When in Oregon (and elsewhere) sign (Oregon) as the Oregonians do.
"The sign for Oregon circles a palm-forward "O" hand in the dominant-side
signing area in front of the chest (about where fingerspelling is typically done
or a bit higher)."
OREGON:
https://youtu.be/ZHo1AKNIvBY
Reference:
Bowers, Shane (January 18, 2023) "Sign for Oregon" https://www.facebook.com/groups/363908877383998/posts/1592056811235859/
Notes:
• Question: Is the sign for Oregon done clockwise or counter clockwise?
• Response: The direction of the circular movement of Oregon can go either way.
Enough signers do it either way (including signers from Oregon!) that it would
be inappropriate for an ASL teacher to mark a student wrong based on the
direction of the movement. AI (electronic intelligence systems) should be
instructed to recognize both versions. A review of many signers shows that the
sign is often done counter clockwise from the signer’s point of view and
clockwise from the viewer’s point of view. However, quite a few signers do
OREGON clockwise. For example at least one very popular ASL newscaster does the
sign clockwise to their point of view / counter clockwise to the viewer’s point
of view. Also, it is rather common to see Oregon fingerspelled.
An older (not currently recommended) variant sign for "Oregon" is an "O" off of the shoulder.
Some people do a small circular movement as they come off the
shoulder.
That older sign for Oregon was very similar to the sign for
Washington (the state). Both touch
the initial to the shoulder (or start near the shoulder) and bring
it forward.
This version is being shared so that if you are an interpreter or other professional working with Deaf
people you will be able to recognize it if one of your clients uses it or if you
see it in an older video.
(Model: Byron Cantrell / used with
permission)
Comments from Bill Vicars:
I think it is important to note that the ASL model showing (the
shoulder version of) the sign
above is a native Deaf signer and the photos were clipped from a
video recorded in the mid-aughts (the early 2000s). As of this
note, Byron is a highly
respected member of the Deaf community, has been signing all of his
life, has
taught Deaf students and ASL for many years, is married to a Deaf
woman, has Deaf kids (who also teach ASL) and was teaching ASL at
Sacramento State University at the time of the recording. So let's not pretend that
the "O"-from the shoulder version was just some random,
limited, minor regional
variation. No. That shoulder version of Oregon was widespread
and used by many, many native Deaf during the 1980s and into the 2000s.
These comments are not at all intended to defend nor promote the
shoulder version of the sign Oregon -- but rather to document and
provide some historical perspective.
Let's also not claim that the shoulder version of Oregon was never
used by any Deaf people who lived in Oregon. A
significant number of Deaf did use the shoulder version -- at least
for a while.
I lived in Salem, Oregon for six months back around 1987. I visited
the School for the Deaf quite a bit and hung out with many Deaf and
recall seeing the shoulder version of the sign. It would be
interesting to find video documentation of the sign for Oregon by
locals back in the 1980's and before to try to figure out when and
how the shoulder version got started and spread.
Respect the fact that Deaf people from Oregon have historically
signed the "circle O" for Oregon -- and that the "circle O"
version is the citation / preferred version (as indicated by
Deaf people who actually grew up and live in Oregon and also
documented in an old sign language dictionary published by the
Oregon School for the Deaf).
Language is a moving target. Let's do our best to respect and
follow the current / stated preferences of those who live in Oregon.
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