plane and fly to Gallaudet University and start hanging out with third generation Deaf (children of Deaf
parents and Deaf grandparents) who used ASL in the cradle, attended the state school for the Deaf since age 3, and don't
move their lips when they sign. All of a sudden my "Deaf" friend gets pushed two or three status levels down the (Deaf)
totem pole or two or three rings outward from the center of the "Deaf target." The dividing line between Deaf and "not
Deaf" depends on who is holding the pencil and doing the drawing. So don't expect to find consistency in discussions
having to do with topics such as this. Instead, keep doing what you are doing. Keep asking questions to get a sense of
what is the current consensus and call that, "the way it is."
Cordially,
Dr. Bill