CAR:
Variation
Sometimes you will see the sign below for car.
Use a small quick movement that looks as if you were turning a
small steering wheel side to side.
DRIVE-to:
DRIVE-to-here:
DRIVING: (Version)
Use a large movement to show how you would look if you were actually
manipulating a steering wheel.
DRIVING:
(Version 2: More of a "cruising" meaning.)
The hands move forward, back, and forward a second time (using short quick
movements--unless it is a "long drive.")
To sign "DRIVE-TO" you'd just
use a single forward movement.
In a message dated 10/29/2003 3:26:29 PM Pacific Standard Time,
___________@hotmail.com writes:
Hello Mr. V.
I am a 13 year old who wants to learn ASL and your website has helped me
tremendously. I also had a question on signing "drive" when your hands are in
a "C" position doesn't that mean "car" and when you have your hands in a "D"
position doesn't that mean "drive"? Or have I gotten mixed up with something
else.
Thanx :)
-chickie-
Hi Chickie,
What you are talking about is called "initialization."
Initialization is the practice of using the initial letter of the English
translation of a sign as the the handshape for that sign.
While it is true that quite a few signs are "initialized," initialization is
not something that applies to the majority of signs in ASL. It is
also true that most Deaf people are bilingual (know two languages). Here
in America, most "culturally Deaf" people know both ASL and English.
Quite often that knowledge of English influences a Deaf person's use of ASL.
But whether or not an influence from English becomes an accepted part of ASL
depends on how many users adopt the innovation (the new sign or method of
signing). So, back to your question about the signs for drive and car. Drive is
a verb and is signed larger and or in a more "mime-like" fashion than car. CAR
is signed smaller, quicker and in a more arbitrary way (it doesn't look so
much like you are actually holding the wheel of a car). Both signs use "S"
hands.
If your local sign language instructor has taught you to sign "DRIVE" using
"D" hands, just file that away in the back of your mind that you have "one
vote" for an initialized version of "DRIVE." Then, as you get out in
the Deaf world and interact with more and more skilled, native users of ASL
you will start getting many, many votes for a non-initialized version (using
"S" handshapes). In any case, set a goal to always be polite and open
minded about such discussions (and it seems you are indeed a such a person)
since language changes over time and from region to region.
Bill