[MR] Re: Newcomer calling all hands....
Edvard Gayer
scavard at hotmail.com
Sun May 19 13:17:10 PDT 2002
Friends:
A week or so ago, a newcomer to the SCA introduced himself via the Merry
Rose, and asked Gentles who knew American Sign Language (ASL) to contact him
off-list so that he could work towards building a network of folks he could
talk to when he begins attending more events.
Apparently, a number of folks responded, myself included. I had sent him a
copy of an article published 3 years ago that was intended to be a primer
for converting our unique SCA-specific vocabulary into ASL. He has already
forwarded copies of that article to other respondants, and has asked that I
repost the article to the Merry Rose so that the larger audience could
benefit from it -- including those who might know ASL but who did not
respond to his initial missive.
This is a lengthy post. My advance apologies to those who are uninterested
in this particular topic. :)
Yours,
// Vard //
----------------------------------
Subject: Atlantia-specific ASL (long!)
Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 13:02:11 EST
From: SCAVard at hotmail.com
To: atlantia at atlantia.sca.org
In response to my recent post regarding American Sign Language (ASL)
interpretation within SCA settings, I received several private messages from
folks looking for more information.
As a form of disclaimer, let me make it clear that I am not an expert on the
subject, as I have been looking myself for this information for some time. I
am merely someone with a good, practical working knowledge of ASL who has
wanted to learn how to sign within the SCA for some time, but have had
little luck (until now) finding this information. In the interests of
getting people together with the information they're seeking, I am happy to
share publically what I've learned. Please do not confuse the messenger with
the message, for I am merely relaying what I have uncovered through my
research. The experts on the subject are those who are actively
interpreting within SCA settings, I am passing along what information they
have made available through various sources.
The SCA has its own unique vocabulary, one which contains words that are not
encountered on an everyday basis. How many times have you encountered the
words "Atlantia" or "Windmaster's Hill" or "Chirurgeon" in a setting OTHER
than the SCA? Further, some words which are used quite frequently in the
SCA have a different meaning than it would in the rest of the world. For
example, the word "King" is a concept that translates well from the mundane
world into an SCA setting, because it has the same meaning in both. But the
word "Count" does not. We use it as a title denoting rank, but the mundane
world uses this word primarily as a verb, as in "Don't count your chickens
before they've hatched."
One of the biggest hurdles that an interpreter has to overcome when settling
into an SCA setting is the learning of the vocabulary. It's not a matter of
knowing "how" to sign, but more a matter of knowing "what" to sign. For
instance, how does one interpret "That Count is from Dun Carraig"? It's
tough, and unless you know the SCA-specific signs for the nouns Count and
Dun Carraig, you're forced to resort to fingerspelling.
Before I begin, let me toss ONE LAST disclaimer into the pile. The
following is not intended to teach anyone how to sign. It is EXTREMELY
difficult to explain in words how to sign, and like any language, ASL is one
which can really only be learned by being around others who use the
language. The following assumes that the reader has at least a working
knowledge of ASL, and will hopefully show them how to adapt the language
they already know to convey concepts that are SCA-specific.
Anyway, enough of the theory, on to the practice!
[My thanks to Lady Ariane Desire'e Des Cedres (aka Lady Cedar) for compiling
this information, to Lord Stefan li Rous for capturing this in his
Florilegium, and to Lord Gregory Blount for archiving Stefan's Florilegium
on his website.]
--------------
NOTE : All ASL signs are preceded by an asterisk (*), the phrase "Manual
Alphabet Letter" is shortened "MAL"
THE VOCABULARY
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ROYALTY
*king MAL "K" from non-dominant shoulder to dominant hip. (Be sure that the
palm orientation is correct -- if not, this can easily be confused with the
sign for "*PRINCE")
*queen MAL "Q" moving from non-dominant shoulder to dominant hip.
*prince MAL "P" moving from non-dominant shoulder to dominant hip. (Be sure
that the palm orientation is correct -- if not, this can easily be confused
with the sign for "*KING")
*princess MAL "P" moving from non-dominant shoulder to dominant shoulder to
dominant hip.
duke MAL "W" at dominant temple (The closest we could come to the STRAWBERRY
LEAVES of a ducal coronet of rank)
duchess MAL "W" at dominant temple + "*GIRL" + "*FORMAL,POLITE,FANCY"
count MAL "C" moving from center of forehead to dominant temple.
countess MAL "C" moving from center of forehead to dominant temple +
"*GIRL"+ "*FORMAL,POLITE,FANCY"
viscount MAL "V" at center of forehead moving to dominant temple and
changing to MAL "C" (Be VERY CAREFUL with the palm orientation on the "V" so
as not to sign "*STUPID" -- palm should be facing to the NON-DOMINANT side)
viscountess MAL "V" at center of forehead moving to dominant temple and
changing to MAL "C" (Be VERY CAREFUL with the palm orientation on the "V" so
as not to sign "*STUPID" -- palm should be facing to the NON-DOMINANT side)
+ "*GIRL" + "*FORMAL,POLITE,FANCY"
baron Closed "X" handshape moving from center of the forehead to dominant
side, denoting three of the pearls in the Baronial coronet
baroness Closed "X" handshape moving from center of the forehead to dominant
side, denoting three of the pearls in the Baronial coronet + "*GIRL" +
"*FORMAL,POLITE,FANCY" [NOTE : If it is necessary to differentiate between
a "LANDED" and a "COURT" baron/baroness you can do so by adding "*GOLD" or
"*SILVER" after signing "BARON/ESS". Note, however, that I learned this
practice from my time in the Middle Kingdom, where the color or the coronet
denoted the type of Baron. This is NOT a universal practice. -Vard]
majesty "M" handshape moving up -- the sign for "*HIGH"
excellency "E" handshape moving up -- the sign for "*HIGH"
highness "H" handshape moving up -- the sign for "*HIGH"
royal MAL "R" moving from non-dominant shoulder to dominant hip
PEERAGE
*peer Sign for "*EQUAL"
master/mistress Sign for equal made into an intialized sign using the MAL
"M" on each hand (all masters/mistresses of whatever flavor are peers)
laurel MAL "L" on each hand placed on chest where the peerage medallion
would rest, showing the shape of the laurel wreath.
apprentice Sign for "*HELPER"
pelican duck-bill (handshape like sign for "*NO") then same handshape moving
to pierce the chest (the symbol of the order, the pelican vulning itself)
protege Sign for "*STUDENT"
knight MAL "K" at waist moving from center to dominant side, drawing the
belt which is the symbol of the order.
squire MAL "S" in the same movement as the sign for "KNIGHT"
master/mistress of arms MAL "M" at non-dominant shoulder, moving to
dominant of arms hip where it becomes MAL "A", for the baldric that is the
symbol of the order.
rose Sign for "*FLOWER"
OFFICERS
seneschal "*KEY" + "*PERSON" indicator
autocrat "*CONTROL" + "*PERSON" indicator {Closed "X" handshape on both
hands, palms facing each other. Move alternately foreward and backward -- as
in pulling strings}
chronicler "*WRITE" + "*PERSON" indicator
chatelaine/castellan "*WELCOME" + "*PERSON" indicator
chiurgeon Using a "C" handshape, make the sign for "*HOSPITAL" [I have also
seen "*DOCTOR" using an initialized "C" handshape. I do not know which is
more prevalent. -Vard]
exchequer "*COUNT" + "*PERSON" indicator
herald Sign for "LECTURE" done with an "H" handshape.
marshal Mime pulling a sword then with "one' handshapes, cross fingers in
saltire (the heraldry denoting marshalls)
archery marshal non-dominant hand in "one" handshape, dominant hand, MAL
"M", miming pulling back a bow from the non-dominant handshape.
minister of arts "*TEACHER" initialized with the MAL "M" + "*ART"
minister of sciences "*TEACHER" initialized with the MAL "M" + "*SCIENCE"
minister of arts and sciences "*TEACHER" initialized with the MAL "M" +
"*ART" + "*SCIENCE"
OTHER COMMON SIGNS
court Sign for "*CELEBRATE" + Sign for "*MEETING"
"OYEZ" "*ATTENTION"
*kingdom "*KING" +"*AREA"
barony baron + "*AREA"
Award of Arms "*GIFT" + display with "A" handshape
KINGDOMS
Atlantia MAL "A" at mouth + "*SEA, OCEAN"
Atenveldt "*SUN" + "*FACE"
An Tir "*LION" + mime the claw outwards
Ansteorra "*SUN" starting from waist up +"*STAR"
Caid Simultaneously with both hands outline the shape of crescents in the
air about eye height
Calontir "*CROSS" + "*FANCY, DECORATED" {the cross with the *stuff*}
Drachenwald Mime sign for "firebreath" + "*WOODS"
Outlands "*DEER" + sign for animal jumping outward
East MAL "E" moved towards right
West MAL "W" moved towards left
Middle Non-dominant hand, palm upwards. Dominant hand above this, palm
facing body, "B" handshape. Dominant hand moves in small circle and lowers
tostrike center of non-dom. palm with fingertips
Meridies MAL "M" + 3 "*STARS"
Trimaris "*THREE" + "SEA, OCEAN"
Aethelmearc Interlaced fingers (for the escarbuncle) + "*ROLLING"
Ealdermere "*FLOWER" +"*WOLF"
SIGNS FOR SOME ATLANTIAN GROUPS (taken from a different handout of Lady
Cedar's. In her own words, "The basic philosophy behind the invention of
SCA-specific signs to date is this: if it exists in the language, don't mess
with it_!!!! If it does not exist in the language, the first place to look
for an idea to invent a sign is the heraldry. If it does not immediately
lend itself to either of these techniques, try to brainstorm what the term
means and work from there.")
Storvik "*SHIP" bouncing away toward viewer
Ponte Alto "*BRIDGE" initialized with the MAL "P"
Caer Mear "*TOWER" initialized with the MAL "C" + "SINK"
Sacred Stone "*ROCK" + "*HOLY"
Marinus "*BOAT" initialized with the MAL "M"
Nottinghill Coill "*KNOT"
Windmaster's Hill "*HILL" + "*WIND"
Hidden Mountain "*MOUNTAIN" + "*DARK"
Black Diamond "*BLACK" + "JEWEL" (using the MAL "9" handshape for Jewel)
VARD'S SIGNS FOR OTHER ATLANTIAN GROUPS (View these with skepticism, for
they might conflict with signs that already exist for them. Most of these
are based primarily on the group's heraldry, but there are one or two
exceptions. If you learn of a sign for these groups, use it and not my
inventions below):
Spiaggia Levantina "*PURPLE" + "*EAGLE"
Bright Hills "*HILL" + "*GLITTER"
Dun Carraig "*CROSS" initialized with the MAL "D" changing to a MAL "C"
(I *hate* initializing this, but the only other viable alternative would
likely be confused with the American Red Cross)
Lochmere "*WATER" + "CRAB" (I sign "*NO" twice simultaneously with both
hands for "CRAB")
Highland Foorde "*MOUNTAIN" + "*THROUGH"
Stierbach "*RED" + "*COW"
Isenfir "*BLACK" + mime pulling a sword
There are, of course, many more groups, but I've not encountered them yet
while trying to sign. I welcome any inputs or corrections to this
COMPLETELY UNOFFICIAL list.
I will attempt to pull all of this information together into a pamphlet or
web site, and will of course make it available for any who wish to use it.
My apologies to the members of the Merry Rose who had absolutely no interest
in this subject, but I believed posting it to the list was the most
expedient method for getting this information out to the public.
// VARD // (PS - My name-sign is an MAL "V" tapped twice against the
dominant temple)
Lord Edvard Gayer
Barony of Dun Carraig, Atlantia
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