In a message dated 9/16/2014 10:39:44 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, an ASL teacher writes:Hi Bill,
A question about the signs for 'lazy' and 'loyal/loyalty.'
I have seen one sign that can mean 'lazy' or can mean 'loyal' and one would know by context, facial grammar and speed of delivery - which of those two meanings was intended.
The sign I am referring to is done (by a right-handed signer) by slapping an L hand shape against the upper left chest one or two times (palm faces the chest, index finger points to the left).
In my experience, to mean 'lazy' the sign is done more slowly and the facial expression is typically one of disapproval or disgust (assuming the signer was unhappy with someone's laziness) and is sometimes accompanied by a 'no,' head shake, (a further indication of disapproval). And (in my experience) the hand is typically pressed against the chest two times.
And, to mean 'loyal' the sign is done with a bit more speed (compared to the sign for 'lazy') and the facial expression is typically one of 'approval' and the sign is sometimes accompanied by a 'yes' head nod (a further indication of approval meaning that loyalty is seen as a 'good thing.'). Now of course if someone was 'loyal' to a gang or loyal to friend in helping that friend elude the authorities - and the signer felt disapproval or disgust toward that type of loyalty - then the facial grammar and a 'no' head shake would be used to indicate disapproval. And, typically the hand is pressed against the chest one time.
My questions are these. 1. Is the information correct, as stated above? If not, can you correct it for me, please?
2. Are there other often-used signs for 'lazy' and 'loyal' that we should add to our ASL vocabulary? Or other signs that are preferred to the ones I described above?
Thanks for your ongoing and generous help.
Lyn Wiley
Lyn,
If a person decides they like and want to use the "L" hand on the chest version of "LOYAL" I'd suggest that the movement could be done similar to the movement of the sign for ATTITUDE which uses a bit of a circular twist and then slap it to the upper left chest (for right-handed signers). Of course, this isn't standard. Actually there isn't much of a "standard" for the sign LOYAL at all (as evidenced by the fact that you are asking me about it as well as the fact that many (if not most) Deaf people don't know a separate sign for "loyal" off the top of their heads.
Personally much of the time I just I use the sign for SUPPORT to mean "loyal" and I have never liked the "L"-hand version for "loyal."
Another sign that could occasionally be used to mean "loyal" is the PATRON-of sign by that I mean the sign we use to mean the old fashioned statement "he/she is a patron of that business." By stating, he patronizes that business we mean he goes there to the exclusion of other businesses. That sign touches the side of the non-dominant upright index finger ("1"-handshape) twice with the fingertips of the dominant, horizontal, palm-back "B"-handshape. I suppose yet another way to express "loyalty" could be the sign for STUBBORN. Not generally of course, but in certain situations "stubborn" might be a very good sign to include in a sentence involving loyalty.
Bill
"Be loyal to" / to go there often / to prefer that one to the exclusion of other ones / PATRONIZE:
SUPPORT / LOYAL / SUSTAIN / "PRO" (supportive)
STUBBORN:
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