a few things...

[Gerard Meijssen]

Hoi,
I have found this discussion really interesting. I even blogged about it.
Thanks,
      Gerard

http://ultimategerardm.blogspot.com/2008/11/how-to-say-obama.html

On Mon, Nov 10, 2008 at 11:02 PM, Adam Frost <icemandeaf at gmail.com> wrote:

> I had to step back for a minute a realize where this was coming from
> because I was just having a discussion with another group about this same
> topic. I am trying to figure out how to tell you what the discussion on the
> TeachASL list was without sounding harsh, so bear with me. ;-)
>
> First, lets take a look at name signs as they are used and giving in the US
> in ASL. A name sign is only used when talking about a person that has
> importance in the Deaf community that is not present. Therefore, a name sign
> is not just given to anyone (this also includes people who are in the Deaf
> community) and given with great care. This is especially the case when you
> are dealing with a name sign on a national level. You may be able to find
> local examples that don't follow this, but that will not happen nationally.
> These local example are usually "in house" discussions of a particular
> person that goes into great length, so ad hoc name signs are created so that
> fingerspelling doesn't have to be done over and over for those people who
> don't like fingerspelling.
>
> Having said that, unless our president elect has done something that has
> cause for the Deaf community to not only talk about him in great length, but
> also has made a great impact on the community, there will never be a "final"
> name sign for him. All of these ad hoc name signs will disappear as soon as
> the discussion of him disappear. Of course, the only other way for this to
> be different would be for the Deaf community to become very involved in
> politics overnight. And I mean every member of the community, not just a
> few.
>
> If you look back at all of the past US presidents, only Lincoln and
> Washington have name signs. Some say that is because Washington is the
> founding father and Lincoln was the president during the civil war that
> brought the nation back together. Lincoln has his name sign because he was
> the president that made it possible for Gallaudet University. I feel that
> Washington is a rare ad hoc name sign by back translation from the state
> Washington and capital Washington DC. It is only because there is a state
> that has a sign as well as the same name as the president that the ad hoc
> name sign is used nationally. (That and that his name is very important in
> US history so every school has to talk about him a lot.)
>
> Now, I know that it could be said that Barack Obama is a great impact
> because he is the first African American to be elected. True, but that
> doesn't impact the Deaf community, so that is why he hasn't received a name
> sign. So I hope that answers your question of there being a final name sign
> for him. And I hope that I haven't sounded harsh, but it is a little pet
> peeve that I have so it is hard not to seem angry even though I am not. :-)
>
> Adam
>
>
> On Nov 10, 2008, at 11:58 AM, Peter DeHaas wrote:
>
>>
>> Did anyone ever come up with a final sign name for our new president
>> elect???
>>
>> Best,
>>
>> Peter DeHaas
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
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