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China / Chinese

CHINA:  Point at your upper left chest area then draw a large (backward) 7.  (Note: your finger doesn't actually have to touch your body on this sign.) Memory hint: Think of the buttons on certain styles of Chinese clothing.
Note:  This sign is a "loan sign."  It has been borrowed from Chinese Sign Language. Many people feel it is more respectful to Chinese people to use their sign when referring to China. This sign is becoming increasingly popular in America.

See animation of China

Traditional variation:  CHINESE / CHINA

Animation:  Traditional version of CHINA:

OPTIONAL READING:  
Not for classroom use.
This version not recommended for communication in ASL and is presented here in response to a question from an ASL teacher in Hawaii.


Discussion: 
CHINA:  Emerging Variation in the Hawaii area?

In a message dated 2/1/2010 2:48:52 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, an ASL instructor from Hawaii (makbeth19) writes:
Aloha Dr. V.
For my class tomorrow, can you tell me whether the sign for "China" has been changed again on the Mainland?  Here in the islands we no longer use the clothing sign for China/Chinese, although it was common here for several years ... now we use a representation of the kanji for China ... non-dominant hand makes "G", and the dominant hand taps that with a "1."  I've attached a jpeg of the kanji as well as me signing it to try and give you an idea of what the sign is going for.  Hope it helps.  This is the common sign for "China" here.  Have you ever seen it used on the Mainland?
Mahalo no kokua,
 
Beth
Beth,
Just last week I was giving a presentation (regarding "online ASL classes) and one of the participants (a Deaf, highly experienced ASL instructor) brought up the CHINA sign.  This person was adamant about not accepting the "borrowed" version of the CHINA sign based on the "buttons/clothing" of the military uniform. This person exclusively uses the old "index finger twist at the side of the eye" version of the sign for CHINA.
Thus I can tell you that as of early 2010 you will see both the "clothing based" sign and the "eye based" both still being used in mainland America.
Your mentioning the Kanji sign is the first I've heard of it here. So I'm going to make a note of it at Lifeprint under the "China" page mention the Kanji version as a variation seen in Hawaii.
Cordially,
Bill
[Update: I purchased a Chinese Dictionary of Chinese Sign Language while I was in Taipei attending the 2009 Deaflympics. Later, as I was reviewing it, I came across the sign mentioned by Beth (above). The Chinese dictionary listed this sign as referring to "Taichung" which is actually a very large city in Taiwan. Thus I do not think that this sign means "China" in general in Chinese Sign Language. However this particular kanji character in Japanese writing is sometimes used as an abbreviation for "China" so next time I interact with some Deaf Japanese I'll certainly ask them to elaborate.]

American Sign Language University ™ ASL resources by Lifeprint.com © Dr. William Vicars
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