American Sign Language: "dead"
DEAD / die:
Memory aid:
Think of "rolling over in your grave." Or how about, "Fish turn belly up
when they die."
Notes:
It is very common to see the sign "dead" done with just one hand.
Also see: DEATH
Notes:
There are those who will tell you that if someone dies you "should" sign "DEAD."
That however ignores the fact that many, many Deaf sign things like: "YEAR-past
MY MOM GONE" to mean "I lost my mom last year."
English uses euphemisms.
ASL uses euphemisms.
English speakers generally do not run around telling other English speakers "No,
you can't say you lost your mom last year. You have to say 'Last year my mom
died!'"
Equal rights for ASL signers: We have the right to use euphemisms.
The GONE sign is an "acceptable" euphemism for DEAD
in ASL.
However the sign "LOST / lose / unknown whereabouts" -- is
not an ASL euphemism for
DEAD.
"GONE" yes. (Can in context
mean "dead.")
"LOST" no. (Would seem odd or inappropriate if used to mean "dead." So don't use
it to mean dead.)
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