Page 135 - Reading Between the Sign Intercultural Communication for Sign Language Interpreters

120 Reading Between the Signs

and are quick to alert him or her [to any danger]; everybody looks
after each other” (191). Increasing darkness may mean that con-
versations are reduced to essentials or sometimes stopped alto-
gether.

Polite Behaviors

Polite Signs and Facial Expression
In English and other spoken languages, there are a vast number
of special phrases which, when added to one’s speech, make it
seem more courteous: “Would you be so kind as to….” “Would
you mind terribly if I asked you to….” For the most part, ASL
operates differently. Just as an ambiguous comment is less appre-
ciated than a direct one, ASL does not employ flowery phrases to
indicate politeness. There are, however, a few signs that, when
made with the appropriate movement and facial expression, do
convey a polite attitude. One such sign is CURIOUS; when used to
precede a direct question, it acts as a little warning that what
follows may delve into a personal area. It may be used before
asking people how old they are, how much money they paid for
something, or other more personal inquiries. When executed with
a small repetitive movement, signs such as DON’T-MIND and
REALLY also convey a polite demeanor when asking for a favor or
expressing an inability to comply with a request.
Probably more important than the choice of signs, however, is
the “facial grammar” used. A combination of raised eyebrows,
“eeee” on the mouth, head held slightly forward, and shoulders
up connotes politeness or deference. Facial grammar is a linguis-
tically unique feature of ASL and of great importance in under-
standing the way the language works. It has only begun to be
studied, so further research will surely bring to light more subtle-
ties in its usage.

Disclosing Personal Information (or Not)
In Deaf culture one is expected to share the details of one’s life
with others, and it is rude not to do so. There is not the same
expectation of a right to privacy that hearing people may claim.
Questions that probe into what hearing people would consider
private matters serve the important function of educating the com-
munity and sharing often hard-won knowledge. It is generally

05 MINDESS PMKR 120 10/18/04, 12:00 PM