American Sign Language: "terrorist"


TERRORIST:

In a message dated 11/7/2006 6:49:07 AM Pacific Standard Time, lbouss@ writes:
Quick question for you: sign for "terrorism"?
 Lyes B.
Lyes,
To do the concept "terrorist" justice we would need to sign, PEOPLE THEMSELVES DESTROY, BOMB, RUIN, CAUSE FEAR, FOR-FOR? POLITICAL INFLUENCE.
Prior to deciding on and promoting a sign for "terrorism" we must first consider if we have a sign for "violence" -- since terrorism is the use of violence to intimidate, or coerce, (generally for political purposes).  Lacking consensus on a good sign for "violence" (DESTROY? FIGHT? RUIN/harm/spoil?) we then take another approach:  Terrorists cause "terror." But I doubt many signers would support the idea of using "SCARED+PERSON" to mean terrorist.
At some point we have to decide, are we willing to use a version of the sign "terrible" and justify it by saying terrorists do "terrible" things and therefore the compound TERRIBLE-PERSON would mean terrorist?  And "TERRIBLE-ACTION" would mean "terrorism."
--Dr. Bill
p.s. One of the people I interviewed regarding how to sign this concept signed "terrorist" by miming the act of pulling a ski-mask over his face. I thought that was a very interesting (and highly visual) way to sign terrorist.


TERRIBLE:

 

Also see: VIOLENCE


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