I learned my first ASL phrase!

[bean]

I have a couple of deaf coworkers - and a couple of others that know American Sign Language. I also have a regular customer that speaks just fine, but can barely hear due to meningitis when he was young - he has hearing aids in both ears (he's probably... 21? 22?). He's told me he gets frequent ear infections due to having the hearing aids in all the time, and when he has the infections he resorts to reading lips. Awesome guy, always super friendly, and well, frankly, he's really cute too, so I don't exactly mind when he comes through my line.

Today though... took the cake. A couple that I would judge to be early-mid 50s came through my line. The husband immediately started bagging the order, and I notice the wife is signing to him and realize that not only is he deaf, he's also mute (only making some grunting noises here and there along with a couple of odd sounding giggles). A bagger came up, asked if she could take over for him, and he made some hysterical motions basically referring to him grabbing everything in sight and slamming it into the bag, made a motion of the bag ripping wide open (my store only has paper bags, not plastic), with some amusing motions from the wife as well, and plenty of chuckling from both.

After I finished ringing the order, the bagger that came up to help was almost done, so I started talking to the wife. Asked her how long she'd known ASL and she admitted not very long and she was pretty rusty at it. I asked her how to sign "Thank you!", she showed me. I got the husband's attention and signed thank you to him. I've seen the motion before since I have a couple of deaf friends, but the ones I do have can read lips and speak what I call "Deaf-Speak-English", but it's been awhile, so I needed to be reminded. She did say they were married and that the guy is both hilarious and brilliant, but can't read lips.

So she showed me how to motion Thank You. I got husband's attention and did so - and he got the biggest smile I think I've ever seen on anyone's face and signed back the same thing.

Seems like something pretty minor for me to do, but it really seemed to make the guy's day, he had an absolutely massive grin on his face all the way out the door. He seemed happy to begin with, but still...

I've been wanting to learn ASL for awhile, especially since one of my coworkers is both deaf and mute. When we run into each other we pull out our phones and start tapping out messages to each other, or just writing on the nearest piece of paper (both of us have smartphones with full keyboards). My deaf/mute coworker can't read lips either, can't hear a thing, but he has one hell of a loud laugh when he's amused.

[Sapphire Silk]

I had a friend (call her B) in college whose mother was deaf from birth. My friend started a Sign Language Club, which I joined. It was a lot of fun. I found making the signs easy enough, but had trouble reading them, so I'm not very good at signing.

Our club got invited to a party thrown by a client of B's (she earned money as an interpreter). It was a lot of fun. The music was way, way up, and everyone was dancing (it's easy to move in time to the vibrations on the floor). Had a blast.

I can still remember how to finger spell, and a handful of other useful signs, and can get by with very basic questions in the ER with a deaf patient until we can get the sign language interpreter in.

I've found that most people who either do not speak English, or are deaf and use sign are very appreciative when others make a genuine effort to communicate with them in their own language.

[HorrorFrogPrincess]

Back when I worked at Go Kart Place, there was a deaf girl who worked the prize counter.

She and I were very buddy-buddy. I think it's because I actually chatted with her. ^^

Not that I know sign-language, but I'd try to make my mouth movements clear and use motions, what little sign language I do know, and exaggerated facial expressions and body language to communicate. She did the same, speaking as well as she could to dub her sign language, and using simple phrases that weren't easy to misunderstand.

Usually "bad girl". XD

[Magpie]

I find that the average Deaf person is very good at making themselves understood even if you don't know any sign language. You just have to be willing to put a bit of effort into it. It's great that you tried. I remember my ASL instructor having some stories of people who just could not understand him. (He just ordered a coffee. He mimes milking a cow. She couldn't figure it out at all).

[teh_blumchenkinder]

I've found that most people who either do not speak English, or are deaf and use sign are very appreciative when others make a genuine effort to communicate with them in their own language.

Having been in a few linguistically interesting situations as a typical individual from the United States (read: knows English, a smattering of either Spanish, French or German, the three typically taught in the U.S. as standard)-- I can tell you, it's like water after a five mile run, or sunlight after not having any for days, or waking up after a long-awaited sleep. It's... very nice, on a fundamental, basic level, having someone be able to understand you, and you can understand them, no matter how it happens.

[DeltaSierra]

Way to go learning some sign!!! Although I rarely use sign these days ( prefer to lip read) its always a pleasure to come across somebody who knows it.

[Andara Bledin]

ASL is such a useful language to know; I wish it was an option when I was in high school.

One of my co-workers has a much younger sister who is taking the opportunity to take ASL as her language course in high school. It's so cool that it's even offered.

^-.-^

[Treasure]

I started learning sign when i was about 9 yrs old - went to a summer camp for disabled children, had a blast, and some of my fellow campers were deaf - they want to communicate as much as the next kid, i had to learn to keep up.

Then I got the chance to take ASL as my "foreign" language in HS - for about 1.5 semesters we had a deaf teacher, and she absolutely LOVED me - i communicated the easiest with her - and if I ever get back in school i think i'm going to finish up with ASL.

I have a bad habit of when for whatever reason i can't talk, i revert to sign - and forget that not everybody around me understands it - and yes exaggerated facial expressions are a huge help if you don't know much sign, but can pantomime.

[SongsOfDragons]

I've been teaching myself British Sign Language using what resources I can find on the Internet that don't demand I pay for them. I will be searching for a book in the library when I next get to go. I just think it's nifty...don't know if I'll ever get to use it.

[Eisa]

I can finger-spell and I know some assorted words...mostly the swear words and for some reason, "dirty lobster."

But I remember when I was in junior high, I think, and my uncle and grandmother came to visit. My uncle was completely deaf. He could kind of read lips, I think, but not well. He gave me and my sister presents, and I didn't know how to say "thank you" but my grandmother showed me, and his whole face just lit up when I did. It was REALLY cool.

Sadly, the summer before I entered 9th grade, he got double pneumonia and died. I still miss him, even though I didn't get to see him all that much.