Signing For Dummies (22 page)

Street:
S-T

Apartment:
A-P-T

Way:
W-Y

Prominent cities may have
name Signs
(see
Chapter 3
). For less prominent cities, fingerspell the name. Deaf people will show you a local Sign if it exists. Quite often, you sign cities that have two-word names by using the first letter of each word. As a general rule, sign cities the way the Deaf do — as they say, when in Rome. . . .

You sign zip codes with your palm facing outward. Sign all five numbers in succession.

Sign street addresses by fingerspelling the street name and then signing the house number — keeping your palm facing the addressee. Sign the city’s name next, but only when you’re sure that the addressee understands the Sign; otherwise, fingerspell the city’s name.

When you sign phone numbers, all numbers face the addressee — outward. If you’re not sure that the information you’re giving is clear, sign an area code by making parentheses with both index fingers and then signing the numbers. More often, though, area codes don’t require the parentheses, just sign L-D (for long distance) before you give the number. Signing the suffix part of phone numbers doesn’t follow any set rule. Some people fingerspell all four numbers in succession while others break it up into two sets of two numbers. For instance, if the last four numbers of a phone number are 1212, you can sign them as 1, 2, 1, 2 or 12, 12. You don’t need to worry about putting a hyphen between the numbers like you would if you were writing the number down.

The following Signs may help you, too:

Signin’ the Sign

Donna is moving to Chicago. Mike is hoping that the two of them can stay in touch; Donna feels the same way. Mike wants to get her new address so that he can write to her.

Mike:
Where are you moving?

Sign:
MOVING YOU — WHERE Q

Donna:
Chicago. Will you write?

Sign:
CHICAGO — LETTER ME — YOU Q