A few things to add! (Will edit as more things come up, and I might make another video if the list becomes long!) There are ALWAYS exceptions to the rules. So you might think, "I have a sign that breaks one of these rules, but it was given to me by a deaf person??" It might be one of those exceptions! Generally, sign names use ONLY one hand. Rare exceptions will use both. Names that are four letters or fewer are not "required" to have a sign name because they're so short and typically easy to fingerspell. Names that have five letters, but has some double letters, are considered the same as four-letter ones (such as Gabby, Lizzy, Tommy, etc.)
Thank you for making captions optional. As an ASL student, I try to watch without captions first. Then watch again with captions, then without again. I can learn a lot that way. Thank you!
My two year old daughter lost her hearing sometime in the last year and we’re not sure if she’ll ever hear or not. I’ve been learning sign and using it with her, to her delight and lowered frustration (since we can actually communicate now). I thought about giving her a sign name (like “hair” and the letter M for Mary since her red hair is what people always notice first about her) but thanks to your video I realize I should just sign her name (helps that it’s short). I’ll continue using ASL with her even if she gets her hearing back, but I’ll leave the sign names to the deaf community since I don’t want to accidentally create something embarrassing or vulgar for her with my ignorance. Thanks for kindly educating ! :)
Do you sign everyone's name? I feel like not creating name signs for people she knows really limits communication. My daughter now 4 was learning asl since 6 months, we have everyone namesigns so she could sign about cousins etc. The entire extended family was learning asl together but we weren't part of the asl community. I feel like toddlers trying to communicate is a valid exception. She would tell us which cousin hurt her feelings at 24 months old and who she wanted to see.
Interesting! It was my hearing parents who gave me my sign name. And I've always been a part in the deaf community here in Sweden since they found out I was deaf when I was 1 year old. They was learning sign language after that. And it was me who gave sign names to one of my little hearing brothers (the other brother got his sign name from our parents). My kids got their sign names from me, their deaf mom. So I think both deaf and hearing people (who can sign language) can give sign names too.
I did originally have a sign name from my parents and used it well through high school. When I went to college, I chose to drop it and wait for a new sign name. It just so happened I didn't get one until after I graduated college and went to Denmark. I would be VERY cautious about saying that just any ol' hearing person can give a sign name, because I have seen some extremely unwanted situations happen. A great example with my best friend - his name starts with P. When he was little, his parents (hearing and barely knew sign at the time) decided his sign name would be a P tapping the nose. They had no clue until a deaf person who signs told them that it was the sign for p*nis. Yeahhhh, no. I had a friend who asked if her sign name could be a B hitting (not tapping or swiping) her chin in the middle because she has a divot there. Well, that's the sign for b*tch, so I don't think so. These are only a couple of many situations that have happened. So again, I would be very cautious with allowing hearing people to create sign names. If they do know sign well, that's another thing entirely. It comes down to culture. By allowing hearing people to create our sign names, which are in our primary language (sign), and most likely NOT their primary, that takes power away from us. Does that make sense?
@@RoganShannon13 I understand. It maybe depends on how much hearing people interact with deaf people. For example, my dad started working with a deaf co-worker in construction after they found out I was deaf. And they went to the deaf club and met other deaf people and families. Many years later my mom also has worked with deafblind people and my dad became a sign language interpreter. So the deaf community is important. And of course, sign names can be changed, it's okay. :)
Rogan Shannon Lol hearing people making up weird sign names XD I'm hearing I got a sign name! Its a C and signed under your right cheek to your left cheek
My deaf mom's name sign was a B near her chin, sort of between "bitch" and "breakfast". I guess it came from one of her teachers at the state school for the deaf, but l always spelled her name "Bea" to avoid confusion.😊@@RoganShannon13
As a hearing person, I started my ASL journey six years ago. I have met many deaf people since then and really enjoyed interacting and learning about the deaf community. A couple years ago one of my Deaf friends explained the concept of sign names to me and gave me my sign name based on my long bangs (make a "B" hand and swoop from one side of the forehead to the other in a curved motion). I didn't even realize there were rules to sign names! Thanks so much for the great informative video!
In Russia we often have hometowns’s sign names for people’s sign names. As well as activities (“footballer”, “dancer”), last name adaptations (is the person’s last name is Bobrov (beaver) his SN is likely to be “beaver”. There can be a letter or two for a name as well. And body or facial features, just like you guys! And many other options. I like the way you make up new signs for names. In Russia we normally use signs that already exist
I've known the letters in ASL for years now. I've forgotten and relearned the numbers multiple times. Today, not in this video though, I learned something and it may be cheesy, but I'm proud of myself. I learned the Pledge of Allegiance in ASL!!!
Thank you so much! I love your content, as it teaches me so much about Deaf culture. I am learning ASL, and my goal is to be able to follow your videos (someday) without slowing down the speed and without captions. I first watched this video 6 months ago, with captions and only got the odd sign or phrase. Today on .5 speed I was able to get about 60% of it. Improvement! Also, I'm so excited to have received a sign name from a Deaf woman I have been practicing with since January. She chose the perfect sign for me with a letter from my nickname "L" and the action for the sign "business/busy" -- it's perfect for me and I love it and am honoured to have it given to me.
In my case, myself and my children are hearing, however my youngest son is speech delayed so I have been teaching him signs (such as signs for milk, thirsty, hungry, eat, drink, more, all done, mom, tired, please, thank you) to help him communicate as he often gets frustrated with not being able communicate his needs. I find it a bit odd that as his mother, and the person who gave him his spoken name, that I cannot give him a sign name. It is quite interesting.
No offense, but teaching him signs is not ASL, ASL has grammar. If you want to continue teaching him in ASL, that's another story. Beginning with words when they are young is another topic.
Sign names are a cultural behavior. It is like giving a Korean name when you are not Korean although you like the name without really understanding the cultural connections to language. As a native ASL user, an ASL teacher, and a parent of CODAs, what you are doing is not language. It is vocabulary based. Sign languages have grammar, literature, culture and people that creates a complexity that cannot be conveyed in vocabulary. Vocabulary tends to be short term and once someone achieves speech (or semblance of such), those signs will be forgotten or left aside. So why should a sign name be given to someone who will not use the vocabulary in a natural linguistic-cultural process?
Sign names are interesting. Cause it is very unique for a language to name a person this way. I do have to confess dough. I don't use my first given name when introducing myself, because it is to long to spell out. 😅 I use my second name that only has 4 letters.
I’m non-verbal and my father was h-o-h so I grew up using dutch sign language. I’m now learning asl and I’ve been told that my name-sign, which has no meaning in dutch, is not usable in asl (it not only has a meaning, nooo, it’s a vulgar word for a certain sexual act) 🤪 Anybody else ever run into something like that?
I always feel awkward when an interpreter asks for my sign name and I respond "I don't have one," like I'm failing some sort of Deaf test. But I realize that my name, Avory, is super easy to spell, so that's probably why I was never got one!
Indeed. I was talking with some people recently, and they brought up this. Often if a name is four letters or shorter, it's allowed to not have a sign name. Or if it's five letters but has double letters, it's also allowed to not have a sign name (ex: Gabby, Lizzy, etc.) And Avory is indeed easy to spell!
Thank you! This was great. Fascinating. I've noticed you use English syntax when you sign. I've noticed many UA-camrs doing this. Would you mind (or have you done) videos on ASL syntax and if it's changing? My original ASL teacher told us everyone signs a little differently but there were two main ways of ASL syntax. My recent teacher described just one so far in his class. Also when you signed letter (as in a letter of the alphabet) did you sign the sign for a letter that you mail out? I was trying to catch it. Thank you again. Really enjoying watching these.
I personally sign a bit more English, simply because that was how I grew up. ALSO, the way I sign depends on who I'm talking with. For these videos, it's how I think I guess? But I will click over to more ASL if the person I'm talking with signs more ASL. I'll click the other way to more English if the person signs more English. Interesting, I'm curious about what the two main syntaxes of ASL are. Good catch! You could say that yes, I'm using the sign more conceptually accurate for letter:mail. However, I personally don't like, and never use, the "right" sign for letter:alphabet. It's a L with the thumb tapping the tip of the index finger of the non-dominant hand. Also, the sign I'm using is a bit old and the newer one can be seen here: lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-signs/l/letter.htm
Oh, to the signing syntax in my videos - I've noticed that if I script my videos out I will sometimes sign way more ASL because I'm actively interpreting from English but if it's not scripted, it'll be straight from my brain, which happens to be more English-influenced.
@@RoganShannon13 thanks for both replies! 😊😊 I don't remember both ways of the common ASL syntax. One, the teacher told us was similar to how Yoda talked in Star Wars.
I recently had to drop my sign name! I know three other people just in my area who have the same one (B tapped on side of the head, super common ) and some have the same first name too. Asked one of our Deaf professors and she said it was allowed to be dropped. People will get tired of fingerspelling my name eventually so looking forward to see whats next
Yup! I originally had a different sign name growing up. I dropped it in college because I didn't feel particularly happy with it, and it had been given to me by hearing people. I've had several friends either drop or change their sign name. Completely normal, however! It's not something to be lightly done, or changed multiple times over a short span of time. It is a name after all.
This is awesome. I began learning basic ASL as a child. I'm hearing, but I've had several deaf friends as an adult. These friends have often signed my name by the sign for cloud rather than spelling it out since that is my name. But I don't think that I'd call it a sign name really. I want to respect the deaf community, so I generally spell it.
Great video! Very interesting because as you know the school year has just begun for many children and NAMES of friends is always needed the first week! I am an Interpreter in mainstream first grade this year. This is my 15th year in Education, and I am certified in Special Education and Deaf Education as well. we do not have Deaf adults in our building and so I did assume the role of giving the peers in my student’s class sign names. This student is from hearing family, CI but learning ASL and not responding to CI at all. Parents do not sign. I know the best scenario would be having a Deaf adult ASL teacher in our building but that’s not the case. So sign names created by me absolutely needed or he has no connection to peers and he is instead resorting to frustration when he is trying to tell me something about someone with no name. i have often wondered how Deaf might feel about hearing teachers needing to help with this in mainstream (hearing giving sign names for school setting) At about second grade, I have found the Deaf students understand this concept (sometimes not the rules) of giving sign names to their friends so they become the creators, and I help make sure we talk about the sign name rules and the sign working together . The whole week so far has been building connections for the kids to get to know each other. I’m not going to leave this kid out . So we started with sign names, name games, basic ASL greetings, YOU NAME WHAT? , ME NAME fs, NICE MEET YOU, FEEL FEEL YOU, HOW YOU, etc. Anyways would love to know your thoughts on hearing give sign names in hearing schools with Deaf students
I'm hearing Terp, married to Deaf with hearing kids. I personally would be cautious about assigning sign names the first week - and would instead encourage you to be intentional about #FSing the names, or using classifiers to describe the kids in class. With this approach, you would be modeling more ASL appropriate linguistic markers as well as allowing a "natural sign name" to form as the child interacts with their peers. I've heard the concern that kids can't fingerspell that well so young or if they are just learning sign, but I would disagree. My 4 year old fingerspells multiple things a day (ie: rice, Mac n cheese, van, Casey, pizza, waffles) with accuracy and my 20 month old fingerspells the same things using an "envelope" movement that mimics the shape of the #FS'd word. I think we (hearing individuals) can rob young deaf eyes of the normalcy of #FSing in everyday convo's since we - as second language learner's - often struggle with it. I would encourage you to do some self evaluation on this point and see what you find (:
@@jennazaelbuperry6724 I'm faced with a similar dilemma. In my current situation we are mainstream with a teacher of Deaf and another interpreter who alternates with me. In the past I've allowed sign names to naturally develop starting with close relationships. In this situation sign names were already created and most are initialized. When possible I incorporate sign names that relate to appearance or personality. Some of the shorter names I fingerspell, but I more concerned with the students exposure to vocabulary and being able to address specific individuals.
Lily - That's a great question! There are some situations where sign names are certainly helpful in facilitating communication more quickly, but I would definitely encourage the student to come up with sign names themselves. Yes, not every student will have a sign name in the first week, but that's natural, especially if they just met and don't really know each other yet. And sure, they may not follow the rules, but that's okay! Kids are allowed to play with language, and sometimes they can come up with very creative ways of using it that don't break any rules. They might change the sign name later on, or just drop it altogether, and that's okay too! To what JennAzael said, it's true. Kids are amazing, they pick up things quickly, and fingerspelling is really not an issue at a young age. Sure, motor function might not quite be there yet, but it's all part of the learning process. My godson is nearly two (CODA of two deaf parents), and he can fingerspell quite a few words and very clearly. So long comment short, I would encourage having the child create the sign names whenever possible! You could help with suggestions, like JennAzael suggested with the classifiers or describing the kids.
I adore Josh Castille and I never knew his sign name before this video. I’m screaming that it not only looks like the choreography to A Chorus Line, but the full name of a Dolly Parton song. He is the Supreme Gay.
I'm non-verbal due to a neurological condition so I have been learning asl for a couple years. I was given a sign name pretty early on but I don't use it very often just because my name is so easy to fingerspell and because I don't really hang out with the people who gave it to me anymore. really the only person who uses it now is my (hearing, trying to learn asl for me) partner. it was originally the sign for Mohawk but with an E hand shape but it kind of evolved over the years into just pulling a loosly closed fist over the side of your head
Im not sure if you'll see this, because this video is old, but I have a question regarding children with speech delays. My almost 4yo son does not speak. His grandparents, who he talks to every day in a video call, have names like "ama" "Yaya" and "Papi" We've used the grandma sign and say "AMA" but I've been distinguishing between grandmothers by using a wiggling "y" sign for Yaya. My son can recognize his written name and I was hoping to teach him how to identify himself in sign but the ASL alphabet has been coming really slowly to him with all of the finger coordination. I thought to just use O-R (instead of spelling out Orion) and we'd do something similar for his little brother. Are these all "allowed?" I really want to be respectful to the deaf community and the legacy of ASL and at the same time have a desperate need to find ways to communicate effectively with my son.
My hearing mom gave me a sign name that I didn’t like anymore when I got older. So I changed it to a “loose” letter “m” that moves right and left a few times below jawline similar to the sign “hippie” because I like hippie stuff and because I like keeping my hair short at my jawline. I am profoundly deaf and was surprised to see you say deaf people shouldn’t give themselves a sign name. 🤔 When I told my friends in the deaf community my sign name, they were fine with it.
Great information! My 11 year old son (deaf) is always wanting to give everyone (family and friends) name signs, but... he pretty much always wants to do the same 2 things, but changing the handshape to the person's initial... For example, He gave his sisters (Lorelai and Ashlynn) their initial (L or A) tracing down the side of their head to show their long hair. Ok... fine. But then every time he tries to give a name sign, if they have long hair, that's automatically what he wants to do. (Like a G used in the same way for his cousin Gabriel who currently has long hair.) I've told him, many times, that he can't just give everyone the same name sign, but people keep telling me that he gave them a name sign and showing me basically the same thing. (facepalm) Suggestions? Another question I have is about names with small children. How do you teach a young child to specify a person (or understand who you are talking about) before they are able to understand spelling/reading, if that person does not have a name sign? Thank you for sharing this information.
I think it's a fair point about getting sign names from the deaf folks in the community. I've been learning sign for almost 10 years and i don't have one (to be fair, I rejected the first and only one I received for personal reasons). I just don't have that much interaction with the community in person these days, and I feel okay just respecting that part of the culture. If I ever need a sign name that bad, I'll have to go put the work in and make some new deafriends.
Interesting video! My brother is mute (doesn't talk) and uses a mixture of signing (with me and my family because we sign) and writing (for non signers) He isn't deaf but is an involved membe of the deaf community, do you think it's ok if he gives a name sign to someone?
Ooh good question. Sign names are such a cultural thing, so I don't know how other people would feel about that. I personally would tentatively say yes, he could since he knows sign and is involved, but perhaps jointly with a deaf person?
I've only taken ASL for 3 years, with a deaf teacher and many deaf or hard of hearing classmates/ teammates, through these years my friends and I have gone to many events for the deaf community and during those chatted with loads of people. Still to this day I haven't been given a sign name, even when I've brought it up in conversation! (and I have the longest/ most often misspelled name out of my peers so it's really a pain to always spell it out fully) Literally all of my friends with only 3-5 letter names have sign names because the ONE event I wasn't able to go to, they made good friends with a deaf couple who gave them all sign names :/ so I really hope I get some luck and receive one soon.
I spy "A Tale for the Time Being" on the desk in the background--such a good book! I do have a question about sign names: for spoken names, you know how families often "pass down" certain names across generations? Does that ever happen with sign names? Like, I have the exact same name as my great grandmother, which doesn't cause confusion since she's no longer with us, but I was thinking, do two people ever have the exact same sign name? What happens if they do? (sorry if this question doesn't make sense!)
Yes! I'm about halfway now, and I"m really enjoying it! I don't know of specific sign names being passed down. Generations of deaf people are rare, so I can't really answer that. But I do know there are some deaf families that will have the whole family's sign name have a similar movement or something like that (kind of like people naming all their kids with names that have the same first letter). There are a lot of people who have the exact same sign name as someone else, sometimes several! That's because of a traditional naming method that used the first letter of a person's name then doing some movement with it. Sometimes it's very confusing :P It's like people having a very common name like Nick or Matt, you get around that by saying their last name or some characteristic that makes them distinct. That's what we do in the deaf community too.
As someone starting to learn ASL, I find it amusing that some sign names seem to be little humorous pokes at someone. It evinces me a somewhat more fun-loving culture that isn’t as present in Standard American English
watching this partly for research because a character in the book i'm writing is a deaf 13-year-old, and I wanna figure out how she'd give sign names to people she knew all her life like her family vs how she would give sign names now, knowing actual asl, and not just babbling sign language. Also obviously, anyone should watch videos about all sorts of people to learn respect plus the culture is just kind of interesting
I used to want a sign name, but I've gotten so good at fingerspelling my name and it's just so fluid to spell, I now realize. Now, I'd probably reject a sign name if I got one. I prefer to spell it
UnKnOwN pErSoN sign names tend to take the place of fingerspelling your name though (unless you're meeting someone for the first time, then you're right, they continue to happen together) with easily spelled names, sign names are just redundant, so I personally don't see the need to have one (for me)
I have a question? My ASL teacher who is hearing gave me my sign name. Does this count? There were no deaf students in the class and I learned it to better communicate with my cousin who sometimes uses sign language when he’s having difficulty communicating verbally he’s not dead but sometimes he has trouble speaking so he learned sign? Would he have to give me my sign name or is this one of those exceptions?
I have a question, please. :) I am hearing and took ASL 1 and 2 about 15 years ago in college. I am trying to brush up my ASL but as of yet haven't interacted with the Deaf community in my new local area. My name has 6 unique letters. At my first ever Deaf gathering 15 years ago, a kind Deaf man gave me a sign name I vaguely remember ("A" that was shaken by my face. Close to the sign for girl, which I think it was based off of.). I wish I had made more of an effort to remember it, but we had been told our teacher would give us ASL names, so I didn't make proper notes because I was very new to learning and didnt understand yet. Our ASL teacher became deaf as an adult and was well respected and involved in the local deaf community. In class, one day she asked us each to suggest a sign name or trait to her we wanted our name based off of. Some of us came up with our deaf names that were then approved by her. Some of us got them made up by her. I asked for something based off of reading books and got a name with the letter "A" on the right hand flipping a book two times with the thumb- left hand flat. (I should add that my teacher told me it was unusual, but that it should be fine because I was so identified by books.) My question is. Which name should I keep? The first one that I cant fully remember? The name by my ASL teacher that I a hearing person helped invent and that seems to break the rules by using two hands and seemed strange to a few Deaf people I interacted with since? Or drop both and wait to earn one from my new local Deaf community this time around learning ASL? I am thinking I should do that, but I don't want to be disrespectful to the two Deaf people who named me before. I don't particularly like my spoken name, so whatever signed name I have is fully fine with me. I just want to be respectful.
Use whatever you’re comfortable with! People do change their sign names throughout life. I grew up with one (that wasn’t my favorite, and was given to me by someone hearing), dropped it when I went into college and it was fingerspelled the whole time I was in college. Then I got my current sign name when I went studying abroad. In your situation, I would say the one from your ASL teacher is perfectly acceptable. It is indeed unusual, but that’s what makes it stand out. And I have had (and know of others who have had) hearing people think of sign names for themselves, just as long as it’s approved by a deaf signer!
Hey Rogan! I was wondering where can I find/buy the "No More Craptions" shirt? I know you have one and I want to get one, so I wanted to ask you. Thanks in advance! 😃
You're in luck! A campaign is running right now, but it ends in two days (probably will go live again at some point) so go go go! www.bonfire.com/nomorecraptions/
Am I permitted to give people sign names? I ask because I’m only partially deaf from a severe car accident. I have 70% hearing in one ear, but only 30% hearing in the other ear.
Great video! I'm deaf- I kind of don't really have a name sign right now but I've had at least 2 that stuck a bit. First one was in college and was related to my nicknname- the sign uses the two hands- it's like the sign for squirrel but all the fingers are extended-- "Smiley". Only my group of friends ever used it lol. Had another when I started this last job as there were two other deaf there- C at the chin. Interestingly I learned of some of the name signs that were given to a lot of the hearing co-workers by 1 of the deaf-- a few of them were...not nice/inappropriate. I don't really use the C sign anymore- have not been able to interact with the deaf community in a few years :(.
We live in US and I want a unique sign name for my 1yr old son. He has family that are deaf, he is hearing. His name is River and one family keeps wanting to do something with “R” but I don’t want an “initialized” sign name:/. Every time we go somewhere he gets MULTIPLE comments about his BIG hazel eyes so I wish it pertained to that somehow. He also tries to imitate every single sound he hears. Help???🙏🏼😅
I'm taking a sign language class and the homework for this weak is to come up with my own sign name 😅 it's Dutch sign language though, maybe the rules are different here
I kind of get the idea behind sign name to make it easier to people to identify each other without having to spell each other names all the time wich can be time consuming (especially long names like Alexander) but what about names that actually mean something how are we supposed to sign them? For example a person who's name is "Rose" could she just sign the flower "rose" or does she have to spell r-o-s-e until she get her "official sign name" given by the community? Cuz in the hearing community we don't spell our name we just say it so should in be the same for a name that already got a sign for it cuz it refer to an actual object like Rose or something more abstract like Summer (the Natsu part of my middle name is actually written with tha japanese symbol for "summer" but can still be signed with a single signa? To me it's not the same as giving yourself a sign name based on quality you think you might have is just...saying your own name in a more "concise" way when that way is actually available. Hope to read your thought on that.
Some people who have names that already mean something in English will just use that, like your example of Rose! However, I want to emphasize that sign names aren't necessarily our English names being given a sign name. Like you don't spell out your names, you just say them out loud. That's what sign names are, they're a *name* separate from our English name. So for that very reason, sometimes people like Rose would have a sign name that has nothing to do with the flower, because her sign name means something else, something more personal, that has a story that comes with it. Fingerspelling names happens only because English names don't have direct equivalents in sign (other than examples like Rose and Summer). A great example of that is my own sign name. I did briefly mention it in this video, but let me elaborate some more here. I had one growing up that was completely arbitrary, had no meaning to it other than the fact that my English name means red in Old Gaelic. In college, I just fingerspelled it because I wanted one that had actual, personal meaning to it and given to me by a deaf person. Now, it's like signing LOST/LOSE with only the dominant hand. This has nothing to do with me as a person, but has everything to do with the story of the airport losing my bag on my first-ever trip to Europe. Sign names are much more complex than simply being a referent marker, so yes, names sometimes will be signed using the meaning of the name, but not always.
@@RoganShannon13 thank you for your explaination/precision it's really an interresting part of deaf culture (and not just a shortcut to avoid too much fingerspelling).
My son is about to take his first-ever ASL class in college. He's interested in learning ASL (which is why he waited to take a college-level course) and wondered if he will be given an ASL sign name by the Professor (an individual who is Deaf) in the event of more than one student with his name in the class (it's a common name). Is it more common for students to fingerspell their names while they're learning? If my son is into magic (card tricks) as a hobby, would the sign for "magic" be a possible one he could use if the Professor gave it to him ... would it follow the rules? His first name begins with M, so he's not sure about it as a possibility, or even what the Professor will give him.
I am deaf in one ear and mild loss in the other since age 4. I know a little sign language but have mostly use lip reading and subtitles for clarifying. Im starting to learn ASL more in depth as it has become more apparent that i will probably lose all hearing at some point. Would it be inappropriate for me to give family/friends sign names although i am not completely deaf?
Hi! I have a question. If a parent isn’t deaf but their child is and the child’s name is really long, are the parents allowed to give the child a nickname (essentially a sign name) but they’re the only ones who use it?
They could, but they have to be careful that it isn't anything inappropriate. One of my childhood friends nearly had one! The parents thought they'd do something on the nose because of the cute nose. But their name started with a P, and P on the nose is, well, definitely not something you want as a sign name! (A term for male parts)
Hi!how can I give my daughter a sign name.? she's now turning7 not even go to school.but she's very smart girl we use very basic sign language in the house thx for your reply
My 4 month old son has hearing loss. I am a hearing parent. I've always called him little man since he was born. Can I assign him the name little man as his sign name instead of spelling out his name, Logan?
Hi! That's fine as a nickname, but as an actual name sign, not really. Generally sign names in ASL (and likely in other sign languages as well) should not already be a sign. There are exceptions of course, like my name. It's "half" of the normal sign for lost, but people rarely sign lost with only one hand. So it's very identifiable as a sign name. Also, sign names are generally only one clear motion, or one handshape with two repeated motions. Little man wouldn't be identifiable as a sign name, and on top of that, it's two distinct signs. Does that make sense?
You can use them all! Some people will choose one to introduce themselves with, but might still have multiple sign names because they’re from different times in their lives, or it’s kind of like a nickname that a specific group uses. People who know me from before I studied abroad will either fingerspell my name or use my childhood sign name that I decided I didn’t want anymore when I entered college.
Ah, this is where it gets interesting! There are ALWAYS exceptions to rules, which I should've said in the video. Your sign name is one I've seen before, and it's an acceptable one!
There is a professor at Gallaudet that teaches about Black American Sign. If I'm remembering correctly Her Sign name does not start at her upper body, but is near her hip. I wonder if it's because the person who gave her the sign name signs in Black American sign language and not standard sign. This would be the only reason I disagree thay sign names have to start at your upper body but I need to do some more research
That's very possible! And also, I should've said it in the video, but there are ALWAYS exceptions to rules so it's very possible that this is an exception or a sign name that follows different rules because of BASL.
My namesign are the letters K T but like the word cat. It's my initials, plus how toddlers say my name (called me kitty) The only 'problem' is that my HoH friend gave it to me. She can hear some, but mostly communicates in asl, she's really immersed in Deaf culture, and has a lot of Deaf friends. Would my namesign still be valid?
What is your opinion of CODAs giving sign names? Ie specifically CODAs who grew up with ASL as a first language and immersed in the community? I’m not one, just curious on the opinion.
I'm not really sure on this. I don't think it's too big of an issue, but generally, CODAs who are involved in the deaf community will defer to a deaf person for sign names. And I think I'd have no problem with it if it was "signed off on" by a deaf person. Does that make sense?
Was curious... I in no way mean to offend so if I do please feel free to tell me and I will try to better explain. My daughter is nonverbal autistic. I'm trying to teach her some of the simple signs that can get her needs met. I really really want to be able to show her her name in asl. Her name is Grace. It is also a word. So could I simply sign the word? Or does she still need to be given a signed name? I can can sign most of the alphabet but she is having trouble paying attention while I try to remember what im signing. I dont want to offend anyone, honestly thatd break my heart bc thats not how I am. Id just like to shorten it so she can understand her name, and hopefully understand and take interest in other signs.
Generally sign names should not be the same as an actual sign, to prevent any confusion between it being a word or meant as a name. But in your situation, I think it's probably okay to bend the rules a little.
i forgot to enable the captions so,, to me (a person who is just starting to learn asl) organ looked like he was signing " rap god " by eminem. god,, i hope to be that good one day
then that means i don't have a sign name so i was born deaf and my parents learned sign language so they could communicate with me (my parents are hearing) they gave me a sign name so that means i don't have a sign name :(
I don't mean to say that if you already have a sign name given to you by a hearing person, you can't use it! This is more for people who don't have one yet. If you like your sign name, by all means use it!
Haha, sorry about that! That's my natural signing speed, I have been trying to slow it down a little in my more recent videos. I have a teleprompter now, so that helps me maintain my speed :)
A few things to add! (Will edit as more things come up, and I might make another video if the list becomes long!)
There are ALWAYS exceptions to the rules. So you might think, "I have a sign that breaks one of these rules, but it was given to me by a deaf person??" It might be one of those exceptions!
Generally, sign names use ONLY one hand. Rare exceptions will use both.
Names that are four letters or fewer are not "required" to have a sign name because they're so short and typically easy to fingerspell. Names that have five letters, but has some double letters, are considered the same as four-letter ones (such as Gabby, Lizzy, Tommy, etc.)
Thank you for making captions optional. As an ASL student, I try to watch without captions first. Then watch again with captions, then without again. I can learn a lot that way. Thank you!
My two year old daughter lost her hearing sometime in the last year and we’re not sure if she’ll ever hear or not. I’ve been learning sign and using it with her, to her delight and lowered frustration (since we can actually communicate now). I thought about giving her a sign name (like “hair” and the letter M for Mary since her red hair is what people always notice first about her) but thanks to your video I realize I should just sign her name (helps that it’s short). I’ll continue using ASL with her even if she gets her hearing back, but I’ll leave the sign names to the deaf community since I don’t want to accidentally create something embarrassing or vulgar for her with my ignorance. Thanks for kindly educating ! :)
Do you sign everyone's name? I feel like not creating name signs for people she knows really limits communication. My daughter now 4 was learning asl since 6 months, we have everyone namesigns so she could sign about cousins etc. The entire extended family was learning asl together but we weren't part of the asl community. I feel like toddlers trying to communicate is a valid exception. She would tell us which cousin hurt her feelings at 24 months old and who she wanted to see.
Interesting!
It was my hearing parents who gave me my sign name. And I've always been a part in the deaf community here in Sweden since they found out I was deaf when I was 1 year old. They was learning sign language after that.
And it was me who gave sign names to one of my little hearing brothers (the other brother got his sign name from our parents). My kids got their sign names from me, their deaf mom. So I think both deaf and hearing people (who can sign language) can give sign names too.
I did originally have a sign name from my parents and used it well through high school. When I went to college, I chose to drop it and wait for a new sign name. It just so happened I didn't get one until after I graduated college and went to Denmark. I would be VERY cautious about saying that just any ol' hearing person can give a sign name, because I have seen some extremely unwanted situations happen. A great example with my best friend - his name starts with P. When he was little, his parents (hearing and barely knew sign at the time) decided his sign name would be a P tapping the nose. They had no clue until a deaf person who signs told them that it was the sign for p*nis. Yeahhhh, no. I had a friend who asked if her sign name could be a B hitting (not tapping or swiping) her chin in the middle because she has a divot there. Well, that's the sign for b*tch, so I don't think so. These are only a couple of many situations that have happened. So again, I would be very cautious with allowing hearing people to create sign names. If they do know sign well, that's another thing entirely. It comes down to culture. By allowing hearing people to create our sign names, which are in our primary language (sign), and most likely NOT their primary, that takes power away from us. Does that make sense?
@@RoganShannon13 I understand. It maybe depends on how much hearing people interact with deaf people. For example, my dad started working with a deaf co-worker in construction after they found out I was deaf. And they went to the deaf club and met other deaf people and families. Many years later my mom also has worked with deafblind people and my dad became a sign language interpreter. So the deaf community is important. And of course, sign names can be changed, it's okay. :)
Rogan Shannon Lol hearing people making up weird sign names XD
I'm hearing I got a sign name! Its a C and signed under your right cheek to your left cheek
My deaf mom's name sign was a B near her chin, sort of between "bitch" and "breakfast". I guess it came from one of her teachers at the state school for the deaf, but l always spelled her name "Bea" to avoid confusion.😊@@RoganShannon13
As a hearing person, I started my ASL journey six years ago. I have met many deaf people since then and really enjoyed interacting and learning about the deaf community.
A couple years ago one of my Deaf friends explained the concept of sign names to me and gave me my sign name based on my long bangs (make a "B" hand and swoop from one side of the forehead to the other in a curved motion).
I didn't even realize there were rules to sign names! Thanks so much for the great informative video!
In Russia we often have hometowns’s sign names for people’s sign names. As well as activities (“footballer”, “dancer”), last name adaptations (is the person’s last name is Bobrov (beaver) his SN is likely to be “beaver”. There can be a letter or two for a name as well. And body or facial features, just like you guys! And many other options. I like the way you make up new signs for names. In Russia we normally use signs that already exist
I've known the letters in ASL for years now. I've forgotten and relearned the numbers multiple times. Today, not in this video though, I learned something and it may be cheesy, but I'm proud of myself. I learned the Pledge of Allegiance in ASL!!!
Thank you so much! I love your content, as it teaches me so much about Deaf culture. I am learning ASL, and my goal is to be able to follow your videos (someday) without slowing down the speed and without captions. I first watched this video 6 months ago, with captions and only got the odd sign or phrase. Today on .5 speed I was able to get about 60% of it. Improvement! Also, I'm so excited to have received a sign name from a Deaf woman I have been practicing with since January. She chose the perfect sign for me with a letter from my nickname "L" and the action for the sign "business/busy" -- it's perfect for me and I love it and am honoured to have it given to me.
Thank u i am doing a course in deaf education and watching your video gives me a clearer understanding of how name signs are created.
In my case, myself and my children are hearing, however my youngest son is speech delayed so I have been teaching him signs (such as signs for milk, thirsty, hungry, eat, drink, more, all done, mom, tired, please, thank you) to help him communicate as he often gets frustrated with not being able communicate his needs. I find it a bit odd that as his mother, and the person who gave him his spoken name, that I cannot give him a sign name. It is quite interesting.
No offense, but teaching him signs is not ASL, ASL has grammar. If you want to continue teaching him in ASL, that's another story. Beginning with words when they are young is another topic.
Sign names are a cultural behavior. It is like giving a Korean name when you are not Korean although you like the name without really understanding the cultural connections to language. As a native ASL user, an ASL teacher, and a parent of CODAs, what you are doing is not language. It is vocabulary based. Sign languages have grammar, literature, culture and people that creates a complexity that cannot be conveyed in vocabulary. Vocabulary tends to be short term and once someone achieves speech (or semblance of such), those signs will be forgotten or left aside. So why should a sign name be given to someone who will not use the vocabulary in a natural linguistic-cultural process?
Interesting. Sign is pretty intricate but also very intuitive; I learn something new about ASL every day.
Sign names are interesting. Cause it is very unique for a language to name a person this way. I do have to confess dough. I don't use my first given name when introducing myself, because it is to long to spell out. 😅 I use my second name that only has 4 letters.
General rule for sign name- typically one handed.
Yes! Duh why didn't I think of that?
I’m non-verbal and my father was h-o-h so I grew up using dutch sign language. I’m now learning asl and I’ve been told that my name-sign, which has no meaning in dutch, is not usable in asl (it not only has a meaning, nooo, it’s a vulgar word for a certain sexual act) 🤪
Anybody else ever run into something like that?
Yep! My sign name is a curse word in Auslan and NZSL 😂
I always feel awkward when an interpreter asks for my sign name and I respond "I don't have one," like I'm failing some sort of Deaf test. But I realize that my name, Avory, is super easy to spell, so that's probably why I was never got one!
Indeed. I was talking with some people recently, and they brought up this. Often if a name is four letters or shorter, it's allowed to not have a sign name. Or if it's five letters but has double letters, it's also allowed to not have a sign name (ex: Gabby, Lizzy, etc.) And Avory is indeed easy to spell!
Thank you! This was great. Fascinating.
I've noticed you use English syntax when you sign. I've noticed many UA-camrs doing this. Would you mind (or have you done) videos on ASL syntax and if it's changing? My original ASL teacher told us everyone signs a little differently but there were two main ways of
ASL syntax. My recent teacher described just one so far in his class.
Also when you signed letter (as in a letter of the alphabet) did you sign the sign for a letter that you mail out? I was trying to catch it.
Thank you again. Really enjoying watching these.
I personally sign a bit more English, simply because that was how I grew up. ALSO, the way I sign depends on who I'm talking with. For these videos, it's how I think I guess? But I will click over to more ASL if the person I'm talking with signs more ASL. I'll click the other way to more English if the person signs more English. Interesting, I'm curious about what the two main syntaxes of ASL are.
Good catch! You could say that yes, I'm using the sign more conceptually accurate for letter:mail. However, I personally don't like, and never use, the "right" sign for letter:alphabet. It's a L with the thumb tapping the tip of the index finger of the non-dominant hand. Also, the sign I'm using is a bit old and the newer one can be seen here: lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-signs/l/letter.htm
Oh, to the signing syntax in my videos - I've noticed that if I script my videos out I will sometimes sign way more ASL because I'm actively interpreting from English but if it's not scripted, it'll be straight from my brain, which happens to be more English-influenced.
@@RoganShannon13 thanks for both replies! 😊😊 I don't remember both ways of the common ASL syntax. One, the teacher told us was similar to how Yoda talked in Star Wars.
That would be correct! Or, you could say that it's similar to Romance languages like Spanish. Subject first, adjectives, descriptors, etc. after.
I recently had to drop my sign name! I know three other people just in my area who have the same one (B tapped on side of the head, super common ) and some have the same first name too. Asked one of our Deaf professors and she said it was allowed to be dropped. People will get tired of fingerspelling my name eventually so looking forward to see whats next
Yup! I originally had a different sign name growing up. I dropped it in college because I didn't feel particularly happy with it, and it had been given to me by hearing people. I've had several friends either drop or change their sign name. Completely normal, however! It's not something to be lightly done, or changed multiple times over a short span of time. It is a name after all.
This is awesome. I began learning basic ASL as a child. I'm hearing, but I've had several deaf friends as an adult. These friends have often signed my name by the sign for cloud rather than spelling it out since that is my name. But I don't think that I'd call it a sign name really. I want to respect the deaf community, so I generally spell it.
Thanks for this! ASL student and trying my best, captions are appreciated as my processing time is still very slow
THIS IS SO COOL IVE NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THIS BEFORE
Great video! Very interesting because as you know the school year has just begun for many children and NAMES of friends is always needed the first week! I am an Interpreter in mainstream first grade this year. This is my 15th year in Education, and I am certified in Special Education and Deaf Education as well. we do not have Deaf adults in our building and so I did assume the role of giving the peers in my student’s class sign names. This student is from hearing family, CI but learning ASL and not responding to CI at all. Parents do not sign. I know the best scenario would be having a Deaf adult ASL teacher in our building but that’s not the case. So sign names created by me absolutely needed or he has no connection to peers and he is instead resorting to frustration when he is trying to tell me something about someone with no name. i have often wondered how Deaf might feel about hearing teachers needing to help with this in mainstream (hearing giving sign names for school setting) At about second grade, I have found the Deaf students understand this concept (sometimes not the rules) of giving sign names to their friends so they become the creators, and I help make sure we talk about the sign name rules and the sign working together . The whole week so far has been building connections for the kids to get to know each other. I’m not going to leave this kid out . So we started with sign names, name games, basic ASL greetings, YOU NAME WHAT? , ME NAME fs, NICE MEET YOU, FEEL FEEL YOU, HOW YOU, etc. Anyways would love to know your thoughts on hearing give sign names in hearing schools with Deaf students
I'm hearing Terp, married to Deaf with hearing kids. I personally would be cautious about assigning sign names the first week - and would instead encourage you to be intentional about #FSing the names, or using classifiers to describe the kids in class. With this approach, you would be modeling more ASL appropriate linguistic markers as well as allowing a "natural sign name" to form as the child interacts with their peers. I've heard the concern that kids can't fingerspell that well so young or if they are just learning sign, but I would disagree. My 4 year old fingerspells multiple things a day (ie: rice, Mac n cheese, van, Casey, pizza, waffles) with accuracy and my 20 month old fingerspells the same things using an "envelope" movement that mimics the shape of the #FS'd word. I think we (hearing individuals) can rob young deaf eyes of the normalcy of #FSing in everyday convo's since we - as second language learner's - often struggle with it. I would encourage you to do some self evaluation on this point and see what you find (:
@@jennazaelbuperry6724 I'm faced with a similar dilemma. In my current situation we are mainstream with a teacher of Deaf and another interpreter who alternates with me. In the past I've allowed sign names to naturally develop starting with close relationships. In this situation sign names were already created and most are initialized. When possible I incorporate sign names that relate to appearance or personality. Some of the shorter names I fingerspell, but I more concerned with the students exposure to vocabulary and being able to address specific individuals.
Lily - That's a great question! There are some situations where sign names are certainly helpful in facilitating communication more quickly, but I would definitely encourage the student to come up with sign names themselves. Yes, not every student will have a sign name in the first week, but that's natural, especially if they just met and don't really know each other yet. And sure, they may not follow the rules, but that's okay! Kids are allowed to play with language, and sometimes they can come up with very creative ways of using it that don't break any rules. They might change the sign name later on, or just drop it altogether, and that's okay too! To what JennAzael said, it's true. Kids are amazing, they pick up things quickly, and fingerspelling is really not an issue at a young age. Sure, motor function might not quite be there yet, but it's all part of the learning process. My godson is nearly two (CODA of two deaf parents), and he can fingerspell quite a few words and very clearly. So long comment short, I would encourage having the child create the sign names whenever possible! You could help with suggestions, like JennAzael suggested with the classifiers or describing the kids.
I adore Josh Castille and I never knew his sign name before this video. I’m screaming that it not only looks like the choreography to A Chorus Line, but the full name of a Dolly Parton song. He is the Supreme Gay.
I'm non-verbal due to a neurological condition so I have been learning asl for a couple years. I was given a sign name pretty early on but I don't use it very often just because my name is so easy to fingerspell and because I don't really hang out with the people who gave it to me anymore. really the only person who uses it now is my (hearing, trying to learn asl for me) partner. it was originally the sign for Mohawk but with an E hand shape but it kind of evolved over the years into just pulling a loosly closed fist over the side of your head
Im not sure if you'll see this, because this video is old, but I have a question regarding children with speech delays.
My almost 4yo son does not speak. His grandparents, who he talks to every day in a video call, have names like "ama" "Yaya" and "Papi"
We've used the grandma sign and say "AMA" but I've been distinguishing between grandmothers by using a wiggling "y" sign for Yaya.
My son can recognize his written name and I was hoping to teach him how to identify himself in sign but the ASL alphabet has been coming really slowly to him with all of the finger coordination. I thought to just use O-R (instead of spelling out Orion) and we'd do something similar for his little brother. Are these all "allowed?" I really want to be respectful to the deaf community and the legacy of ASL and at the same time have a desperate need to find ways to communicate effectively with my son.
Yes, when it comes to little kids, there's a lot more leeway! I think what you're doing is just fine.
My hearing mom gave me a sign name that I didn’t like anymore when I got older. So I changed it to a “loose” letter “m” that moves right and left a few times below jawline similar to the sign “hippie” because I like hippie stuff and because I like keeping my hair short at my jawline. I am profoundly deaf and was surprised to see you say deaf people shouldn’t give themselves a sign name. 🤔 When I told my friends in the deaf community my sign name, they were fine with it.
It's not a hard and fast rule that you can't give yourself one. If you like it, and other people approve of it, that's all that matters!
Great information!
My 11 year old son (deaf) is always wanting to give everyone (family and friends) name signs, but... he pretty much always wants to do the same 2 things, but changing the handshape to the person's initial... For example, He gave his sisters (Lorelai and Ashlynn) their initial (L or A) tracing down the side of their head to show their long hair. Ok... fine. But then every time he tries to give a name sign, if they have long hair, that's automatically what he wants to do. (Like a G used in the same way for his cousin Gabriel who currently has long hair.)
I've told him, many times, that he can't just give everyone the same name sign, but people keep telling me that he gave them a name sign and showing me basically the same thing. (facepalm)
Suggestions?
Another question I have is about names with small children. How do you teach a young child to specify a person (or understand who you are talking about) before they are able to understand spelling/reading, if that person does not have a name sign?
Thank you for sharing this information.
I think it's a fair point about getting sign names from the deaf folks in the community. I've been learning sign for almost 10 years and i don't have one (to be fair, I rejected the first and only one I received for personal reasons). I just don't have that much interaction with the community in person these days, and I feel okay just respecting that part of the culture. If I ever need a sign name that bad, I'll have to go put the work in and make some new deafriends.
Interesting video!
My brother is mute (doesn't talk) and uses a mixture of signing (with me and my family because we sign) and writing (for non signers)
He isn't deaf but is an involved membe of the deaf community, do you think it's ok if he gives a name sign to someone?
Ooh good question. Sign names are such a cultural thing, so I don't know how other people would feel about that. I personally would tentatively say yes, he could since he knows sign and is involved, but perhaps jointly with a deaf person?
only Deaf people can give sign names 😁 its a cultural thing
I've only taken ASL for 3 years, with a deaf teacher and many deaf or hard of hearing classmates/ teammates, through these years my friends and I have gone to many events for the deaf community and during those chatted with loads of people. Still to this day I haven't been given a sign name, even when I've brought it up in conversation! (and I have the longest/ most often misspelled name out of my peers so it's really a pain to always spell it out fully) Literally all of my friends with only 3-5 letter names have sign names because the ONE event I wasn't able to go to, they made good friends with a deaf couple who gave them all sign names :/ so I really hope I get some luck and receive one soon.
If you've been to plenty of Deaf events, you most likely have a sign name within the community. They've just not blessed you with it yet.
I spy "A Tale for the Time Being" on the desk in the background--such a good book!
I do have a question about sign names: for spoken names, you know how families often "pass down" certain names across generations? Does that ever happen with sign names? Like, I have the exact same name as my great grandmother, which doesn't cause confusion since she's no longer with us, but I was thinking, do two people ever have the exact same sign name? What happens if they do? (sorry if this question doesn't make sense!)
Yes! I'm about halfway now, and I"m really enjoying it!
I don't know of specific sign names being passed down. Generations of deaf people are rare, so I can't really answer that. But I do know there are some deaf families that will have the whole family's sign name have a similar movement or something like that (kind of like people naming all their kids with names that have the same first letter). There are a lot of people who have the exact same sign name as someone else, sometimes several! That's because of a traditional naming method that used the first letter of a person's name then doing some movement with it. Sometimes it's very confusing :P It's like people having a very common name like Nick or Matt, you get around that by saying their last name or some characteristic that makes them distinct. That's what we do in the deaf community too.
OMG sir it gave me a headache watching this I had to constantly rewind you sign so fast good practice for later
As someone starting to learn ASL, I find it amusing that some sign names seem to be little humorous pokes at someone. It evinces me a somewhat more fun-loving culture that isn’t as present in Standard American English
watching this partly for research because a character in the book i'm writing is a deaf 13-year-old, and I wanna figure out how she'd give sign names to people she knew all her life like her family vs how she would give sign names now, knowing actual asl, and not just babbling sign language. Also obviously, anyone should watch videos about all sorts of people to learn respect plus the culture is just kind of interesting
I used to want a sign name, but I've gotten so good at fingerspelling my name and it's just so fluid to spell, I now realize. Now, I'd probably reject a sign name if I got one. I prefer to spell it
alisharo58 lol you can have a sign name and still fingerspell your name
UnKnOwN pErSoN
sign names tend to take the place of fingerspelling your name though (unless you're meeting someone for the first time, then you're right, they continue to happen together)
with easily spelled names, sign names are just redundant, so I personally don't see the need to have one (for me)
alisharo58 I see but I like sign names especially mines 😁
I have a question? My ASL teacher who is hearing gave me my sign name. Does this count? There were no deaf students in the class and I learned it to better communicate with my cousin who sometimes uses sign language when he’s having difficulty communicating verbally he’s not dead but sometimes he has trouble speaking so he learned sign? Would he have to give me my sign name or is this one of those exceptions?
I have a question, please. :) I am hearing and took ASL 1 and 2 about 15 years ago in college. I am trying to brush up my ASL but as of yet haven't interacted with the Deaf community in my new local area. My name has 6 unique letters.
At my first ever Deaf gathering 15 years ago, a kind Deaf man gave me a sign name I vaguely remember ("A" that was shaken by my face. Close to the sign for girl, which I think it was based off of.). I wish I had made more of an effort to remember it, but we had been told our teacher would give us ASL names, so I didn't make proper notes because I was very new to learning and didnt understand yet.
Our ASL teacher became deaf as an adult and was well respected and involved in the local deaf community. In class, one day she asked us each to suggest a sign name or trait to her we wanted our name based off of. Some of us came up with our deaf names that were then approved by her. Some of us got them made up by her. I asked for something based off of reading books and got a name with the letter "A" on the right hand flipping a book two times with the thumb- left hand flat. (I should add that my teacher told me it was unusual, but that it should be fine because I was so identified by books.)
My question is. Which name should I keep? The first one that I cant fully remember? The name by my ASL teacher that I a hearing person helped invent and that seems to break the rules by using two hands and seemed strange to a few Deaf people I interacted with since? Or drop both and wait to earn one from my new local Deaf community this time around learning ASL? I am thinking I should do that, but I don't want to be disrespectful to the two Deaf people who named me before. I don't particularly like my spoken name, so whatever signed name I have is fully fine with me. I just want to be respectful.
Use whatever you’re comfortable with! People do change their sign names throughout life. I grew up with one (that wasn’t my favorite, and was given to me by someone hearing), dropped it when I went into college and it was fingerspelled the whole time I was in college. Then I got my current sign name when I went studying abroad.
In your situation, I would say the one from your ASL teacher is perfectly acceptable. It is indeed unusual, but that’s what makes it stand out. And I have had (and know of others who have had) hearing people think of sign names for themselves, just as long as it’s approved by a deaf signer!
I have so much to learn 😅
How do I give my infant son a sign name?
Hey Rogan! I was wondering where can I find/buy the "No More Craptions" shirt? I know you have one and I want to get one, so I wanted to ask you. Thanks in advance! 😃
You're in luck! A campaign is running right now, but it ends in two days (probably will go live again at some point) so go go go! www.bonfire.com/nomorecraptions/
Rogan Shannon WOW talk about timing 😀 thank you for sharing!
Am I permitted to give people sign names? I ask because I’m only partially deaf from a severe car accident. I have 70% hearing in one ear, but only 30% hearing in the other ear.
Great video! I'm deaf- I kind of don't really have a name sign right now but I've had at least 2 that stuck a bit. First one was in college and was related to my nicknname- the sign uses the two hands- it's like the sign for squirrel but all the fingers are extended-- "Smiley". Only my group of friends ever used it lol. Had another when I started this last job as there were two other deaf there- C at the chin. Interestingly I learned of some of the name signs that were given to a lot of the hearing co-workers by 1 of the deaf-- a few of them were...not nice/inappropriate. I don't really use the C sign anymore- have not been able to interact with the deaf community in a few years :(.
We live in US and I want a unique sign name for my 1yr old son. He has family that are deaf, he is hearing. His name is River and one family keeps wanting to do something with “R” but I don’t want an “initialized” sign name:/. Every time we go somewhere he gets MULTIPLE comments about his BIG hazel eyes so I wish it pertained to that somehow. He also tries to imitate every single sound he hears. Help???🙏🏼😅
I'm taking a sign language class and the homework for this weak is to come up with my own sign name 😅 it's Dutch sign language though, maybe the rules are different here
I kind of get the idea behind sign name to make it easier to people to identify each other without having to spell each other names all the time wich can be time consuming (especially long names like Alexander) but what about names that actually mean something how are we supposed to sign them?
For example a person who's name is "Rose" could she just sign the flower "rose" or does she have to spell r-o-s-e until she get her "official sign name" given by the community?
Cuz in the hearing community we don't spell our name we just say it so should in be the same for a name that already got a sign for it cuz it refer to an actual object like Rose or something more abstract like Summer (the Natsu part of my middle name is actually written with tha japanese symbol for "summer" but can still be signed with a single signa?
To me it's not the same as giving yourself a sign name based on quality you think you might have is just...saying your own name in a more "concise" way when that way is actually available.
Hope to read your thought on that.
Some people who have names that already mean something in English will just use that, like your example of Rose!
However, I want to emphasize that sign names aren't necessarily our English names being given a sign name. Like you don't spell out your names, you just say them out loud. That's what sign names are, they're a *name* separate from our English name. So for that very reason, sometimes people like Rose would have a sign name that has nothing to do with the flower, because her sign name means something else, something more personal, that has a story that comes with it. Fingerspelling names happens only because English names don't have direct equivalents in sign (other than examples like Rose and Summer).
A great example of that is my own sign name. I did briefly mention it in this video, but let me elaborate some more here. I had one growing up that was completely arbitrary, had no meaning to it other than the fact that my English name means red in Old Gaelic. In college, I just fingerspelled it because I wanted one that had actual, personal meaning to it and given to me by a deaf person. Now, it's like signing LOST/LOSE with only the dominant hand. This has nothing to do with me as a person, but has everything to do with the story of the airport losing my bag on my first-ever trip to Europe. Sign names are much more complex than simply being a referent marker, so yes, names sometimes will be signed using the meaning of the name, but not always.
@@RoganShannon13 thank you for your explaination/precision it's really an interresting part of deaf culture (and not just a shortcut to avoid too much fingerspelling).
My son is about to take his first-ever ASL class in college. He's interested in learning ASL (which is why he waited to take a college-level course) and wondered if he will be given an ASL sign name by the Professor (an individual who is Deaf) in the event of more than one student with his name in the class (it's a common name). Is it more common for students to fingerspell their names while they're learning? If my son is into magic (card tricks) as a hobby, would the sign for "magic" be a possible one he could use if the Professor gave it to him ... would it follow the rules? His first name begins with M, so he's not sure about it as a possibility, or even what the Professor will give him.
I am deaf in one ear and mild loss in the other since age 4. I know a little sign language but have mostly use lip reading and subtitles for clarifying. Im starting to learn ASL more in depth as it has become more apparent that i will probably lose all hearing at some point. Would it be inappropriate for me to give family/friends sign names although i am not completely deaf?
Well, I learned something new so thank you, Rogan! :^)
great video dude ! very informative
Sad
Sad what
I wish I knew sign language to people that are deaf
Hi! I have a question. If a parent isn’t deaf but their child is and the child’s name is really long, are the parents allowed to give the child a nickname (essentially a sign name) but they’re the only ones who use it?
They could, but they have to be careful that it isn't anything inappropriate. One of my childhood friends nearly had one! The parents thought they'd do something on the nose because of the cute nose. But their name started with a P, and P on the nose is, well, definitely not something you want as a sign name! (A term for male parts)
Hi!how can I give my daughter a sign name.? she's now turning7 not even go to school.but she's very smart girl we use very basic sign language in the house thx for your reply
My 4 month old son has hearing loss. I am a hearing parent. I've always called him little man since he was born. Can I assign him the name little man as his sign name instead of spelling out his name, Logan?
Hi! That's fine as a nickname, but as an actual name sign, not really. Generally sign names in ASL (and likely in other sign languages as well) should not already be a sign. There are exceptions of course, like my name. It's "half" of the normal sign for lost, but people rarely sign lost with only one hand. So it's very identifiable as a sign name. Also, sign names are generally only one clear motion, or one handshape with two repeated motions. Little man wouldn't be identifiable as a sign name, and on top of that, it's two distinct signs. Does that make sense?
What happens if you’ve been given multiple ? Do you just pick whichever one is preferred ?
You can use them all! Some people will choose one to introduce themselves with, but might still have multiple sign names because they’re from different times in their lives, or it’s kind of like a nickname that a specific group uses. People who know me from before I studied abroad will either fingerspell my name or use my childhood sign name that I decided I didn’t want anymore when I entered college.
I was not aware of the rules involved with name signs! Thank you for teaching me that. It also made me realize that my name sign is "illegal".
Charles Hamel may I ask how so?
@@talitajames7652, my name sign is the same sign as "male cousin".
Ah, this is where it gets interesting! There are ALWAYS exceptions to rules, which I should've said in the video. Your sign name is one I've seen before, and it's an acceptable one!
Now all my teaches want to learned
There is a professor at Gallaudet that teaches about Black American Sign. If I'm remembering correctly Her Sign name does not start at her upper body, but is near her hip. I wonder if it's because the person who gave her the sign name signs in Black American sign language and not standard sign. This would be the only reason I disagree thay sign names have to start at your upper body but I need to do some more research
That's very possible! And also, I should've said it in the video, but there are ALWAYS exceptions to rules so it's very possible that this is an exception or a sign name that follows different rules because of BASL.
My namesign are the letters K T but like the word cat. It's my initials, plus how toddlers say my name (called me kitty) The only 'problem' is that my HoH friend gave it to me. She can hear some, but mostly communicates in asl, she's really immersed in Deaf culture, and has a lot of Deaf friends. Would my namesign still be valid?
It's not a problem! I consider hard of hearing as part of the deaf community. And your friend uses ASL, is part of it, so yes, it's still valid.
What is your opinion of CODAs giving sign names? Ie specifically CODAs who grew up with ASL as a first language and immersed in the community? I’m not one, just curious on the opinion.
I'm not really sure on this. I don't think it's too big of an issue, but generally, CODAs who are involved in the deaf community will defer to a deaf person for sign names. And I think I'd have no problem with it if it was "signed off on" by a deaf person. Does that make sense?
Was curious... I in no way mean to offend so if I do please feel free to tell me and I will try to better explain. My daughter is nonverbal autistic. I'm trying to teach her some of the simple signs that can get her needs met. I really really want to be able to show her her name in asl. Her name is Grace. It is also a word. So could I simply sign the word? Or does she still need to be given a signed name? I can can sign most of the alphabet but she is having trouble paying attention while I try to remember what im signing. I dont want to offend anyone, honestly thatd break my heart bc thats not how I am. Id just like to shorten it so she can understand her name, and hopefully understand and take interest in other signs.
Generally sign names should not be the same as an actual sign, to prevent any confusion between it being a word or meant as a name. But in your situation, I think it's probably okay to bend the rules a little.
i forgot to enable the captions so,, to me (a person who is just starting to learn asl) organ looked like he was signing " rap god " by eminem.
god,, i hope to be that good one day
I am learning asl. In my school i the only one who can sign one thes atudents parents he deaf
then that means i don't have a sign name so i was born deaf and my parents learned sign language so they could communicate with me (my parents are hearing) they gave me a sign name so that means i don't have a sign name :(
I don't mean to say that if you already have a sign name given to you by a hearing person, you can't use it! This is more for people who don't have one yet. If you like your sign name, by all means use it!
@@RoganShannon13 oh ok
They used like intreptet i am advancwd in high school in 11 grade
Hi
Hello my name is Rachael I am trying to learn sign language are you a hearing deaf person I'm very interested in you I would like to be your friend
In my friends to
You're signing too fast for me, i can't read fast enough xd
Had to slow down the video
Haha, sorry about that! That's my natural signing speed, I have been trying to slow it down a little in my more recent videos. I have a teleprompter now, so that helps me maintain my speed :)
You deaf you yes
sign ur name beautiful