Profanity in American Sign Language
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American Sign Language (ASL), the sign language used by the deaf community throughout most of North America, has a rich vocabulary of terms, which include profanity. Within deaf culture, there is a distinction drawn between signs used to curse versus signs that are used to describe sexual acts. In usage, signs to describe detailed sexual behavior are highly taboo due to their graphic nature. As for the signs themselves, some signs do overlap, but they may also vary according to usage. For example, the sign for "shit" when used to curse is different from the sign for "shit" when used to describe the bodily function or ththe hand forward to signify "bullshit". An alternative is to make a "C" around the nose, rotate the "C", and then close the hand in a fist and face the palm to the nose. These signs are, however, not used as jokes. To sign the equivalent of a joking "that's BS," you simply sign the letters B-S.[citation needed]
- The well-known OK gesture, when held with the thumb on top at the level of the chest means "asshole", as seen in the film Mr. Holland's Opus. Asshole can also be signed by tapping an A on the side of the head twice. Also, by rocking "F" sign downward from the wrist, twice.[citation needed]
- The common sign for the noun "shit" is the thumbs-up signal with one hand, the other hand grasping the thumb and pulling upwards. The exclamation "shit" is signed by jamming the thumb of the dominant hand, on top, into a fist on the other hand.[citation needed]
See also
References
- Valli, Clayton; Lucas, Ceil (2001). Linguistics of American Sign Language. Washington DC: Gallaudet University Press.
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