Sign Language

I had an interesting encounter on the bus today, when I noticed two people sitting behind me signing.  Now, contrary to popular belief, sign language is not universal: American Sign Language, which I took for four years in college, is only used in the U.S. and Canada.  So I figured that these people were probably using French Sign Language-- and they were, I came to find out, when I interjected.  Thankfully, ASL is a direct descendant of French Sign Language, meaning they have more in common than say, ASL and British Sign Language.  Still, even the manual alphabets differ.  Nonetheless, I was able to introduce myself, tell them that I was American, learn their names, that they were both deaf, mother and son, etc.

When I sign I unconsciously mouth the words, from the habit of speaking and to help myself be understood.  But it was funny-- I found myself mouthing the words to these people, but it not helping at all-- because I was mouthing in English when I should've been mouthing in French! It probably made it even more confusing for these nice people.  It was like a 4-way language jumble: English, French, ASL, and FSL, all criss-crossing each other.  It was fun though-- my first conversation with deaf French people-- and it made me want to sign again!

*On a related note, when I speak French and am trying to be understood, I often throw in sign language unconsciously, as if that would somehow make it obvious.  It doesn't, of course, since none of my listeners know ASL; it probably just looks like bizarre miming.