[sw-l] mouthing in the EU

[Shane Gilchrist Ó hEorpa]

Val,

> Your work, in Europe is specific to your languages, which appear to
> have some common characteristics, such as mouth movements while
> signing, which is not as prevalent here among native ASL signers...at
> least, not upon my observation...

There are a large number of ASL users who do mouth a lot in the USA :) -
just like there are a lot of mouthing people in the EU - I used to think
Germany was full of people who literally mouth every word - but thankfully I
have made a lot of mates there in Germany who don't mouth a lot - and then I
used to think there's no one in France who mouth a lot until I met some
deafies who tried to mouth French and sign in French to me at a party which
freaked me out - u could see me whispering "NELLY! - INTERPRET FOR ME!"

I call it "hurting one's jaws"...

It depends on which school it is taught at, what group of friends etc - many
of my deaf mates they could sign a lot better if they don't hang around with
their deaf mates who mouth.

And if you're referring to our unique mouthing (associated with our national
sign langs), of course...all national sign languages have their own
mouthings.

I just told someone off for mouthing in English when he can do better in BSL
mouthing.

Mouthing in English is discouraged in Belfast & Derry yet it's encouraged in
Dublin to some extent (!)

Shane