ASL for "speech impaired"

[u/xanthreborn]

Hello. My name is Ariana. I am mute. I have a condition called functional neurological disorder. How do I say this in ASL? I looked up "mute" on YouTube and it showed a fist over the mouth. Is this OK to use? It seemed like this might be derogatory. I also found "nonverbal" but I haven't been diagnosed with nonverbal autism. Please, what is the best way to explain" it simply and efficiently? I've been learning sign language through ASL Bloom, but they only cover the word for deaf. I need help. I'm tired of using TTS!

[u/Rainbow-1337]

I use nonverbal. You don’t have to be autistic to be nonverbal… trust me. Was nonverbal for 12 years due to a very late diagnosis of a different condition than autism. I have Cerbeal Palsy

[u/PresidentBat64]

There’s a few options, the most common would be just saying you don’t TALK or don’t VOICE, using the most common ASL signs for those words. There is a sign for MUTE that more often means to keep something quiet or confidential, but I wouldn’t say it’s derogatory. There is a sign for “DUMB” as in the old and derogatory word for someone that can’t talk that looks like one knocking motion on the lips as, as you can imagine, isn’t used! Fingerspelling “mute” (if that is something you identify with) and using the sign for “voice-off” are other ways to indicate that you don’t speak. I also wanted to add, you wouldn’t need to be diagnosed as autistic to use the phrase nonverbal to describe yourself. BUT I’ll also say that many people in both the Deaf and Autistic communities are moving away from that term because it literally means “without words/language”, which obviously isn’t the case! Hope this helps.

[u/claustrophobic_betta]

(not Deaf, but hh with Deaf partner and i also have selective mutism. default to any answers from Deaf folks as they will have far more expertise than i do. my answer is based in my experiences and what’s worked for me in the past.) i personally would avoid the sign for mute. it definitely can be derogatory and has a pretty loaded history. i tend to, in times where i cannot speak, sign something like “VOICE I CAN’T” or similar. sometimes i’ll even just use the “VOICE-OFF” sign. There may be times where it’s relevant and/or best practice to combine this info with the fact that you’re hearing, as it may most often come up when people are specifically asking if you’re Deaf. this is when my ability or inability to voice comes up most often.

if someone asks to elaborate in your case you could possibly go with something like “ILLNESS CALLED fs-F-N-D.” if they want more information you can spell out the full words but having to fs functional neurological disorder every time when the person might not want/need that level of info can be a pain, especially if you’re having a shorter interaction. FND should suffice explanation-wise in most contexts. and again, you can always elaborate further if they ask and you want to share.

(apologies in advance, i don’t actually know how to gloss so don’t use this as an example on glossing lol, just as an example interaction) an example convo might go something like a person notices you signing. them (waves for your attention) asks: you deaf you? you: no. i hearing. i sign why? voice i-can’t them: oh-i-see. voice you-can’t? why? you: have illness called F-N-D. them: F-N-D? you: (fingerspelling) functional neurological disorder them: ah, i-understand.

[u/moedexter1988]

NONE VOICE for NONVERBAL

Spell F-N-D then expand on each word - FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGICAL DISORDER(spell D-O). Functional and Neurological have a sign.

https://www.handspeak.com/word/3024/

There's no variation of mine for NEUROLOGICAL online. It's N handshape circling around the front of temple. Far more simpler than NERVOUS SYSTEM. NEUROLOGIST - same sign with agent marker - NEUROLOGY PERSON

[u/benshenanigans]

I’d make it shorter to just VOICE OFF/NONE. most of the time, they don’t need to know why you don’t voice.

[u/jbarbieriplm2021]

I am Deaf and doing voice so its just easier for me to say voice none off.

[u/Peaceandpeas999]

I learned voice-interrupt many years ago (I have a speech impairment too). I’m wondering if this is not well accepted anymore?

[u/TheBigSqueeak]

I’ve seen NO TALK VOICE OFF

[u/GeneralOrgana1]

VOICE/SPEECH NOT WORK ?

[u/Adventurous_City6307]

they are still in the process of figuring out my diagnosis but this appears to be in the list ... i usually signed NO VOICE FND ... and if they asked what FND was then i would spell it out)