Not Your Grandma’s
Emily Dolton
ASL
New signs emerge from the next generation
Third grade student, Alexis and teacher of the Deaf, Keri Gravette from Davila Day School are signing the phrase, “Let’s connect.” Davila Day School is a K-6 specialized school for students with hearing loss.
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Carla Warnock has her hand to her ear in a “y” shape as one might have held a phone in the 1970s, demonstrating an old-fashioned sign. Next, she reveals the new sign for phone. Not surprisingly, it looks much like someone holding a cell phone. Warnock is a RID-certified (certified by Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf) San Diego resident who has interpreted for the United Nations, various musicians and choruses, and in educational settings. She is proficient in Pro-Tactile Sign, the specialty handover-hand sign language for people who are deaf and blind. Since Warnock often works with youth, she does her best to stay current in sign language interpretation, including colloquialisms and newer technology. Warnock explains that most newer signs are reflective of young deaf culture, including social media, tech and where youth hang out. New signs may initially be finger-spelled (signing each individual letter), but gradually evolve, sometimes based on Visual Gestural Communication cues, like the signs for scrolling an iPad or combinations of other signs such as the sign for Switch (finger-spelled Nintendo + a gesture for the switch controller) or iced coffee (ice + coffee). Lily Molina is a deaf Cal State San Marcos student who has worked as an interpreter at Cabrillo National Monument. “There are five parameters of American Sign Language (ASL): hand shape, palm orientation, location, motion and non-manual markers,” she explains. “I understand my brother because he has taken the time to learn sign language, but his accuracy isn’t always spot on.” Accuracy is paramount because it affects the meaning of words and comprehension. Whether a hand points up or down, or where it is placed on the face or body can change the meaning drastically, as can facial expressions (a non-manual marker). Molina demonstrates by signing, “That’s hot!” with a look of concern, meaning that something might burn you; and then, “That’s hot!” with a wry smile and a