Word origins

[Soloist]

Wife: so I finally got around to attending a sign language class that a local church offers. they actually offer multiple ones at a private school building, and it’s free. Working on it so that I can brush up before visiting family.

Anyway, the class I got put in had 2 deaf instructors, and I was doing some review with the wife since I had missed a few lessons. after covering some locations and Geo politics, and all of that, we got into denomination names. Baptist gives you a bit the idea of someone being baptized, Methodist was funny because you are rubbing your hands together like you’re plotting something (at least in my mind), but Quaker was the one that I just cracked up at, because you’re basically twiddling your thumbs based off of the idea of the silent wait for inspiration meetings.

I asked how to say Mennonite, which she told me was four fingers down from your chin, flowing down like a long beard. Makes me think all the beardless Mennonites need to get with the program to support that ASL definition of the word. Amish, you make two A’s and sort of draw suspenders on your shirt. Feel free to use YouTube or SignSchool to see the proper signs.

Anyway, figured people could put some other word origins in either English or another language that might be amusing or interesting. I think it would be especially interesting with newer languages or words that are new to whatever tribal or other language. I have found some funny ones in Spanish, like the word for puzzle being Rompecabezas, which makes me think of a broken head or some thing.

Another interesting ASL word would be the word for donkey and mule, which are the same, and the only difference between that and stubborn is your facial expression.

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[Bootstrap]

Ask your deaf friends about "over the weekend" and "understanding".