Here's another example - the signs for accident. I know two signs for it and I will use either one of them depending on the context. If I hear a horrific car crash just outside my apt, I will use this sign that uses two thumbs up and fists and then bring together both fists and hit them..
Now if I were to try to reach up to the dish in my self and as I strain to get the dish, I knock it off the shelf and it fell and broke, I'd use this sign that has four fingers together and thumb extended and then slide my hand past my mouth and along my jaw and say Opps that was a accident. I didn't mean to break it.
I remember once a dad who is Deaf (whole family is Deaf) and he showed me how the family signed porch. His daugther just fingerspelled porch while mom signed porch with a bent letter v and moved it from wrist to elbow. Dad signed it in the reverse. I found that very interesting I'm a sucker for anything that's language related.
It's like how hearing pronounce words.. For example, my little sister pronouces the word yeah this way: yeh? My great aunts would pronounce it this way: Yee-aah? So do I. My mother just says yes.
