Stupid Guest Tricks

ktulu wrote:I only know how to say one thing using sign language, I've noticed that quite a few of those around me on the roads know it as well...

I use this sign VERY often myself!!! LOL

I understand the reason most parents are teaching their kids ASL is because it has been shown that it actually prevents tantrums. Children who can't express themselves verbally because of limited vocabulary throw tantrums when they can't express what they want to convey. ASL helps by giving the child a means of communication before learning verbal language. Those of you who are teaching your kids ASL will have to verify this.

Also, I used to know deaf people as co-workers, and I discovered there are two differant signs for thank you. One looks like blowing a kiss, as mentioned, the other is both hands extended outward from the mouth. I learned that in L.A. County, the deaf use the former, in O.C. they use the latter.

felinefan wrote:I discovered there are two differant signs for thank you. One looks like blowing a kiss, as mentioned, the other is both hands extended outward from the mouth. I learned that in L.A. County, the deaf use the former, in O.C. they use the latter.

ASL is not universal. Signs differ slightly in all areas. If signing in San Diego School districts, ASL is somewhat different in Escondido, Vista, Oceanside. All depends....on what I'm not sure. I used San Diego simply as an example. Signing with one hand is not common but faster & accepted because many ASL users may only have one strong hand to use if there is a disability. ASL is usually done with the right hand. I use my left, yet have no trouble. At Cal I had a Language prof who's phrase was; "Always sign in special ed classes. This is an strong path toward speech." He was brilliant!

Yep. A lot of people think sign language is putting hand motions to English, but it is not. ASL is a separate language, with its own vocabulary, grammar, and syntax. It just doesn't have a written form, though you can kind of transcribe it with English words.

And like any language, there are regional dialects, just like the South has different accents and phrasing from the Northeast or West Coast.

felinefan wrote:I understand the reason most parents are teaching their kids ASL is because it has been shown that it actually prevents tantrums. Children who can't express themselves verbally because of limited vocabulary throw tantrums when they can't express what they want to convey. ASL helps by giving the child a means of communication before learning verbal language. Those of you who are teaching your kids ASL will have to verify this.

I can certainly attest to the tantrum and frustration prevention. When your 9 month old can tell you he or she is cold/hot/hungry/wet/tired/ or wants "more daddy" it makes life easier ! Ii was not the driving force behind teaching her, but a very nice side effect. A co-worker who lent me the baby signing book and video had the same experience with all 5 of his kids. A baby who can tell you what he/she wants is much happier!

Hey, felinefan!!!! Hope your days are getting better!

I will admit...in our house ASL it a type of short-hand (hence, the one-handed thank-you). Also, I tend to use my right hand, whereas the little huy is still learning, so he'll use both. And like Womabt said, ASL is it's own language - there are no articles (the, an, a) and the sentence structure is not the same as "normal" English.

As for stopping tantrums, now that I think on it, yes, it does. Little guy lets us know when he's hungry and (I know...this might be TMI) he'll hold his diapey if he's wet...letting us know he needs to be changed. So, we've actually found it works really well. We had his ears tested in February and there's not loss yet, which is good, but he'll be tested every to 12 months the next three or four years at least.

DragonFox98 wrote:...get it....flashing???"

Are motorcars mammals? I would have thought flashing the headlights would be akin to fluttering eyelashes rather than exposing breasts. That's just me, though.

Kifaru wrote:Are motorcars mammals? I would have thought flashing the headlights would be akin to fluttering eyelashes rather than exposing breasts. That's just me, though.

The flashing headlights is making note of an idiom used for when its cold outside.

Kifaru wrote:Are motorcars mammals? I would have thought flashing the headlights would be akin to fluttering eyelashes. ...

Well, except that they have eyes and eyelids on their windshields.

I tend to think the "flashing" is an intentional joke -- PIXAR's famous for their attention to detail, and of course the film being animated means that everything that's there was put there on purpose -- but the fact that not everyone would notice it or connect the dots (and even those who do debate its meaning) adds up to "plausible deniability" in case anyone might criticize them for it. Well played.

Kifaru wrote:Are motorcars mammals? I would have thought flashing the headlights would be akin to fluttering eyelashes rather than exposing breasts. That's just me, though.

The theory behind my comment: when women expose their breasts, it's called "flashing"; therefore, when Mia and Tia flash in the movie.... Well, there's my logic. :)