Lefty/Righty Sign

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maggie

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just curious about signing right-handed versus left-handed. i am not deaf yet (a new hoh, still learning how to "be" Deaf) but i am left-handed. i was taught sign in secondary school and notice as a lefty i sign "backwards" of most people (e.g., in asl, my left index finger cuts across my right palm when i sign "what"; my signs for boy/girl/etc are on the left side of my face; you get the idea). is this harder to read than "right-handed" sign, which must obviously be more common? lefty kids occasionally catch a little flak in schools for writing with the "wrong" hand, but that still doesnt really change the WAY i communicate - obviously something written left-handed can be read exactly the same as something written right-handed, but it does make a real visual difference when signing. is lefty signing like writing backwards? is there any kind of stigma from signing left-handed?
 
umm I know a few people who sign left handed. I really don't notice a difference. perhaps I am used to it :dunno:
 
For me it's easier to recieve a lefty signer. I'm slightly HOH and I practice in front of the mirror all the time, so technically I see lefty signing all the time.
 
All of my Deaf friends are left-handed...so I am used to it! Just wish there were more lefties on ASL videos for class......

Kelly
 
I'm a lefty myself. I don't think it'd ever bother people whether you're a lefty or a righty. Its like you're mistyping a word or spelling the words wrong, we still pick up what it says. its the same as signing with your left hand, everyone still picks up what you're saying, If you become more involve in the deaf culture, you'll understand more clear and will never notice how you sign. We still see it the same way. Hope this helps a little.
 
je_suis_chic said:
umm I know a few people who sign left handed. I really don't notice a difference. perhaps I am used to it :dunno:
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Same here. It doesn't bother me at all.

Sometimes, if my body is tired from many hours of interpreting, I will switch to left-handed signing and fingerspelling. No problem. :)
 
i am a lefty and I can do finger spelling and ASL/PSE signs (more modern than my mom's way of signqing in SEE mode), but I can't sign in the wheelchair because my left arm is strapped.

My new wheelchair will have less straps and I will have the ability to move left arm.
 
krnaslterp said:
All of my Deaf friends are left-handed...so I am used to it! Just wish there were more lefties on ASL videos for class......

Kelly
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I hear that, I would love to see more resources for lefties too. I catch myself signing left handed sometimes.
 
yeah i'm left hand all my friend use right hand we fine wiv left/ right hand when i meet hearing person nthey want learn sign n i said ok i use left hand they copy my left hand n i told which u use write hand people said right n i hav to use right hand i usefull n i was happy wiv that n i not bad person i good person
 
I signs right-handed. My left-handed doesn't do pretty at good signs. :angel:
 
i sign left handed. i've never really had any complaints about my signing, except that sometimes my hands shake from the medicines i have to take. otherwise, no complaints. i tutor some asl students, they tend to appreciate that all they have to do is mirror me and they will be signing it correctly for the right hand.
 
i'm actually learning from a left-handed interpreter. She made sure that we all understand that you sign with your dominant hand. I.E.- I'm a righty, so I sign with my right hand primarily. You're a lefty, so you should sign with your left hand! :)
 
I'm a leftie.

I find other deaf people don't notice any difference they understand me just fine, so do terps. The only people who have ever commented on my signing left handed are hearies that know a small ammount of sign from somewhere or have seen the NZSL dictionary here, which gives instructions and pictures as if people only sign right handed. It doesn't say that, but because it describes the right hand way in every explination instead of saying 'dominant hand', people who aren't part of deaf culture can make assumptions. I have had a hearie tell me that I sign wrong way because it should only be right handed and tell me to look at that dictionary for proof... I told her I am deaf, and we sign depending on our dominant hand not always right handed - That would be like saying that everyone should write with the same hand even if it isn't their natural or easy way. There are plenty of left handed deafies I know, we're just as easily understood as anyone signing right handed.

I've read different statistics on left-handedness, from 7-15% of people are lefties. So there are a few of us out there who sign left handed, as there must be about the same percentage of deafies who are lefties ofc! At school I was always told 10%. Did you know primates are left handed in about the same rates as people? (They can be taught some signs too!) Also weird fact I once read: All polar bears are left handed (pawed?) but I don't know how they know that... I've never seen one try to write! :lol:

Good question to ask though!
 
My son and I are lefty signers... Ive been told its not a problem, as long as you keep it to one hand... Both of us are ambidextrius and accidently switch hands once in a while... Ive confused and irritated many many deaf people... whoopsie. My son's principal told me when I switch hands its like talking to a hearing person, then suddenly talking backwards... :shock: just very confusing.

:wave: So pick a hand...whichever one you like, and stick to it!

GL!!

katt.
 
im both lefty and righty sign :D since mostly i have a problem with my right elbow. so i sign few signs with my left hand when i can't do with my right hand :D
 
DeafKattMom said:
My son and I are lefty signers... Ive been told its not a problem, as long as you keep it to one hand... Both of us are ambidextrius and accidently switch hands once in a while... Ive confused and irritated many many deaf people... whoopsie. My son's principal told me when I switch hands its like talking to a hearing person, then suddenly talking backwards... :shock: just very confusing.

:wave: So pick a hand...whichever one you like, and stick to it!

GL!!

katt.
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Hi DeafKattMom, it is ok to switch sides between left and right handed sign, just not in middle of saying something! :) I used a similar way (to that of your son's principal) of describing it to my hearing cousin who signs a little - that it's like someone is talking to her in an Irish brogue (but in English language), then suddenly mid sentace switches to a thick german accent (still speak in English though). It is still the same language, same words, but a sudden change in the way you're recieving it is jarring and you loose track for a moment. Make sense? :) But if you hear the whole sentance in one accent, then the next in another, say if they're telling a joke, or immitating a character or something, then it's not confusing, is it? Same thing with sign. :) If you're going to switch for comfort or something, then just do it when youre starting to say something new, not mid-sentance. Then you can switch without it seeming so confusing, but it's best to stick to one way for at least most of the time.
 
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