While at the CAD Hawaiian Luau last month, I happened to capture a conversation between 3 Deaf seniors about the origin of the “I Love you” sign. Have a look below. (Transcript included.)
Transcript:
Bernice: The “I Love You” sign? I can’t remember when it started, but I do remember seeing the ILY sign back in the 1950’s.
Judy: Yes, right, right. It was back in the 1930’s.
John: I remember seeing a movie about a boy and girl who were sweethearts. They married in 1937. I think they invented that ILY sign sometime around or before the 1930’s.
Judy: Yes, MaryRose died, they both died, and yes, they both made up that sign.
Bernice: What town was that?
Judy: The man was from Oklahoma. He was a teacher there. MaryRose was a teacher in Kansas. They went to Gallaudet together and the two of them were good friends. Often, they wanted to tell each other how much they cherished and cared for one another. But they didn’t quite know how. One of them developed the ILY sign, looked it over and decided it would be ok to use. From then on, they decided to use it only for people who they loved and cherished. They began using the ILY sign then.
But now days, the ILY has become so commercialized and Americanized. It’s been ruined in a way and is very overexposed. Now days, it’s just not the same as before.
Bernice: I still use the ILY sign. I often flash the ILY around. (Chuckling)
Judy: Yes, but back then, it was such a special sign. Just like spoons, when crossed and pointed towards a person and back to the other person, it had deep meaning. It meant someone really, deeply loved you. That was back in time. But it’s just not the same today.
Bernice: I remember that postage stamp. It was turned around backward. Putting that stamp on backwards was another way to say I love you. Remember that?
Judy: Yes, the stamp. Yes, yes. Interesting.
Bernice: I remember that.
John: (Waving ILY)
Judy & Bernice: (Joining with the ILY wave)
For more information and opinions on who invented the “I Love You” sign, see this post by Fookem and Bug.
Comment »
Left by LS on August 9th, 2008
that was neat about how the sign ILY got started… thanks for sharing…
Left by Rita on August 9th, 2008
ILY stamp?? ah man that sucks. That goes with what we were saying earlier today ronda, that things change with time. Some things should really be cherished between 2 people and never changed but you never know, these days love just fades but for those “true souls”, know what it is and how to be creative and hang on to it.
Left by Roberto on August 9th, 2008
LaRonda,
Wow this is awesome and I’m learning where it came from. Thanks so much for sharing this info
Namaste,
Susan
Left by Susan on August 9th, 2008
Although my deaf parents and I have lived in a cosmopolitan place virtually all our lives, I had never seen the sign, “ILY,” until the summer of 1972 when someone from Gallaudet signed, “ILY,” to me on the beach on the eastern coast.
Left by Jean Boutcher on August 9th, 2008
How precious! So glad you shared it as well
ILY,
Deb Ann
Left by Deb Ann on August 9th, 2008
That is REALLY interesting! I’ve always wondered where it came from or how it got started. History is a fascinating subject for me, especially when it’s about such a beautiful phrase, “I Love You”. Thank you for sharing it with us, Laronda!
Left by Optimist on August 9th, 2008
Thanks for sharing this– I always wondered about the origin of that sign. My family likes the ILY sign– we have a harder time saying it and such an easier time signing it– but it still means a lot.
Left by Karen Putz / DeafMom on August 10th, 2008
Ey-vesdropping again?
Interesting story of origin. I’m sure there are many more signs with ambiguous origins like “Ear-Close” and so on.
Left by drmzz on August 10th, 2008
I am an educational sign language interpreter in UT. Last week I wanted to use the ILY sign in my picture for the yearbook, badge, etc. to show my support for Deaf Culture. I was denied. How does the Deaf Community feel about using this sign as a “cultural metator” or sign of cultural support with the hearing world?
Left by Holly Byers-Stewart on September 16th, 2008