Stokoe's Name
Sign:
William C. Stokoe's name sign was coined by a Deaf student named Hedy Udkovich based on Stokoe's thick hair which he often wore in a bowl haircut. Udkovich depicted Stokoe's hair by placing her hand palm down on her head with the fingers drooping down over her forehead (Maher, 2010, p. 133). The name sign stuck.
An unlikely origin story for the location and handshape of Stokoe's name sign that has been passed around the Deaf Community is the dubious idea that the name sign is due to some sort of supposed birth mark on the side of his head.
A more entertaining idea is that Stokoe's name sign was "because he wore a Tam O' Shanter (a Scottish cap) and played the bagpipes around the Gallaudet campus" (Louis, 2018). The "Tam O' Shanter" story would help explain why the original "bowl haircut" name sign has evolved to into Stokoe's current name sign which consists of tapping a loose claw-hand to the upper side of the head.
References:
Maher, Jane (2010). Seeing language in sign: The work of William C. Stokoe. Washington, D.C.: Gallaudet University Press.
Louis, P. J., III. (2018, July 10). Paul J Louis III shared his first post. Retrieved July 10, 2018, from https://www.facebook.com/groups/Lifeprint.ASLU/permalink/1656504114448776/
Author of the above:
William G. VicarsWilliam C. Stokoe's name sign was coined by a Deaf student named Hedy Udkovich based on Stokoe's thick hair which he often wore in a bowl haircut. Udkovich depicted Stokoe's hair by placing her hand palm down on her head with the fingers drooping down over her forehead (Maher, 2010, p. 133). The name sign stuck.
An unlikely origin story for the location and handshape of Stokoe's name sign that has been passed around the Deaf Community is the dubious idea that the name sign is due to some sort of supposed birth mark on the side of his head.
A more entertaining idea is that Stokoe's name sign was "because he wore a Tam O' Shanter (a Scottish cap) and played the bagpipes around the Gallaudet campus" (Louis, 2018). The "Tam O' Shanter" story would help explain why the original "bowl haircut" name sign has evolved to into Stokoe's current name sign which consists of tapping a loose claw-hand to the upper side of the head.
References:
Maher, Jane (2010). Seeing language in sign: The work of William C. Stokoe. Washington, D.C.: Gallaudet University Press.
Louis, P. J., III. (2018, July 10). Paul J Louis III shared his first post. Retrieved July 10, 2018, from https://www.facebook.com/groups/Lifeprint.ASLU/permalink/1656504114448776/
Author of the above:
2018/07/10
Notes: