Noah's Blog

Noah, I like to keep original signs because I used old signs of countries and cannot break my habit lol but I notice that all young people in modern time that they follow new signs of countries.

Noah, that is superb issue to discuss about how we should respect others or should we keep ours. For example, if the visitor visit on America soil they should respect our culture and languages as well that vice versa. If we visit their country we should respect their culture and speak their native language. I've always strongly believe that. Just like foriegn prime minister visit our country they have interpreter with them and vice versa we to their country. In America stay and respect with ASL language if there is a sign for country's name already we should stick with it. If we are in their country we should sign their language as well.
Thanks for wonderful discussion.

I keep old signs because it is what I am used to. New signs are considered politically correct. And no matter how many times people correct me, I get confused with how to use new signs. No one should be forced to use old or new signs. I don't see it as a "disrespect" to use it because old signs have been around for years. I think we all should use what we wish and respect it.

I'm curious...

Do the Deaf in other countries show respect for us by using our sign for America, or do they continue to use their own country's sign?

I saw something several years ago where it was showing the British Sign Language (BSL) sign for America as looking somewhat similar to our sign for chewing tobacco - based on the American soldiers who apparently chewed tobacco.

If in fact this is a unified global effort and Deaf people from various countries are doing the same thing, then I could see supporting it... otherwise, it seems sort of stupid for us to change OUR signs if other countries are not going to show the same respect.

May I comment briefly that I feel the specific signs to describe racial features should be eliminated altogether(Japan, China, Africa, etc). America and ASL was founded on white man's racist predjuice of the rest ofthe world.

But for European countries, hey.. lets keep our ASL signs for them.

Anna

Hi Noah,

Here is my response: CLICK HERE

HI Noah!
first of all I wanted to say I love your tie! you look so good!

second I agreed that I do have a lot of respect for countries' signing. I do not like to hurt other people's feeling so I follow what is good.
Gary Brooks

To David, that is very interesting. It also tells me that there are people in other country who think like we do - keep old signs! I remember someone told me that at Deaf Way, that is where the politically correct signs for countries started. true?

My neice/nephews use politically correct country signs and I always ask them every single time what they were signing, they had this cute exasperated expression on their face, and fingered spelled for me. :) and they looked at me with puzzled face "you don't know?".

I like old and new signs; the same old tradition sure the same, the new signs can be change anytime. We better follow their countries own sign languages. That's funny, I learned that some "SLANG" addition to new sign which is crazy and interesting! I noticed your sign "china", that what i signs is "chechnya". Interesting!

Hi Noah, AS LONG AS WE RESPECT FOR THEIR OWN LANG AND DEAF CULTURE IN OTHER COUNTIRES AND VICE VERA.. WE AMERICANS FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH OUR ASL AND THE WAY WE LIVE IN OUR CULTURE. THAT IS FINE...BY THE WAY, HOW DO I KNOW DANIEL, TERRY AND STEVE?? DANIEL'S WIFE , SHERYL USED TO BE MY CLASSMATE AND APT ROMMMATE.. TERRY'SWIFE,MARY USED TO BE MY APT ROOMMATE IN MINN.. WHAT A SMALL WORLD!!! I ENJOYED WATCHING YOUR VLOGS ESPECAILLY DEAFREAD EPIC MOVIE AND SOME OF OTHER INTERESTED DEBATINGS...WHAT A CREATIVITY AND BRILLIANT YOU ARE. :) kh

I want to bring something to people's attention, especially thoe who basically said that old signs are not disrespectful because it have been around for long time...

THINK ABOUT IT:
Is it okay for us to say the "n" word to identify the African-Americans just because it had been used for hundreds of years as Americans upheld the standard of slavery? It was a common word back then, why not we use it???
-NO-.


Use THAT as your analogy when it comes to different signs for countries. Think about THAT horrible word and what you said when you said "old signs have been around, nothing's wrong with it..."

Thank for ur sharing to discuss open about SIGN LANGUAGE FOR COUNTRIES. so tell u the truth with my opinion..... i like to follow sign COUNTRY'S OWN sign language for their countries. why not we change that sign language AS SHOW THEM we are respects. some them other countries think AMERICAN TOO EGO with ASL i mean come on! we are ALL DEAF UNITY SO WHY NOT WE RESPECT OUR OWN SIGN LANGUAGE OUR OWN COUNTRIES?! it they have different sign language for our USA tell them correct our REAL SIGN LANGUAGE FOR AMERICAN! show them we respect for their countries sign language so they might will respect us back as show what DEAF UNTIY FOR?! but other way as write, sign language each country different words for our country it's ok but SIGN LANGUAGE EACH OWN COUNTRIES NOT HURT TO CHANGE that's all simple. not tooooo much change IN ASL that's different. reason many people in USA COPY THEIR OWN COUNTRIES SIGN LANGUAGE cuz we are mixed of culture u know we are AMERICAN AS MUTT SO WHAT?! for example if we use Mexico as sign language as mexican with mustard it's insult cuz it's not show formal sign language for mexican cuz they woman don't have mustard so? as u talk about other countires have different sign language other country so close as u talk about ROME, OTHER M.... NOT SURE SPELL RIGHT. same idea our STATES have different sign language for our own states why not we change that sign language as show respects our own states? some them won't change so that's same idea! so that's all my opinion. i just want change it for respects their countries so i can deserve their respect back too. so thank for bring it up with ur discuss issues for some reasons and interesting sign language we should change or stay old way? it's really interesting research OUR opinion might we can work on it as show DEAF UNITY! it's world deaf power!

Joshua "Vampbat" Womick

I visited other countries I respect their culture but I do not change their way of signing to call America, whether I like or not. I am not their countries when someone visit USA and find someone sign that might offend them, they have to accept the way we do with our cultures not to tell us to change the signing for their countries. I am not worried about their I do care the way we dd in our ASL and culture if they do not like our ways that is their problem! Simple respect each countries we have our right to sign calling anything but we do not harm their countries culturally!

I like the idea of using other countries' Deaf communities' signs for their own country or nationality as the Sign everyone should use.

It shows not only a respect for other cultures, but a solidarity of the Deaf to respect each other's signs.

Of course, this might lead to some confusion. For example, BSL for "English/British" is ASL for "Calm down." (5 hands, palms down bouncing down twice.)

Maybe THAT's the best advice on the subject!

Very good topic! I'm with you - the second group.
One time a friend (Deaf American) was talking about Rome. She used the word "Roma" and I said no, "Rome!" She said no.. it's really Roma. I said that's their language but ours is Rome. We don't "speak" their language, just our own.

Same thing goes for the word "Oregon." I'm an Oregon native for a long long time and the *appropriate* sign for Oregon is O and move around in the air, like Ontario or Ohio. (We fingerspell the word Oregon first to emphasize which word we mean, then from then on we do the sign.) Not from the shoulder and make circles outward like "Washington."

- Renee

Can't ASL evolve - like all living languages?

I like the new signs better in most cases. For example, the signs for China, Japan, and the two Koreas are offensive, pure and simple. These signs emphasize their almond-shaped eyes - highlighting the provincial and out-dated belief that Americans are all North European descendents.

This said, I admit I cannot get used to the 'new' sign for Germany!

-Belle

It is so amazing to see some people to get in trouble for being offend.
Define the word: RESPECT?
That was never an issue at all but
People start to take over our country to change everything that was so original(ASL). We need to start to speak up and show the orginial signs.
Sometime I sign both for some reasons to prevent from being trouble with MOCKERS smile...

That was a good vlog. I appreciate you bringing it up...

That ASL is not the only unique language; that other countries have their own languages also, and deserve the equal respect as well.

Interesting vlog! In response to Ayla; I can only answer for Swedish Sign Language (which I'm in the process of learning), which uses a lot of international signs such as the Chinese sign for China, the ASL sign for America and so on.

Noah, you are right! i have met sweden. i respect their honor with nice offer me sweden sign languag book, and soon china will offer me soon

I always follow what their wanted us to signs. so we should spread usa to respect other worlds too, wow you were so right
Im from atlanta georgia :) keep in touch with me if you want let me know

Political correction has gone too far. Why our signs need to change while other countries don't? In mexico, deaf folks identify girl, mother, grandma by the size of breasts so who do we are to criticize them for using the sexual signs, obviously that's degrading toward women. But that's their sign language so I am not going to change mine either.

Hi Noah.

I absolutely think we should honor the signs of other countries out of respect.

Hearing people do this too, with spoken language. They now often change the names of foreigners to show reverence and respect.

For example, in the past, Americans used to refer to Native Americans as "Indians" or (eek!) "savages". Many also referred to African Americans as "Black people" or other derogatory names.

Even though there are still people who use disrespectful slang to identify their foreign countrymen, overall, I think that Americans have made a greater step towards honoring each other and our worldly brothers and sisters.

So, yes, I wholeheartedly agree that we should use each country's ASL sign for their country identification or nationality. It just feels like the right thing to do.

It also makes me personally feel like I open myself up to more languages. I feel my mind and heart open and expand, wanting to learn more about people from other places in the world.

Thanks for a great topic!

~ LaRonda

I haven't traveled around the world much and I have not seen their sign languages much but I am curious. do the other countries follow our sign for America? Or do they keep their own signs for America?

Noah, do you know how we had to change the signs for countries? Did that occur when we had the Deaf Way?? Me wonder!

I remember when I went to college, I met some African people, I asked them where they were from, they used the sign "A" and circle around on their face. This was how I was taught that sign in the beginning when I first learned sign language and now it is different. As for Asian people, I don't know if the signs we use are offensive to them or not, i would like to hear from them and see what they say. Cuz if they feel offensive, why should we continue to use signs that make them feel bad about themselves.

We are an advanced country, we are striving to try to be equals to everyone and respect each other.

Many foreigners have different signs for America, there is no right sign for America. If we want America to have the right sign, then we need to emphasize to foreigners to use the right sign for "America".

Maybe if there is another Deaf Way, this issue can be brought up and discussed among each other.

Well that depends on what kind of signs we use to be sure that we do not offend them. For example with the word Africa, we used to sign on our nose as if they have large nose. That's not right. I believe we should change to approriate sign language to show them our respect. In other countries which are not offensive with our sign language, we can keep them. You said other countries sign differently from us about America. That doesn't offend me as it means nothing to me. It is alright with me. Make any sense? :)

Hi Noah,

Your presentation is superb.
I agree with you 100%.

After traveling in several countries, I realized that
deaf Aemricans use so many
rude and offensive signs.

Someone named "C" said
to you that we should not
change signs because of PC.
That's wrong. Nothing to
do with PC.

Respect is #1.

hi Noah, not sure if my comment went throughn, here it is again.

See video reply:
http://video.google.com.au/videoplay?docid=1456717679392138420

Hello Noah,

I'm an interpreting student in California and I enjoy watching your VLOGS. However, every VLOG I viewed stops in the middle for some strange reason. Have other people notice the same problem? Thanks and keep up the good work.

Look at my response on my new blog; DeafMom3.blogspot.com to this topic

In prayers, Kim

Our American maps use English words for the countries in the world. Hearing people speak English words for the countries. For example, Germany for Deutschland, Spain for Espana, France for La France, etc. So, we should keep old signs!
Chris

C'mon. These signs invented by ourselves in this country is based on racial slurs. Japan, China, Vietnam, Korea and Africa countries are named based on racial slurs.

How do you feel if someone in Germany has a sign name for USA which contradicts ours in every sense? You'd give a dirty look! Even worse, you would try to correct them to make sure that they sign your country correctly!

ASL always will evolve from time to time. We used to have this offensive sign for African Americans. Now we are not using it. Same idea apply to this subject.

If you want others to respect you, do the same.

R-

Here's a compromise:

Borrow the signs from other countries. Allow time to pass. As time progress, the sign will evolve to conform with ASL's parlance.

An example in point: China uses three contacts, which breaks ASL's limit of two contact. However, some Deaf modified the sign so there is only two contact, running the pointer over the shoulder where second contact is supposed to be made. This now conforms to ASL's structure, yet acknowledges China's view of themselves.

Consider the word 'Germany'. In Germany, they call their land "Deutschland". Likewise, French people call their country "Francais". English-speaking people did not simply made up the word "Germany" or "France". Rather, they took in the word as it was spoken by the natives long ago, and over the time, the pronunication changed to conform with English's parlance, and that is how those words developed.

I say same will happen with those signs. So go ahead and borrow other signs; I don't see why ASL can't assimilate other signs.

Look at it this way . . . I know for a fact that deaf Japanese people have a certain sign for United States and they don't even bother following our "America" sign. So why do we have to change to their country signs and they don't even bother using ours! Leave it the way it has been . . . past, present and future!

I'm Rayline Dean. :-)

A long time ago few deaf Germans came here. One of them said that they call us with palm open & face to me like the number five but move that hand around face because Americans have "five" different colors of skins such as yellow, brown, white, black & red. They thought that we use sign like log cabin & sign that around in circle like united. Germans thought that we're wrong to use that sign for America. German thought that we use wrong sign like both hands with opening fingers & having fingers moved little for Germany. They thought that we should use one index finger on top of head that's what they use sign for their country. They dont like the way we use log cabins & united in signing for America & both hands with opening fingers & having fingers moved a little for Germany. They dont want to change their sign for America like five different colors of skins then why should we please Germans that we should change sign from both hands with opening fingers & having fingers moved a little to one index finger on the top of head while they dont want to use sign like log cabin & "united" rather than five different colors of skin around face. I undy that we need to please the other ppl in all different countries. :-)

Noah, I see your video in two diff. group of peolpe option about change the sign language asl. Okay my option we should stay with our old asl in amercian it been around many many years, why should we change it that confused us, We don't change deaf people sign langauage in other country that is their deaf sign language communition they understand each other, just like we understand each other in amercian asl.

Hey, My opinion, we should keep the original ASL simply because the changing is all about political corrections here in america. Hell, in australia, they sign "dirty" for USA, and China signs "crazy" in gesture for USA; thus, we shall call they what we already called them. P of colorado.

I agreed with both side. But like w.f.t. said that some signs for other countries are offensive pure and simple..for that I agreed with her 100 percent. And it should be changed, period!

Hello Nash,

A young deaf exchanged student has been living in Seattle at Univ of Washington. Has 3 more years to graduate before she will move back to Japan. She went to my church one Sunday a few weeks ago. She told me that she did not like the new sign for Japan. She likes the old asl sign for Japan. So I respect her wish.
Anonymous

I think we should respect their language when we are in their country just as they should respect our language when they are in our country. If someone is visiting in our country from another county we could use the sign for their country sign then show them our the sign we have in our country for the same word. Just be respectful and courteous

Noah, I now agree that we should use the old signs. You have a good point about their languages and writing being different. For example, in America we call Germany "Germany", but Germans call it "Deutschland". I don't foresee us changing that habit, so why change the signs?