[sw-l] Sign for Leprechaun?

[Sandy Fleming]

Shane,

> Ur idea - it may mean "forget" or "forgetful" or "quite stupid" in some
> dialects.

So I've upset some leprechauns with this sign?  :)

I imagine my friend will prefer to select something genuine from your list
than borrow my made-up sign anyway.

> some ISL people objected to the flicking sign and led a campaign against
> this (they misunderstood it - and even so, they wont swallow the fact that
> the sign is accepted in Belfast) so the sign is losing its
> popularity - even

Yes, this sign has an unfortunate history. It was intended to signify the
shamrock but some people in Great Britain assumed it meant "chip on the
shoulder". This led to some people actually signing it at their shoulder,
reinforcing the misunderstanding. My answer to this is, sign it at the
lapel, not the shoulder  :)

Sometimes it seems to me that everyone who learns BSL is an etymologist -
everyone wants to know _why_ a sign is what it is. Usually they're happy
with any explanation - they don't care if it's right, as long as it helps
them to rembemer it!

Sandy