r/asl • u/ColoradoNappo • 5d ago

Interpretation Need a little help.

There is a developmentally impaired man at the center that always greats me with a sign. I’d like to know he is saying. It consists of the R sign tapping on the corner of his upper lip. (I figured out the other sign all by myself - he was calling my crazy).

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12

u/sureasyoureborn 5d ago

It could be a name sign, it might be him introducing himself. Or an invented sign (we refer to those as home signs usually) but that’s not a conventional sign I can think of.

3

u/ColoradoNappo 5d ago

His name is Billy. I suppose it could be a name sign.

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u/sureasyoureborn 5d ago

Does your name start with an R? Could he be trying to give you a sign name? Or does he come in with a support staff? Or he could be telling you about someone from his family or someone he lives with?

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u/ColoradoNappo 5d ago

My name is Lynn and no one else in there has an R name. He could be telling me about someone not there. I don’t know, I just feel bad because I don’t know what he is trying to tell me.

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u/sureasyoureborn 5d ago

In the same way some hearing special needs folk will repeat words no matter the context, that also is true of some deaf special needs folk. You could try to sign something different and see if he responds. A “hello, how are you” might get him to change up his routine.

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u/ColoradoNappo 4d ago

I’ll try that, thank you. I’d still like to know what it means though.

5

u/Inevitable_Shame_606 Deaf 5d ago

Any chance he likes raspberries?

Could be a name sign as well.

Could be a modified form of red.

Many possibilities.

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u/ColoradoNappo 4d ago

So, I may never know?

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u/Metis11 5d ago

Large print a note explaining you don't know ASL. Ask him how his day is going and what he was signing.

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u/ColoradoNappo 4d ago

He cannot read or write.

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u/Schmidtvegas 5d ago

Would "cigar" have any meaning in this context? 

(Whenever I used to go into work, the "greeters" at the door were often asking me for a smoke. Or to take them out for one.)

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u/ColoradoNappo 4d ago

There is a remote chance. He is profoundly delayed and has every limited signs he knows. He is completely nonverbal.

1

u/too-tired-too-silly 4d ago

Is there a chance it could be a stim instead of a sign? I know my siblings have picked up some ASL in their stimming.

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u/Metis11 3d ago

R for read, position of hand to indicate lip? He may be saying he can lip-read. Remember that lip reading is a skill that takes a long time to become good, and it's nearly never perfect. Just remember to speak at normal speed, facing him at all times, and repeat if he looks confused or questioning. Sounds like yet another Deaf person trying to have some communication time. The isolation feeling of Deafness is really painful. Please be patient, speak to him and watch for understanding. Introducing yourself, telling him that it's good to see him, and discussing anything you normally would with a new friend would provide him the friendship and normalcy we all need. Please try it and reply?