Signing evolves and depends on context so I wasn't surprised when I started seeing people do the loose 5-hands "switch" sign to mean the whole phrase "switched at birth" when discussing the show. Think about it. If you know what is being discussed it becomes an obvious evolution of the signing of the phrase to drop extra signs and reduce the signing down to the most basic concept that will still get your meaning across.
The phrase "Switched at Birth" is signed a variety of ways in the Deaf
Community. Don't get hung up on any particular version. Try to be flexible and
focus on the discussion rather than any particular method of signing that
phrase.
A very common way to introduce the concept of "switched at birth" to
your conversation is to do a mime-like sign showing switching two babies and
then spell "at" and then sign birth.
Then when it is obvious you are discussing the show "Switched at Birth" you can
just sign SWITCH BORN.
Then eventually when you get tired of signing SWITCH BORN -- drop the "BORN"
sign and just sign SWITCH (using the depictive mime-like version that uses
loose-palm-up 5-hands).
Some people may, in some situations just fingerspell SAB to mean "Switched at
Birth." However that would only work if you had a lot of context.
Fingerspelling SAB could be a good approach if for some reason you needed to
sign it one-handed (such as if you were contrasting and comparing SAB to some
other TV show -- or if you were holding your phone with the other hand).
If you are trying to impress your ASL teacher (ha) you can sign BORN SWITCH:
Description: "SWITCHED-AT-BIRTH" signed as "BIRTH-SWITCH" using
a version of the BIRTH sign and then palm-up loose-5-hands make a cross-over movement as
if simultaneously swapping two babies in their cribs.
Remember, there are quite a few sign combinations that people use to sign "Switched at Birth"
but the "baby swap" version (without adding the BIRTH sign) certainly my favorite because it is so
clear and easy.
- Dr. Bill
Exchange / swap / change out
INSTEAD / trade / replace / substitute / atone / in place of / switch two items / swap
Notes:
Question:
During your interview with C?ar Jacobson (at the 24:51 mark of part 6) you sign "switched at
birth" by miming switching two babies.
Could a person also use the sign for 'exchange'? Or that not close enough of a
meaning?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYlyl4fMilw&t=1491s
Answer:
Great question! I used to sign the phrase "switched at birth" using the
"trade/exchange/instead" sign. Then a friend of mine who had a connection to the
actors and the show showed me the more depictive version more commonly used by
insiders for that particular signed phrase and I started using the more
depictive version. The "trade/exchange/instead" version isn't wrong -- it is
just less representative of the type of signing being used by those who are /
were involved with the show.
Also see: BIRTH
Notes: