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Myheartloves

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How do someone get a sign name? I was told by someone that it had to be given to you by someone who is deaf, but here again I met a few people who know asl and were taking part in the deaf ministery @ church who were choosing their own sign name. I would love to have a sign name but I want to get it the correct way. Can anyone tell me something about this?
 
I don't really know how sign names are given. I guess it's something that's earned by others for something that makes them unique. When I was growing up, everyone had simple sign names. It was the first letter of their first name signed with the right hand on the left chest where you would put a name tag. Since my first name begins with "S", I would make a sign language for the letter "S" and out it on my chest where my name tag would be. That's it. I was at a school that used SEE (Signing Exact English). We practically signed everything in specific ways and to emphasize who we were, we signed as if it was our name... in place of a name tag. Ever since I came to RIT, I've been given several other sign names. Yet, I still refer to myself using the original sign name that I grew up with. Heh!
 
I was taught the same and have seen the same, myheartloves. At our church, people that don't have a given sign name (and haven't taken one of their own) are referred to by initialing either below the ear (for girls) or above the ear (for guys). Funny thing is, I can't even think of a good name for myself, much less expect someone else to think up a good one for me!!
 
It depends. you could come up with your own sign name. Or it could be given to you by someone who is deaf. It doesn't matter to me. What you do is that you sign the first letter of your name and think of something unique about yourself. Like say, you are a musician, and your name began with an a, simply sign music the way it is signed except with the A hand, for your name. That was just an example, but that's usually how it goes. :deaf:
 
Myheartloves said:
How do someone get a sign name? I was told by someone that it had to be given to you by someone who is deaf, but here again I met a few people who know asl and were taking part in the deaf ministery @ church who were choosing their own sign name. I would love to have a sign name but I want to get it the correct way. Can anyone tell me something about this?
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You can make up a sign name, My old teacher gave my sister and I a sign name, like example my sister name starts with a letter P, She used to write on her hand all the time, so the teacher put a P letter sign on her hand as a sign name for my sister. and for myself my name starts with a letter C, I used to have pinktails all the time, so she uses the letter C sign on the side of her head as a sign name for me. I thought it was cute. ;) She gave the whole class a sign name they habit do or wear. Like one girl in my class wears red color all the time, so she gave her a sign name as a sign for red.
 
I was taught that hearing people are given name signs by Deaf people as a sign of acceptance into the community, and aren't supposed to make up their own. (I'm sure it's easier in a classroom situation to make up a temporary name sign for each student though.)

There is a history and system of Deaf name signs in ASL, and there is in fact a book about this called "The Book of Name Signs" by Sam Supalla. My name sign (given to me by a Deaf friend) certainly doesn't follow the rules in this book and I've seen many others that don't, but it's good information on ASL linguistic tradition.

Here's a link to the book -- I am not affiliated with Harris Communications, they just have a great, extensive catalog. If you click on "view chapter sample" you can actually read part of the book which may further answer your question.

http://www.harriscomm.com/catalog/p...=2126&osCsid=23b4fdbb30070090516abd2820991a49
 
I was told by several deaf friends that hearing people should never make up their own sign names. However, this may be a rule that varies from area to area.
 
Interpretrator said:
I was taught that hearing people are given name signs by Deaf people as a sign of acceptance into the community, and aren't supposed to make up their own. (I'm sure it's easier in a classroom situation to make up a temporary name sign for each student though.)

There is a history and system of Deaf name signs in ASL, and there is in fact a book about this called "The Book of Name Signs" by Sam Supalla. My name sign (given to me by a Deaf friend) certainly doesn't follow the rules in this book and I've seen many others that don't, but it's good information on ASL linguistic tradition.

Here's a link to the book -- I am not affiliated with Harris Communications, they just have a great, extensive catalog. If you click on "view chapter sample" you can actually read part of the book which may further answer your question.

http://www.harriscomm.com/catalog/p...=2126&osCsid=23b4fdbb30070090516abd2820991a49
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Ditto.

There is also the danger of novice hearing signers giving themselves namesigns that represent "naughty" signs that they have not yet learned. Oops! (Yes, I have seen it.)
 
Well, when I was little kid and my speech teacher who was also my teacher given my name sign. I always smile all the time.....Now, my original sign name fade, only my parents still use. when grow up, I was noticed by many people always say to me "you are so cute!" so I given myself sign name for anyone to use it.

I have two sign names. :)
 
VamPyroX said:
Since my first name begins with "S", I would make a sign language for the letter "S" and out it on my chest where my name tag would be. That's it. I was at a school that used SEE (Signing Exact English).
Click to expand...
let me try to figure out your name if I assume correctly... "S" on your chest... hmm... *shout across AD* I need to find someone's name that goes by *coughing*... I'm wrong... let me try again... can anyone help me find *coughing* Don't bother giving me Cpr, btw *coughing* thanks and have a nice day! :wiggle:
 
Name signs are given to you by another deaf person. I told by my sign language instructor that it's an honor to be given a name sign because not every hearing, hoh or deaf person is given one. When I started learning sign 10 years ago, I was given a name sign by a prelingually Deaf woman I met at my local deafblind center. From what I understand, name signs can represent just about anything about a person such as their hair color, hobbies or personality.
 
Sign Names

Hi Everyone
My sign name was given to me by my parents . It sign for "T" over the heart. My sisters was the sign penny cause her name was Penny. I had a friend growing up who had curly hair. We(mother &I) would sign her name with the index finger twirlin.
 
My sign name was changed 3 times.

I got my sign name from a fomer deaf staff at my workshop.
It was changed 3 times.
You make up your own sign names,or if you have a deaf friend they'll help you make up one.
Margie
 
in my opinion giving or being given an sign name dont really have a rule besides nothing wrong with giving yourself an sign name that you will feel comfortble with the rules or such like that doesnt really exist so dont think too harda bout this situation heh hope ya achieve your perfect sign name
 
My name sign was given by my mother after she learned from ASL workshop and enrolled me in a deaf program where the teachers asked her to give me a name sign... it ended up being on the cheek, manual "K" patting on the cheek which my mother said, "it is for your chubby cheeks!"... ahh... :Oops:

I do have several temporary name signs when my friends tried to give me a new one (but failed to make it permanent)
e.g.:
-- "K" from the scalp to stomach to represent the long hair I had,
-- tapping "K" on the tip of nose which also signs for "pee" (SEE sign for "peeing" at least... basically it is also the sign for "penis" but tapping repeatedly= "pee-pee")... because I kept going to the bathroom all the times (I drank a lot of water, soda, et cetera) so they kept saying "Where is Pee pee Kirsi?" Oy.

Some people "mis-sign" my name by repetitious sliding off the "K" from the cheek to the jaw... many loved ones/friends don't like it; You could identify the degree of relationship I have with that person depends on what s/he signs for my name. If s/he uses the slide-off K, s/he is just a co-worker, acquiantance, et cetera while those who uses pat-K are more intimate or family.
 
Some of us who interpret for my deaf friend were talking with her about our sign names the other night, joking around. She was laughing about one person who had given themselves a very lengthy, and not very logical, sign name. I asked her what mine was... laughed and asked if it was the same as the sign for "stupid"... Glad she said no!! :) Actually, mine is the first initial of my last name, tapped on the jaw twice. Hers is an L tapped on the jaw. She names almost everyone that way, male initialed at forehead, female initialed at jaw... we know so many people its the only way (and the fastest) to name them and keep them all straight in our minds.
 
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