CHAPTER 1
HOWDY SIGN LANGUAGE
Looking to start things off on the right foot with that cute deaf girl across the room? First off, don’t be the dumbass who throws something at her to get her attention—that’s just rude. Instead, gently tap her on the shoulder, or wave in her direction.
Once you’re talking, be yourself! You don’t need to be more polite or “sensitive” just because you’re signing. If you swear when you’re speaking out loud, do the same with your signs. Don’t clean up your language or dumb it down; it’s insulting to think just because someone is deaf they can’t take it.
•••••
Hello
Hi
Howdy
Good mornin’
Afternoon
G’night
What’s up…?
What up…? (laid-back sign for “What’s up?”)
dude
Some words don’t have signs, or you may not know them; then you just spell it out.
girl
my deafies
What’s new?