As many of you know I've been taking ASL for awhile. Tonight we were learning deaf conjunctions-- the OTHER meaning for signs signs we've already practiced. My ASL teacher gave us many examples of the proper expressions-- such as, "I walk, WRONG rain!" Most of you would get this immediately but bear with me as I explain to people who only speak English. What that sentence meant was "As I was walking, it suddenly started to rain. OK? Okay.
So one of her examples was she met a Deaf Japanese man in Washington D.C about ten years ago.
While they were talking she made the OK sign. WRONG! He took off. Why? Bad meaning - Japan (JSL). Evidently that means F--K. True story!
I had a fantastic time at the ASL interpreted play the other night. It was the first play I've been to in years and I understood a lot of the interpreting, which was especially exciting for me because I wouldn't have understood much of the play at all without it. I'm definitely NOT 100% at this point. Without any hints I'm only getting the basic gist of a discussion. But with being able to lip read along with the play when I didn't understand the signing and being able to look at the interpreters when I didn't get what was said, WOW! This is opening a new world for me.
18 comments:
Cool!
:o)
You look so cute!
Have you contacted Seek Geo? Take a look at the email eddy in his website!
He would love to see you like this! :-)
White Ghost
You look great! Your smile's great!
Way to go, Kim.
You're an official Seekie now! That's so interesting about the conjunctions in ASL - I'd like to learn more too.
Sarah
Looks like you're having a blast in your ASL class! :)
What you convey is joie de vivre, a full-bodied enjoyment of life and its novel challenges! You take them right on and with gusto! Cheers!
The expression "me walk, wrong rain!" is a little more colorful than simply "it started to rain while I walked". It actually connotes: "I went for a nice walk and unexpectedly it started to rain!" (I was caught off guard and now will have to deal with getting soaked.)
I looooooooooove your seekie pose!! :) I can't wait until you are up there with me!
I find this very interesting. This looks like a glimpse of what I have to look forward to.
At least you uncovered the reason why Seekgeo doesn't have any japanese seekies, LOL!
Hi WG-- I took that for SeekGeo and sent it to him awhile ago, but he's been busy with HK. Anway, I about died when I found out what that sign means in JSL.
Thanks Deb Ann. :-)
Karen-- I AM loving ASL. It's so fun and interesting.
Sarah-- Before I started learning ASL, I couldn't figure out how interpreters kept up with English. People talk fast! But it's amazing how much meaning can be conveyed through expression. You can say an entire sentence with just a couple different signs. See Dianrez's example below.
ASL is not about precision. It's about expression.
In that sense, it is like music or poetry.
Dianrez,
Thanks for the nice compliment!
You've touched on what it is I like so much about ASL. Four signs can easily equal ten words of English, and the expressions are priceless. My deaf ASL teacher almost seems to have a rubber face. I'm understanding why ASL doesn't translate to English very well. It's hard to put a visual into words.
Another example she used last night was walking and having a bird poo on her. "I walk. Wrong! Bird. Poo!" But when she did it, you could see she got poo in her hair and was totally grossed out. She's so FUN!
Hi Abbie,
Thanks. :-) In most my pics I try to cut out the lower half of my body.
I had hoped to lose weight before July. It's not happening.
HaHa!! I never thought about SeekGeo and no Japanese people. Hmmmm. This got me thinking though. I wonder what other signs Americans make that are offensive to other Deaf people around the world.
Happens in English too. An Iranian once told me my middle name means "shit" in Farci.
Kim, the fingerspelled "T" is a very graphic sign in South American and Mediterranean countries meaning a part in female anatomy. (Their "T" looks more like our "F" with the thumb and forefinger crossed.)
The people in those countries are often aware of the American "T" and mostly understand, but watch for their expressions to change if you forget!
Thanks for letting me know, Dianrez. :-) I'll be careful! hahah!
Hi Seek Kim!!
I noticed my comment hasn't gone through yesterday that I left for some reason.. ugh!
So here I'm trying again. You look great as usual!! So glad to have you part of Seekies! ;-)
I posted yours yesterday as well: http://www.seekgeo.com/?p=892
Hugs!
-SG
Oh by the way, I had no idea about the seekie post in Japan meaning something else! LMAO!!
I gotta watch out then! *grins* ;-)
-SG
Hi Kim, I have read your comments on Seek Geo's blog and it nice to see a face to the name. I look forward to reading your blogs.
Also, you are wearing the wrong colors. :-) GO COUGS!!!! Iam a WAZZU alumni.
Cheers~
Anon-- haha! WRONG colors?! I think not! Purple with gold trip is the most beautiful color combination ever.
Bow Down to Washington,
Bow Down to Washington,
Mighty Are The Men
Who Wear the Purple and the Gold,
Joyfully We Welcome Them
Within the Victors Fold. . .
SG--Thank you ever so much for making me a "Seekie!"
It was all I could do not to buckle over in laughter when my ASL teacher relayed this story! Seriously, I had to cover my mouth and nose while little snorts of laughter continued to escape. Everyone at my table thought I was weird.
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