Katawa Shoujo Forums

I was doing some research for my fan fiction, and I came across an interesting blurb about sign-language.

From Wikipedia:

In Deaf culture and sign language, a sign name is a special sign that is used to uniquely identify a person, just like a name. There are some special cultural rules around sign names; for example, they must be agreed upon by you and people in the Deaf community. This ensures that no one else in the community already has the same sign name, or that the same sign does not have a different meaning. Until a person receives a sign name, the person's name is usually fingerspelled.

My query is this; assuming all the characters in the game already have a sign-name as a special identifier, what do you think it would be, and what would your own be?

It seems to me like it would be something similar to Indian names; using personality traits or previous deeds to describe the person.

My younger brother would be "Dances With Sticks", and no, I'll not describe why.

I would probably be "Rock-Cut" based on an embarrassing childhood story that haunts me.

Helbereth wrote:I was doing some research for my fan fiction, and I came across an interesting blurb about sign-language.

From Wikipedia:

In Deaf culture and sign language, a sign name is a special sign that is used to uniquely identify a person, just like a name. There are some special cultural rules around sign names; for example, they must be agreed upon by you and people in the Deaf community. This ensures that no one else in the community already has the same sign name, or that the same sign does not have a different meaning. Until a person receives a sign name, the person's name is usually fingerspelled.

My query is this; assuming all the characters in the game already have a sign-name as a special identifier, what do you think it would be, and what would your own be?

It seems to me like it would be something similar to Indian names; using personality traits or previous deeds to describe the person.

My younger brother would be "Dances With Sticks", and no, I'll not describe why.

I would probably be "Rock-Cut" based on an embarrassing childhood story that haunts me.

They don't work that way. The sign name essentially means "Shizune" or "Misha," as it applies to that individual. I haven't spent too much time with the deaf community, but that's one of the catches right there. There is no global deaf community. So there would perhaps be a Yamaku deaf community. A sign name would essentially be given a a sort of induction, a sort of accepting you into the fold. Shizune would have a sign name, and Misha probably as well. Hisao being given a sign name would have been an event in the story arc, but, given the significance, along with Shizune's personality, it's possible he was never given one.

As for what a sign name actually is, it's essentially some gesture that does not normally have a meaning of its own. The sign name is often similar to certain words, especially as if might describe personality or key traits. For example, Misha's sign name could be a sort of combination of "pink" and "laugh" with the hand remaining in an "M" for the appropriate motions.

Disclaimer: I have studied the deaf community a little bit, but I make no claim to be anything of an expert.

Only on the Internet do you get to pick your own nickname. Everywhere else, name signs included, you are given one.

I have seen a number of threads (usually by hearing people) asking how to make one or to be given one. They are told that if they are involved in their local Deaf community long enough they'll almost certainly get one, provided their name isn't easy enough to fingerspell on its own.

Part of the reason is you don't want to pick a name already in use, another is you might ignorantly give yourself something offensive.

I was actually given one of these by a deaf-mute kid one of my folks worked with a while ago, and everyone found it hilarious. I never figured out why, until like six years later I had a deaf girl in one of my art history courses in college. I told her interpreter after class about it, and she asked me to demonstrate the sign, so I did, and she busted out laughing. Apparently, what the kid was calling me in sign language was something like "Dumbass" or "Idiot" and ONLY used that to refer to me.

The example I was given was that someone called Britney might think she's clever making herself a namesign where she taps the letter B against the side of her chin, only to discover from the first deaf person she meets that she's named herself 'Bitch'.

A better way to phrase the question might be: If you were part of a signing community, how would you expect them to refer to you, or, rather, what do you think they might end up referring to you as? Assuming they don't just finger-spell your name -which sounds like a tedious and inefficient affair.

Helbereth wrote:A better way to phrase the question might be: If you were part of a signing community, how would you expect them to refer to you, or, rather, what do you think they might end up referring to you as? Assuming they don't just finger-spell your name -which sounds like a tedious and inefficient affair.

I'm also told it's a question of whether it 'flows' when spelling it...

Apart from that you've come full circle back to the fact that you can't give yourself a nickname, it gets picked for you. It might not even be a name (as in the example you made up for your brother), it might be a normal sign for something else but done with a particular handshape or fingerspelled letter to make it uniquely you.

I don't know if I'll get one or what it'll be, but I'll be delighted and honoured if I do...

metalangel wrote:Apart from that you've come full circle back to the fact that you can't give yourself a nickname, it gets picked for you.

I think you're missing the hypothetical part of the question. This is personal speculation, not directive.

Helbereth wrote:

metalangel wrote:Apart from that you've come full circle back to the fact that you can't give yourself a nickname, it gets picked for you.

I think you're missing the hypothetical part of the question. This is personal speculation, not directive.

No, I understand entirely. I've told you why I don't want to speculate, and why you might not want to as well out of respect for the Deaf community. As with ProfAllister, I am not an expert, I am only telling you what I've learned. If you are creating these for a fanfiction, just remember that they're intended both to be descriptive of the person and quick to sign, that might help you in coming up with them.

Mine would be a hand hovering over the crotch in a circular motion

creepy molester grin is optional

random wrote:Mine would be a hand hovering over the crotch in a circular motion

creepy molester grin is optional

xP


From what I've read, each is personalized, and probably has something to do with physical characteristics. The example they gave was something like, "For instance, a person named Julia with curly hair might have a name sign where you sign 'J' then have your hands wave down next to your face."

Shizune would probably be the source of most of the names... Lilly would probably be one hand covering the eyes, with the other giving the middle finger.
Me? I have no clue how anyone would try to summarize me with a quick motion.