New Signers' Funny Mistakes

[tofer]

Oh-oh! I only know one sign for "ready" so I have to ask, which sign is it? I need to make sure it isn't the sign my family uses

It is an R with both hands, starting with the two R's crossed over one another, then uncrossing them. It was described (visually, thanks to my hilarious Teachers Assistant), as the spreading of legs. It might be a local thing?

 

[SerendipityG3A]

It is an R with both hands, starting with the two R's crossed over one another, then uncrossing them. It was described (visually, thanks to my hilarious Teachers Assistant), as the spreading of legs. It might be a local thing?

Okay, good, it's not the one we use here

 

[kcan]

I've never seen the sign for soda pop used for the word you mentioned. :shrug: I have seen, and used, a different sign for that.

Thanks and good to know someone hasn't seen it used that way. Guess that teacher is just full of it or she's a perfect example for this thread.. would be funny, except she's teaching that as a "fact" in her classes..

 

[Bramus]

Have a question- is the sign for "soda pop" also a sexual sign? It's the one where the middle finger is in closed fist and then is "slapped" on fist?

That's the sign I use for SODA-POP. Maybe the meaning could be changed with facial expression? Kinda like BUG and ORGASM

 

[sima1289]

my example isn't a mistake i made, but something my teacher brought up.

i was taking a 2-week asl course (5 days a week, for 3 hours each day) last school year, and in 1 of the first classes, my teacher was showing a kid how to sign "thirsty". she then said that repeating the sign for "thirsty" (running your pointer finger down you throat) means "sexual desire" or something like that. needless to say, some boys in the class (there was a 9th grader in the class) made the supposed sign for "sexual desire" constantly in that class.

but is what my teacher said true? she isn't deaf, but she's been signing for a long time

 

[SerendipityG3A]

my example isn't a mistake i made, but something my teacher brought up.

i was taking a 2-week asl course (5 days a week, for 3 hours each day) last school year, and in 1 of the first classes, my teacher was showing a kid how to sign "thirsty". she then said that repeating the sign for "thirsty" (running your pointer finger down you throat) means "sexual desire" or something like that. needless to say, some boys in the class (there was a 9th grader in the class) made the supposed sign for "sexual desire" constantly in that class.

but is what my teacher said true? she isn't deaf, but she's been signing for a long time

Weird, I've always used my middle finger (of (palm in) 5 hand) for thirsty, but I looked it up, and you're right. Is mine a local variation or a common variation?

I think if I wanted to say sexual desire, I'd put a loose palm-forward x by my eye and slide the pointing finger down my face sort of suggestively across the corner of my mouth as the hand turns around to palm-back and the finger straightening itself as it goes. Sort of as if I'm drooling and wiping the drool off the corner of my mouth. I doubt that's in the dictionary, so I won't even try looking it up. So far, half the signs I've encountered here on AD have been different from the ones I use here at home. But, I was taught by a bunch of hearies who learned to sign from a book.

 

[Hutt5asl]

Bastard. Do it lower by the mouth or chin and it is Bitch.

Okay, I have a question... My daughter did a fingerspelling video on YouTube, fingerspelling the names of the Jonas Brothers (she's a huge fan) and a couple of lines from their songs... One of the songs is "Be Be Good" The line is "You gotta be be good to me... I'm gonna be be good to you..."

Now, I had learned (online, back when I was first learning) to do "be" by making the letter "b" with the inside edge of the hand against the chin ... the same as you are saying means b*tch , if I understand it right...

so what's the correct sign if you need to sign "be"? (There were a few comments on the video that she was saying "b*tch")... :roll:

 

[Hutt5asl]

I just went to a Deaf meet at our local mall last night. I was corrected on how I was signing "make". My husband and I love coffee and drink a few cups together every day, around my busy schedule. LOL My husband is disabled so I make the coffee for us. I taught him how to sign "make coffee please", by signing "make" with two fists twisting one on top of the other... I was told that that's the sign for "making out"! He got a kick out of that one!

I was told to avoid that by signing "make" with two fists, and the right fist kind of bangs across the top of the left fist (make sense?)

On a side note, he teases me and signs "make coffee...", I raise my eyebrows, waiting for the "please" LOL and he signs "now!" by jabbing his index finger down. I say, "Oh, you want coffee down?" Then I showed him the sign for "now". He still insists on doing it his way. :roll:

 

[ASLtees]

Okay, I have a question... My daughter did a fingerspelling video on YouTube, fingerspelling the names of the Jonas Brothers (she's a huge fan) and a couple of lines from their songs... One of the songs is "Be Be Good" The line is "You gotta be be good to me... I'm gonna be be good to you..."

Now, I had learned (online, back when I was first learning) to do "be" by making the letter "b" with the inside edge of the hand against the chin ... the same as you are saying means b*tch , if I understand it right...

so what's the correct sign if you need to sign "be"? (There were a few comments on the video that she was saying "b*tch")... :roll:

ASL doesnt use forms of TO BE or NOT TO BE
that is SEE

BUT so ya know be is a B hand on the chin and moves outward FROM the chin. also

B#@h is a B brought TO the chin

thats how I learned it anyways

as for "You gotta be be good to me... I'm gonna be be good to you"

I would sign: YOU NEED NICE ME ..... FUTURE ME NICE YOU

 

[Hutt5asl]

ASL doesnt use forms of TO BE or NOT TO BE
that is SEE

BUT so ya know be is a B hand on the chin and moves outward FROM the chin. also

B#@h is a B brought TO the chin

thats how I learned it anyways

as for "You gotta be be good to me... I'm gonna be be good to you"

I would sign: YOU NEED NICE ME ..... FUTURE ME NICE YOU

Thanks! I know ASL doesn't use BE, but since it was a repeated lyric of the song, at the time, I thought I needed to sign that... As I said, this was when I was first learning, and I have since learned that I don't need to necessarily sign THE words that are there... like what you suggested. I've been trying to sign more correct ASL grammar, but I keep reverting to PSE. ha ha

I think also, the difference between BE and B**CH might be a little hard to distinguish if someone is signing fast? I think I'll just stay away from that one!

 

[CJB]

I think also, the difference between BE and B**CH might be a little hard to distinguish if someone is signing fast? I think I'll just stay away from that one!

I'm sure context plays a role, just like in rapid spoken speech, "beach" and "b*tch" probably sound the same, but we know from context which one is being said.

 

[Passionate4ASL]

I was at a Deaf event playing DINGO, it's kind of like a card version of bingo. A diamond card came up and I signed... 8 vagina! My friend looked at me and said What?!?! Once I saw her face I immediately realized what I signed. Oops!! lol I willn't do that one again!

Mistakes aren't so bad though, they help ya learn. And they make good conversation later, hense this thread. hehe

I think also, the difference between BE and B**CH might be a little hard to distinguish if someone is signing fast? I think I'll just stay away from that one!

Oh trust me any skilled signer will pick up on it! lol

 

[nope]

I don't get to sign with people very often, but today I met someone who signs (hooray! someone I can practice with and learn from). Unfortunately, I'm always confusing the sign for "rubber" and "recent"... so I was very confused about the "rubber bride" he was talking about. When I asked him if he meant "blow up doll," he broke down in hysterics and we didn't get to converse much longer before classes started because he was laughing so hard he was crying :Oops: !

He was most definitely talking about a NEW bride. Yikes. Hopefully, he won't mind many more mistakes like that. I honestly have no idea what I was thinking. What sort of person starts talking about blow-up dolls after meeting someone new? Not him, that's for sure.

 

[Bramus]

I don't get to sign with people very often, but today I met someone who signs (hooray! someone I can practice with and learn from). Unfortunately, I'm always confusing the sign for "rubber" and "recent"... so I was very confused about the "rubber bride" he was talking about. When I asked him if he meant "blow up doll," he broke down in hysterics and we didn't get to converse much longer before classes started because he was laughing so hard he was crying :Oops: !

He was most definitely talking about a NEW bride. Yikes. Hopefully, he won't mind many more mistakes like that. I honestly have no idea what I was thinking. What sort of person starts talking about blow-up dolls after meeting someone new? Not him, that's for sure.

 

[Hutt5asl]

I don't get to sign with people very often, but today I met someone who signs (hooray! someone I can practice with and learn from). Unfortunately, I'm always confusing the sign for "rubber" and "recent"... so I was very confused about the "rubber bride" he was talking about. When I asked him if he meant "blow up doll," he broke down in hysterics and we didn't get to converse much longer before classes started because he was laughing so hard he was crying :Oops: !

He was most definitely talking about a NEW bride. Yikes. Hopefully, he won't mind many more mistakes like that. I honestly have no idea what I was thinking. What sort of person starts talking about blow-up dolls after meeting someone new? Not him, that's for sure.

:rofl2: That is hysterical!! gave me a good belly laugh!

 

[nope]

:rofl2: That is hysterical!! gave me a good belly laugh!

lol - evidently you aren't the only one 'cause his FRIEND who I never met was laughing about it today. Apparently we have class together too Good thing I don't blush too easy, or I would have been bright red!

 

[CJB]

I don't get to sign with people very often, but today I met someone who signs (hooray! someone I can practice with and learn from). Unfortunately, I'm always confusing the sign for "rubber" and "recent"... so I was very confused about the "rubber bride" he was talking about. When I asked him if he meant "blow up doll," he broke down in hysterics and we didn't get to converse much longer before classes started because he was laughing so hard he was crying :Oops: !

He was most definitely talking about a NEW bride. Yikes. Hopefully, he won't mind many more mistakes like that. I honestly have no idea what I was thinking. What sort of person starts talking about blow-up dolls after meeting someone new? Not him, that's for sure.

:rofl2:

 

[Daft]

A few funny stories.

Someone I worked with wanted to learn how to sign "nice to meet you". I had him practice it a few times. Then when a deafie walked by, he waved to her and signed "nice to f--k you." Deafie simply waves back, nods, and shot me a look.

Deafie and hearie were at the state fair. Deafie asked for a straw, hearie thought she was asking to smoke pot. The converstation was hysterical.

Deafie and hearie same day as the pot smoking/straw conversation. Deafie pointed to a concession stand and signed, "They are selling junk." Hearie misunderstood and thought she said, "They are selling penis."


I meant to ask a hearie if she wanted to go to lunch. Simply putting the L-letter on my chin. I must have had a brain-fart because I didn't simply touch my thumb to my chin, but laid the L-letter on my chin. So instead of asking her, "Want to go to lunch?" - it acutally came out, "Are you a lesbian?" The shock the woman had! I looked at my hand, smiled, lifted the L off my chin, turned the hand, and placed it to mean lunch.

 

[violet]

A few funny stories.

Someone I worked with wanted to learn how to sign "nice to meet you". I had him practice it a few times. Then when a deafie walked by, he waved to her and signed "nice to f--k you." Deafie simply waves back, nods, and shot me a look.

Deafie and hearie were at the state fair. Deafie asked for a straw, hearie thought she was asking to smoke pot. The converstation was hysterical.

Deafie and hearie same day as the pot smoking/straw conversation. Deafie pointed to a concession stand and signed, "They are selling junk." Hearie misunderstood and thought she said, "They are selling penis."


I meant to ask a hearie if she wanted to go to lunch. Simply putting the L-letter on my chin. I must have had a brain-fart because I didn't simply touch my thumb to my chin, but laid the L-letter on my chin. So instead of asking her, "Want to go to lunch?" - it acutally came out, "Are you a lesbian?" The shock the woman had! I looked at my hand, smiled, lifted the L off my chin, turned the hand, and placed it to mean lunch.

 

[Juli-terp-to-be]

My mistake

In the summer of '08 I took ASL I & ASL II classes for my foreign language requirement of my AA in Early Childhood Education.

Ok, the professor is testing the class in how much we already knew about ASL, and she points to me to come up in front to the class to work out a scenario to answer.

Prof: Hi! Your name what?
Me: Hi! My name Juli. Your name what?
Prof: My name Professor Horowitz.
Me: Nice to-date you.
Prof: Excuse me?
Me: Nice to-date you?

I meant to say 'to-meet' instead of 'to-date'. It was a simple handshape error. I used the 'd' handshapes instead of the '1' handshape. The funniest thing is my Prof was a young woman.
When the Prof explained the the rest of the class, we all had a good laugh.