Why are so many people in the Deaf Community reluctant to invent signs for
new concepts?
Vicars, William (04/28/2020) ""Aversion in the Deaf Community to the Invention
of Signs" ASL University, web:
Lifeprint.com/asl101/topics/invention-of-signs-aversion-to.htm
QUESTION:
When people start to use a word very often (e.g. interpreters interpreting a
specific subject), for which there is no sign yet, they often ask the Deaf
client to create a sign for the word to make it easier than fingerspelling the
word repeatedly. In online forums in the ASL world when someone asks how to sign
a new concept often others respond with "just spell it." Where does this
aversion for creating new signs come from? Is it because fingerspelling is able
to "lexicalize" (mutate) into sign-like forms (articulatory bundles)?
RESPONSE:
Here are some thoughts regarding the question "Why is the Deaf Community against
the invention of signs?"
PHISF:
Post-traumatic Hearing-person Invented Sign Fatigue:
The "invention" of signs has become somewhat sullied in the Deaf Community due
to being equated with certain people (non-skilled signers, etc.) being lazy and
looking for short-cuts "instead" of doing the hard work of developing their
fingerspelling skills to a level beyond eye-stabbingly slow and/or actually
learning ASL to a level where they can intuitively "develop" or "repurpose"
existing signs.) Additionally, the ASL sign INVENT can be inflected
(modified / signed) negatively to mean such things as "farcical, absurd,
made-up, or ridiculous." When someone who doesn't know a language at a native or
near-native level "invents" a sign for a concept they are prone to (tend to)
make egregious (shockingly bad) choices. For example it is amusingly common for
Hearing people to think themselves clever for making up a sign for "Pinocchio"
by tapping a "P" hand to the nose -- thus demonstrating an acute lack of
familiarity regarding signs for male b o d y parts beginning with the letter
"P." The amusement wears off quickly and we Deaf are left with the shock and
trauma which after a while leads many to simply advise others to do the safe
thing and "spell it."
DEVELOP:
Perhaps instead of using the term or sign "INVENT" when discussing the coining
of new signs we might wish to use the sign DEVELOP -- which has little or
negative inflection options and generally has only a positive connotation
(perceived meaning). From a public relations point of view it when hanging out
in certain online or in-person groups it may be wise to avoid triggering others
with the term "invention" when discussing new signs and instead use the word
"develop."
OCCAM'S RAZOR:
A great many ASL signers seem to subscribe to the sentiment (idea) often
associated with "William of Occam"* that "The simplest solution is most likely
the right one." To many signers the "simplest" way to deal with new words is to
spell them. Problem solved. No pesky criticism, no revisions, no chance of being
shown up by someone more clever than you with a more popular version of the sign
than you. Just spell it. Easy and safe. (Cough.) Except the "problem" isn't
solved -- it is just transferred to the laborious (excessive work) of needing to
produce numerous small signs (in the form of fingerspelled letters) which is
typically much less efficient than simply producing a single sign. Thus we have
two opposing forces: The desire to be safe versus the desire to be efficient.
CRAB THEORY:
The Deaf Community largely subscribes to crab-like behavior in which if one crab
starts climbing out of the basket the other crabs will reach up and pull the
climber down. Similarly in the Deaf Community it may simply be ingrained
behavior to pull down attempts at coining new signs. After all creation and
invention are fun. If done well it garners (gets) acclaim (applause). When one
person gets applause various others feel jealous. If you are the one doing the
creating and inventing it means you are getting to have the fun and tell others
"how to sign." People (in general) do not like being told what to do in regard
to matters they feel just as qualified to do as you. Thus developing new signs
involves risk and requires a type of bravery. It is akin (similar) to being an
artist and putting your work on display.
BUYER'S REMORSE:
Sometimes people buy something and later feel a sense of regret after having
made the purchase. They may feel stuck with the product. They may wish they had
chosen a better product but alas (shucks) it is too late because the product has
been bought. In an effort to avoid buyer's remorse in the future such
individuals may be reluctant to "buy" anything. This same effect likely
influences some signers to be reluctant to commit to developing or learning a
"new" sign that may later be mocked by others in an online group and/or replaced
with a more depictive (looks like the concept) sign.
NON-HOMOGENOUS:
The word "homogeneous" means to "be the same" or "to be alike." The Deaf
Community is not homogeneous. (We are not all the same.) Not all of the Deaf
Community is against the invention of signs. It is worth considering "who" is
against the invention of signs and why as well as who is supportive of the
development of signs and why. For example those Deaf who are actively working in
science, technology, engineering, mathematical, and artistic fields are
generally quite receptive to inventing signs or repurposing existing signs. It
is easy for people who don't have to spell something 20 times an hour to tell
others to "just spell it" -- once. When you are on the front lines though and
the one who has to do the spelling day after day, week after week it gets old
fast and you become more amenable (open and responsive) to the idea of "coming
up with a sign" for the new concept instead of spelling it each time.
BIRDS-OF-A-FEATHER:
Within the non-homogeneous (or in other words the large variety of people within
the) Deaf Community we "do" find pockets of groups that do tend to think alike
(as comparable to the same species of birds flocking together). If you hang out
in groups that don't actively use emerging or technical words you will see
resistance to innovative sign development. However, if you hang out in groups
comprised of individuals who "do" actively work and interact in environments
where new words are constantly emerging you will find much more acceptance to
the idea of developing corresponding signs: For example, visit https://aslstem.cs.washington.edu/
and note that there is a whole community of STEM folks actively discussing and
proposing new signs or visual depictions of emerging or technical concepts.
SUMMARY:
Do the work then be brave. Repeat.
Notes:
* However it is likely a "myth"
that Occam is the "originator" of "Occam's Razor."
Source: Thorburn, William (1918) "The Myth of Occam's Razor" Mind 27,
345-353; available from https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Myth_of_Occam's_Razor