"Handwriting": an observation.

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IrishMatangi

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I'm sure this is obvious to everyone else already. BUT--I'm late-deafened, and learning to sign.

I watch a lot of blogs, and watch other students in class, and I noticed that even when people are signing the EXACT same words, it still looks different.

Each person has nuances that make the same words look different, like written handwriting, or an accent would be.

I love that. I just thought I'd share. :D
 
You could be seeing different "dialects" of ASL. Not all are the same all over the USA. Like the word "outside", that one has at least two different signs but means the exact same thing. The sign for "outside" in Wisconsin as well as Texas is different from the one used in Minnesota. I've seen three different signs for "watch" with the exact same meaning (as in "I want to watch a movie"). In addition, if you live so close to a different country, it can also influence the way the Deaf people in your area sign, like for example I live only 2-3 hours from Mexico, so I see a lot of LSM (Mexican Sign Language) going on here. Sometimes it will be solid ASL, sometimes solid LSM, and sometimes it's a mixture of the two sign languages.

Also, there is PSE and SEE as well, that can make many signs look different as well.
 
It is very interesting! I once asked Darin if I sign clear enough as I'm still learning and he told me this: You sign like my sister so it's very easy to read you. I just thought that was amusing that I sign like someone he knows, the "accent". smiles
 
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