ASL sign for 'deaf'?

[jillio]

Same here.

"PASTOR", "CHAPLAIN", "PREACHER"

If it needs more specific identification, modifiers like "CHURCH" (for someone who is in a church pastor position), or "MILITARY" (for a military chaplain), or "TRAVELING" (for an itinerant preacher) or "HOSPITAL" (for a hospital chaplain).

Agreed.

 

[jillio]

It depends on the denomination and position.

I would hardly call a police or military chaplain a "deaconess". For one thing, they aren't all female, and for another thing, police, military, and hospital chaplains are supposed to be ordained, not laymen. The police and hospital chaplains usually perform in the role of counselor and comforter but they are also preachers. Military chaplains do everything that their civilian equivalents do.



If the chaplain is a priest, then "PRIEST" is an accurate sign to use. If the chaplain is a Protestant or Jew or any religion that doesn't use "priests" then the "PRIEST" sign would not be accurate.

I've never seen "PC" used except for a Windows computer.



I've never seen anyone use that sign.

Usually a "C-CROSS" on the arm refers to a medical clinic. It's an initialized version of "HOSPITAL".



See above.

I suppose it would also be conceptually accurate, based on duties performed, to identify a hospital or police chaplain as CHAPLAIN + COUNSELOR. I hadn't considered that until I read your description. I don't know that I would use it, though, as I would prefer to clarify through location of practice.

 

[Brian]

Do you mean the sign that uses an index finger at the mouth side, then both hands, "B" shape, palms down, make a "CLOSED" sign? I think that is an older version but maybe it's still popular by region.

Yeah that is the one I had known since childhood. I don't know if it is a region sign, I am very curious about this, I'll try to remember to ask my friend sometime.

I've seen the EAR CLOSED sign used for "deaf" but infrequently, and only by older deaf, or people who have learned sign from a dictionary.

One of the teachers, probably my first grade teacher at the deaf school (TSD) taught us that sign in the early 1980's.

 

[Anij]

Regarding the whole CHAPLIN thing ... I guess it would be best to just fingerspelling it out in most cases *shrugs*

... can't blame a girl for trying ... oh well scratch everything I said !

 

[deafbajagal]

I sign it from mouth first to the ear.

Another variation that you may have seen is when a person stick the thumb in the ear (with the other four fingers closed) and then they open the fingers where the hand is open. This means "totally (profoundly) deaf" or "stone deaf."

 

[Interpretrator]

I've seen the EAR CLOSED sign used for "deaf" but infrequently, and only by older deaf, or people who have learned sign from a dictionary.

I've seen it used to mean "profoundly deaf," audiologically. For example, in comparing two students, one of whom has some hearing and the other was born profoundly deaf and doesn't use hearing aids, that sign was used to describe the latter student in that particular context. But other than that, I also don't see it used much to mean "deaf" in general.

 

[jillio]

I've seen it used to mean "profoundly deaf," audiologically. For example, in comparing two students, one of whom has some hearing and the other was born profoundly deaf and doesn't use hearing aids, that sign was used to describe the latter student in that particular context. But other than that, I also don't see it used much to mean "deaf" in general.

That would be a very conceptually accurate way to distinguish between the two. I've never seen it used in that context. I'll have to keep that in mind.

 

[Reba]

That sign (EAR + CLOSED) was used for "DEAF" eons ago. At least in the 1960's in Connecticut. That's when and where I first learned it, from a CODA. She taught us "sign language" from Louie J. Fant's Say It With Hands book (1964 edition). That's the only sign for "DEAF" in that book.