ASL Lessons | Bookstore | Library | ASL University Main ►


American Sign Language: "Poland"


 

POLAND:


Memory aid:  This sign is based on "the statue of the Pole best-known to Americans, General Kosciuszko, who was a strategist and tactician advising General Washington during the American Revolution, which depicts him as having a turned-up nose. As is often the case, the sign for an individual became the sign for the place that person is from." **(Bar-Tuzr)
 



POLAND-[indigenous-version] 
Memory aid: "The Poles' bravery in facing Russians and any other would-be invaders by ripping their shirts off, fighting to the last breath, fighting bare-handed, if necessary, against better equipped armies."  *(Bar-Tuzr)

Note: That handshape is a flattened "O".  If you search around online the overwhelming tendency of those sign languages that do this sign as a movement across the chest do so moving from the non-dominant side to the dominant side. Additionally the handshape for most of the examples was a flattened "O."  Some signed languages (Spanish, Czech, Portuguese) use an "A" handshape, which, to me, seems much more clear. You may see other handshapes (such as a "bent-hand") but I recommend that if you are signing "ASL" you go with the traditional "ASL" sign ("A"-hand off the nose) or use the flattened-O version below after mentioning that it is the "indigenous" sign -- which is to say "the sign used by Deaf Poles (Polish people).  Indigenous means:
"Originating or occurring naturally in a particular place; native" -- according to Google.
 


POLAND-[indigenous-version]-[side-view]


POLAND-[indigenous-version]-[side-view]

 


 

Notes:
* "The origin of the American sign is the statue of the Pole best-known to Americans, General Kosciuszko, who was a strategist and tactician advising General Washington during the American Revolution, which depicts him as having a turned-up nose. As is often the case, the sign for an individual became the sign for the place that person is from." (Bar-Tuzr)

** "The Poles' bravery in facing Russians and any other would-be invaders by ripping their shirts off, fighting to the last breath, fighting bare-handed, if necessary, against better equipped armies." (Bar-Tuzr)

Reference:
Bar-Tuzr, David (n.d.). "Indigenous signs for countries in Eastern Europe." The Interpreter's Friend.
Retrieved October 06, 2016, from http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:XWaan6n0LsIJ:theinterpretersfriend.org/indj/cntry/easterneurope.html
Annotation: David Bar-Tuzr used the following sources:
1. Signs around the world: Countries [Videotape]. Burtonsville, MD: Sign Media.
2. Sandager, O. K. (1986). Sign languages around the world, North Hollywood, California: OK Publ.

 

 




*  Want to help support ASL University?  It's easy
DONATE  (Thanks!)

Another way to help is to buy something from Dr. Bill's "Bookstore."


Want even more ASL resources?  Visit the "ASL Training Center!"  (Subscription Extension of ASLU)  

*  Also check out Dr. Bill's channel: www.youtube.com/billvicars
 


You can learn American Sign Language (ASL) online at American Sign Language University ™ 
ASL resources by Lifeprint.com  ©  Dr. William Vicars