Tishia’s Thoughts

Over on Bill Creswell’s blog, he shows a Jib Jab deodorant commercial, which I have included below. I think it’s hilarious because it strikes a chord of truth for me. So many times I’ve seen others misunderstand sign language or sign something wrong and they offend me or someone else that’s deaf. One time at work, my boss was signing to me and another deaf man by moving her C-shape hand down her chest over and over in an urgent fashion. Larry’s eyes bugged out of his head and shook his head while slowly backing away from her and signed “Not me, Not me” (Thumb from under the chin/finger on chest) She was very confused and I told her “Uh, Larry is married. We are sorry you are horny, but he is married.” Now it was her turn to turn crimson and she shook her head and said “oh no, no, I meant I am very very very hungry.”

We all burst into laughter and I explained that yes, that sign for hungry is the same sign for horny ONE TIME. You don’t sign that you are starving by signing that over and over, that becomes “very very desire (horny), but to sign starving, you sign hungry then make a circle over stomach and make a facial expression of groaning to show that you are very hungry. or to show you are so hungry you could eat a lot, you sign hungry then move your hands towards your mouth as if stuffing your mouth full.

American Sign Language is different from Signed English and it’s a challenge to not end up insulting someone, even I have done that. Once, I accidentally asked another girl on my football team if she drinks lesbians. Oh yes, I did and *I* am deaf and I grew up SEE. I’m slowly switching to ASL, with a lot of funny misunderstandings along the way, much like this video below. Enjoy.