Sign for CI

Etoile

Etoile

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I watched the CSI:NY episode with Marlee Matlin and Troy Kotsur. I noticed that a couple of times they were talking about a cochlear implant, and they signed it C-I, spelled that way. I have always seen two signs for CI: one is like "vampire" on the head where the magnet goes, and the other is like "H" handshape on the head where the magnet goes. I have not usually seen C-I as the sign. Have I just not noticed or is this not as common? :confused:
 
I noticed that also. I assumed they did that so the hearing people that know how to finger spell can understand that.
I dont think I ever saw the H sign for a CI. The sign I have seen the most is a letter C over the area where the coil or "magnet' goes.
None the less, I enjoyed the episode. Interesting story line based on the contraversy within the deaf community about CI.
 
Interesting...maybe that is the SEE version of the sign? Usually the "vampire" sign is made by the anti-CI crowd, and the "H" sign is made by the pro-CI crowd. Of course there are exceptions, but that's how I've usually seen it. Perhaps the one you've seen is an initialized SEE/Signed English version?

I thought the episode was very good. The only complaint I had was that the interpreter was a police officer - I am pretty sure that is VERY rare! But then I am biased in favor of terps because I am one. :lol:
 
Actually, I am a cop. We have a dispatcher that is fluent in ASL. She used to work for anothe rpolice dept who sent her to all the classes. She quit there and now works at the same dept as me.
There was member here (that was recently banned) who is a cop, that while not fluent, I believe he did sign pretty well. With my growning involvement in the deaf community, I may try to follw the terp route in the future. Ya never know........
 
Actually, I am a cop. We have a dispatcher that is fluent in ASL. She used to work for anothe rpolice dept who sent her to all the classes. She quit there and now works at the same dept as me.
There was member here (that was recently banned) who is a cop, that while not fluent, I believe he did sign pretty well. With my growning involvement in the deaf community, I may try to follw the terp route in the future. Ya never know........

As far as the C over the implant area, I just thought it was a natural sign progression from the HA sign I had always seen. That was the pointer finger kind of hooked over the ear like a HA. If you think about it, that is a very similar gesture to the letter C.

I never thought of the letter C being a SEE thing.
 
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I've never seen any sign for CI. It's finger spelled as C-I. Maybe other deaf do have a sign for CI but where I come from any word with 3 letters or less are finger spelled rather than signed. There are always expectations to the rule of course.
 
what they did was a neutral approach thus they spelled. Instead of insulting the dhh community with either sign, they spelled. I spell C I near my ear.

as for the episode, it sucked.
 
I use the "vampire" sign over the area where the CI coil/magnet goes, but that's just because that was the sign I've always known. I didn't know that one was supposed to be a "negative" sign. I've seen the "h" sign once.

And I will agree, the episode SUCKED! I felt like people with CIs are being portrayed negatively. I got the vibes that the show seems like "oh CI is SO bad for you" or something like that. :roll:

And I got the vibe that Marlee Matlin is anti-CI or just not very supportive of CIs...oh well, never liked her anyway. (and no that's not just from the one espiode)
 
I've seen all 3 variations of the sign for CI. During my CI evaluation one of my tactile interpreters fingerspelled the letters "C-I" when indicating the sign for cochlear implant. A different tactile interpreter (at a later date during my evaluation) used the "H" sign against the head. I've also seen all 3 signs used by a variety of Deaf and deafblind people as well. When I use a tactile interpreter, I use PSE so perhaps the fingerspelled "C-I" could have been an English-based sign. I think Boult is correct about not offending the Deaf community by using the "vampire" or the "H" sign. My sign language instructor explained that both signs are harsh ways of signing cochlear implant while fingerspelling "C-I" is neutral. I also saw a documentary about CIs in which two CI users (a husband and wife) explained that the "vampire" sign for CI is an older sign that is outdated and offensive to some CI users and members of the Deaf community.

I wonder if Reba or Interpretrator will see this thread and can comment? I'd be interested in their thoughts.

As for the CSI episode, it *did* suck. I was bored after 15 minutes so I turned it off. Apparently I didn't miss anything. LOL!
 
For many years, the "vampire" sign was common in my area. A few years ago, at an interpreter workshop, we were taught that it was offensive to the Deaf community, and the preferred sign used the "H" handshape. To be honest, except at that workshop, I've never seen any local Deaf use anything except the "vampire" sign, or sometimes spell "C-I". Even Deaf who have CI's use the "vampire" sign.

It was the same workshop where we learned that the term "mainstream" education was no longer acceptable. Now it's "general" education or "local public school".
 
Reba said:
For many years, the "vampire" sign was common in my area. A few years ago, at an interpreter workshop, we were taught that it was offensive to the Deaf community, and the preferred sign used the "H" handshape. To be honest, except at that workshop, I've never seen any local Deaf use anything except the "vampire" sign, or sometimes spell "C-I". Even Deaf who have CI's use the "vampire" sign.

It was the same workshop where we learned that the term "mainstream" education was no longer acceptable. Now it's "general" education or "local public school".
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Interesting. Yeah, the "vampire" sign have never bothered me, and why should I let it bother me now? The way I see it, we can take back the degerotary sign and make it a positive one. I have nothing to be ashamed of.

And, as for the term "mainstream", I had no idea it was not acceptable anymore...I was mainstreamed most of the time growing up (with several short stints at the state school for the deaf) and have always used the term. To me, "mainstream" means me being a deaf person going to all-hearing classes/school with an interpreter.
 
Reba said:
For many years, the "vampire" sign was common in my area. A few years ago, at an interpreter workshop, we were taught that it was offensive to the Deaf community, and the preferred sign used the "H" handshape. To be honest, except at that workshop, I've never seen any local Deaf use anything except the "vampire" sign, or sometimes spell "C-I". Even Deaf who have CI's use the "vampire" sign.

It was the same workshop where we learned that the term "mainstream" education was no longer acceptable. Now it's "general" education or "local public school".
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Reba,

Thanks for your comments. :)

My sign language instructor also told me that the "vampire" sign was offensive to some CI users and members of the Deaf community because of how 'aggresive' the sign was.

Now that I think about it, I've also seen cochlear implant signed the way Lilly's dad described -- although I don't see it as often as the other 3 signs.

I was also unaware of the change in terms from "mainstream" to "general" education. Until now I've always used the term "mainstream." Guess you learn something new every day! LOL!
 
Hear Again said:
...I was also unaware of the change in terms from "mainstream" to "general" education. Until now I've always used the term "mainstream." Guess you learn something new every day! LOL!
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I think it was about three years ago, when the state superintendent of Deaf education spoke at our workshop. Deaf community still uses "mainstream."

Just as an aside, how do you sign "mainstream", as it relates to education? We sign it using "1" on the non-dominant hand, and "5" on the dominant hand, with the dominant hand on top.
 
I use all my fingers when I say "mainstream" sort of like saying "go with the flow" if you know what I mean?
 
LuciaDisturbed said:
I use all my fingers when I say "mainstream" sort of like saying "go with the flow" if you know what I mean?
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Yes, I know what you mean. I use the same movement, just different handshapes. We were taught that the reality was the "1" Deaf student in proportion to the "5" hearing students; there are no classes of equal numbers of Deaf and hearing students.
 
Reba said:
Just as an aside, how do you sign "mainstream", as it relates to education? We sign it using "1" on the non-dominant hand, and "5" on the dominant hand, with the dominant hand on top.
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That's the way my sign language instructor taught me how to sign "mainstream" (as it applies to education). I've never come across a situation where any of my tactile interpreters have used the word "mainstream," so I don't know if there are other variations of the sign.
 
Reba said:
Yes, I know what you mean. I use the same movement, just different handshapes. We were taught that the reality was the "1" Deaf student in proportion to the "5" hearing students; there are no classes of equal numbers of Deaf and hearing students.
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Yeah, that would make sense...I was never taught the sign you use, have never seen that sign before.
 
Lucia,

Can you describe how you make the sign for "mainstream?" (Sorry I don't understand what you mean by using all of your fingers.) My sign language instructor taught me the same sign Reba described. I haven't had the opportunity to see how others make this sign, so I don't know if there is more than one variation.
 
Hear Again said:
Lucia,

Can you describe how you make the sign for "mainstream?" (Sorry I don't understand what you mean by using all of your fingers.) My sign language instructor taught me the same sign Reba described. I haven't had the opportunity to see how others make this sign, so I don't know if there is more than one variation.
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Both hands in "5" handshape, making the same movement as you would with the sign you already use for "mainstream". Hope I am clear enough. :) I suck at describing how to sign.
 
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