Page 121 - Reading Between the Sign Intercultural Communication for Sign Language Interpreters

106 Reading Between the Signs

Another way of establishing connections through name signs is
by giving one child in the family a name sign that matches the
location of the mother’s name sign, while the next child is given a
name sign that matches the location of the father’s name sign.
Occasionally, a child is “given the name sign of a deceased rela-
tive or old friend of one parent to honor that person’s memory”
(7).
Possession of a name sign symbolizes membership in the Deaf
community. Often Deaf people fondly remember the occasion of
being “baptized” or “initiated” into the group by being given their
sign. There are exceptions, however, and not every member of
the community may need a name sign. Very short English names
(e.g., Joe or Ann) can be fingerspelled with relative ease, as can
other rare names in which the handshapes flow smoothly (e.g., L-
A-R-R-Y).
Name signs are not used the same way that names are used
in spoken English.
For example, in a regular conversation, one can use a
name to get someone’s attention (e.g., “Hey, Mike”);
for emphasis (e.g., “Mike, I cannot believe you.”); and
to refer to someone who is not present (e.g., “Can you
tell Mike?”). In comparison to English, ASL name signs
are used only for the third example; thus name signs
are used only to refer to a third person who is not
present. (Supalla 20)
Name signs can also illuminate the power structure of the com-
munity. If two people in a local area happen to have the same
name sign, the situation must be quickly rectified to eliminate
confusion in the group. Regardless of the fact that the two people
feel strongly possessive of their name signs, a change will be made
to accommodate the group. Whose name sign will change? The
newcomer to the group or the younger person are common an-
swers. If one person is Deaf and the other hearing, of course the
former keeps the sign and the latter changes. And if both people
are Deaf, the one who had the name sign the longest or is better
known gets to keep it (Mindess 10–11).
Most Deaf people feel strongly that the Arbitrary Name Sign
System, which can be traced back to the early 1800s, is an impor-
tant part of their culture that should be preserved. To that end, in
the second half of The Book of Name Signs Supalla provides draw-

05 MINDESS PMKR 106 10/18/04, 12:00 PM