Join LaRonda as she shares one of her pet peeves: People who think they know how to sign, but they have their signs wrong.
Transcript:
Hello. I want to share with you one of my pet peeves: Hearing people who really don’t know sign language, but they think they do. Let me give you an example…
Today I went to Starbucks coffee because I love Chai — Iced Chai! I went to the counter and used both my signs and voice and said, “I would like a Grande Iced Chai please.” The girl there nodded and said “Ok” and went around the bar to make my drink. When I finished paying, I walked around the other side of the bar to wait for my drink.
The girl came over to me with her big, bright smile and mouthed, “I know some sign language…” Then she began to show me random signs for Ugly, Beautiful (which was not made completely right), Orange, Water, and then something with a “W” coming out from her chin.
Then she said, “I forgot what this means?” She made the “W” coming out from her chin again.
I looked at her skeptically and said, “I don’t know a word for that sign. There isn’t sign like that.”
Then she began to talk rapidly, saying something like, “No, I know there’s a word for that sign…”
I said, “I’m sorry, I’m not following what you’re saying.”
Again she over enunciated but slowed down and said, “I KNOW there’s a word for that sign. My friend TOLD me that (”W” coming out from her chin.) means something!”
I shook my head again in judgment, “I’m sorry, I don’t think there is a sign like that, but maybe your friend meant the sign for ‘throw-up’ (showing her that sign).“
The girl reacted with surprise and then gave a forced few laughs.
Anyway, while I’m standing there and this girl is chatting with me, I’m thinking, Where is my drink? This girl is NOT paying attention to making my drink. So I said, “Excuse me. I’m in a bit of a hurry. Let me teach you the sign for hurry.” I showed her how to make the sign and she followed along.
Then she quickly mouthed, “I’m waiting for…..” I told her I didn’t understand. She slowed down and said, “Oh, I’m waiting for your water to boil.” I stopped and thought… Water? Boil? I realized she got it wrong. So I said, “Excuse me, I didn’t ask for hot chai. I asked for iced chai.”
She gasped and said, “OH! Iced?! I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you!”
So I lightheartedly responded, “You know what? You need to practice your sign language because I think you’re becoming deaf.” She cracked up laughing.
Sigh. Anyway, this is one of my pet peeves: When people want to practice their sign language with me just because I’m deaf, but their signs are really goofy!
Bye (ILY wave)
I can understand your frustration but hearing or HOH aren’t perfect. I am HOH and still learning ASL. I think perhaps the girl should have left it alone and asked her friend next time.
I experience great frustration when I am in a meeting and can’t understand what is being said. However, I am now hesitant to even try to sign with anyone. My signs aren’t perfect so perhaps I’d better stay inbetween DEAF and Hearing. Much safer.
Left by M on August 19th, 2009
Hi M.
The fact that you are HOH and still learning ASL is wonderful! No critique to you. I applaud your efforts and encourage you to practice. The point of my “pet peeve” video is when hearing people think they know a sign that doesn’t really exist. This particular girl was so convinced she had the right sign for something that I was annoyed. Please don’t take my vlog as a personal critique of your efforts to learn ASL. Please continue. Please practice. ASL made all the difference for me as someone who became Deaf at age 17. I hope it opens doors for you too.
~ LaRonda
Left by LaRonda on August 19th, 2009
If someone shows me a sign I don’t recognize I ask them to say its meaning, fingerspell it, or write it down and then I tell them, “Well, signs vary depending on location. Here, we use (show the proper sign) for _____.” “Oh! I didn’t know that,” is often the reply.
Have you ever had someone just make random signs and ask you what it means? That’s pretty irritating, too! One guy did that to me and I told him that he almost signed a curse word. *That* didn’t even stop him.
Left by M Ray on August 28th, 2009
Hi LaRonda, I enjoyed your story very much. I started learning ASL at the age of about 53. It’s not as easy had I started at 20, but I struggle along and do my best. I appreciate your comment to M, because when I first saw your vblog, I also felt my confidence level go down with my signing, but after your reply I understand better your frustration. Thanks for your stories… I am learning a lot from them.
Left by Daniel on September 3rd, 2009
Thanks for clearing that up. I know that I mix signs a lot and have no receptive ASL skills whatsoever, but you sign clearly and I understood your vlog. Like Daniel, I had to view the VLOG because I thought you were talking about me. My son is Deaf and we all used S.E.E. at home. It was the 70’s and it was the thing to do. I have no regrets since my son has never known a moment when he couldn’t communicate with his family. He has moved on to ASL of course, and his siblings followed. His father and I are still stuck with some of the clarifying habits of prefixes and suffixes, and all of those English cues we used sign language for. We all know that our sign skills are not great, but my son has never complained to me.
Left by Maria on October 28th, 2009
askmieke,
I really do apologize if my vlog has come across in a negative way. I will say again, I encourage people to sign! I was just struggling with this one woman who felt she had the absolutely knowledge of a sign that didn’t exist. It was her attitude that rubbed me wrong. We all goof in the beginning when we learn. Comes with the territory. I was just peeved with her sense of “knowing” which was in error. She seemed to give the impression that it didn’t matter that I said there is no sign like that. Because her friend said there was, she believed it. She wasn’t open to thinking differently. I think that’s all this was about for me. But again, I do apologize. I don’t mean to look down on others. You did by learning signs for your deaf son. More power to you!
~ LaRonda
Left by LaRonda on October 29th, 2009