Owen Whelan
Member
I am not deaf and I’d like to understand why half of the deaf community feels very protective over the concept of sign names and the other half feels very neutral towards it saying it’s just like a nickname.
Lou Masters
8/15/2026
the only reason I have heard is because they don't want you using one already in use in the local deaf community. like 2 different people named Steve will have two different name signs so it's not an all purpose sign for your name and if you just made up a name sign you thought was cool you might take one a well known community member already uses so your supposed to wait for some one familiar with the signs in use to give you a new one. I'm confident there are many other reasons but that's just the one reason I have heard.
louella.M✨️
8/20/2026
I just know it's very important you get your name sign from a deaf person and don't give yourself or others one if your not deaf no matter how fluent you are.
Owen
8/20/2026
yes but why
louella.M✨️
8/20/2026
I don't really know why I just know it's important I can ask though
Baruch
8/20/2026
Learners also can't know if the sign name they're inventing is already a sign
Hello, my name is Kris and as the title states I am soon to be deaf as I have some inner ear issues that will require having the middle ear bones removed from my right ear and my left ear is already mostly deaf. I'm really enjoying learning ASL so far and I'm looking forward to being able to still hold conversations with some even though I won't really be able to hear. I hope everybody had a good Christmas and wish everybody a happy new year!
I am learning ASL because my best friend is deaf and with people who do know ASL, she doesn’t have her hearing aids in, and I want to support her and become more close with her so that’s why I am learning ASL. Also, because I think it’s a fun way to connect to so many more people, cultures, and communities. Why are you?
Comment why you are doing ASL
At least where I live, ASL classes are very inaccessible. There should be classes inside public schools. It's kinda stupid how hard it is to learn ASL (at least where I live). Not only is it a language, it's a means of accessibility. Why should a language for the deaf be so inaccessible? And it doesn't help that some PAID classes are textbooks. TEXTBOOKS. The teacher barely even knows the language! Anyways I'm done ranting.
What's the reason that made you start learning sign language?