Words in Hand

PUFFED CHEEKS

This sign means, for example, if a deaf person is worrying about an exam coming up, you can use this sign to show you have plenty of time yet. Here is another example of the sign. Imagine if you are playing a strong team at football, you can use this sign to show take your time.

This sign means you don't need to worry. If you are meeting your boss – don't worry.

Another sign is this. If you are in at a darts competition, and playing an impressive opponent, you can boast to other deaf people 'don't worry, I can beat them'.

Here's a new sign. If someone is telling how they climbed a mountain – all the way to the top – you can use this sign to show no way, I couldn't do that.

You can use this sign to show how you don't like something. I don't like this cold weather. Or if you have to sit down for a formal dinner: I don't like it.

TONGUE PROTRUSION

Look at this sign. Imagine telling someone "I have heaps of money". "Seriously?" "Yes, so much money." "Really?" "What did you believe that for?"

This sign also shows gullibility: "I have five children in the Air Force." "Seriously?" "Why are you being gullible?"

Here's another sign. I ask a deaf person if they want to go to the club, and they reply: "I can't be bothered."*

An example for this sign: "I saw you steal my trousers." "I didn't do anything."

Another sign. Sometimes when I'm in the kitchen cooking, I try to find where I put the knife. I'm looking around everywhere, but then someone tells me it's right in front of my very eyes.

This sign means if someone is signing constantly: stop talking too much.

CLOSED LIPS

We can use this sign in an example of deaf people going to a party, out of sight of most of our wives. But when the wives arrive, we switch our drinks to Coca Cola instead, to show "it's alright, we're being sensible".

This sign means hard work. I was talking to a deaf person: geez, being a doctor is hard work.

We can use this sign in this example: I'm driving a car on the motorway, going at 70 – 80mph, ignoring the speed limit. Ironically, the police put on their sirens and pull me over.

STRETCHED LIPS " ee "

This sign. I was talking to my wife and she mentioned she's been trying to see her friend that she hasn't seen in a while. One day, some time later when we are at the deaf club, my wife says: "that's my friend!" She was happy to finally see her friend and introduced me.

Another sign: America is trying to be allies with Russia, and when they do become friends, you still remember the past.

You can make this sign with puffed cheeks as well. Imagine playing football and trying to score a goal without success. After the match, you're constantly reminded of the fact that you scored nothing.

This sign means something is happening soon. "The bus is coming imminently." So I run for it.

This sign can also be made with puffed cheeks or the mouth pattern "sh". For example, if I am waiting for a reply to a letter, don't worry, it will come soon.

MOUTH OPEN

We can use this sign in the example of walking through the shops and seeing something is £500. The eyes pop out of my skull: It's how much?!

A jaw dropping sign: There is no way this deaf person can be part of a professional football team. It's impossible. Yet one year later, I see them on the TV and in the paper. Oh wow, they actually made the professional team.

Another jaw drop-type sign. A deaf person comes up to me: "I can't believe it." "What?" "Another deaf person has a Rolls Royce." "Seriously?" They pull up in the Rolls Royce and I'm gobsmacked.

LIP ROUNDING SUCKED IN CHEEKS

This sign. I went to an airfield to watch planes. I saw two planes have a near miss. Oh, that's bad. They could have crashed.

Another sign: I'd never been to America before in my life, and when I landed in New York for the first time I saw this incredibly tall building.

Perfection. I saw a painting that looks just like a photo: perfection.

A new sign: In my bedroom, I left things out. In the morning, everything was perfectly clean.*

Remember when I signed this? There is another variation of this sign, using a different facial expression. A deaf person told me how they went climbing on Ben Nevis and fell over. Oh no! "It's OK, I got up and everything was fine." Take your time.

MOUTH PATTERN " sh "

This sign has two variations. We'll start with the first sign, which acts like the verb 'to be'. For example, if someone asked me: "Is he there?" My reply is "yes he is there". Right? The second sign shows a more emphatic yes, definitely. "He is definitely there." Imagine if I was walking around looking for them, and ask where the man is. "I haven't seen him." "He is definitely here somewhere!"

This sign is often used in different positions to show direction and placement. Like for example, if I am talking about America worrying about what to do with Russia, we sign up here to show that it's happening now but far away. Another example is to show a football match being played right now. Or if I have a sore tummy, I'll sign on my tummy, using the position to show that I have a sore tummy right now.

MOUTH PATTERN " vee "

This sign: "I heard you bought a ticket for Hampden Park, Scotland vs. England. I heard you bought a ticket?" "I haven't." "You haven't?" "I haven't."

MOUTH PATTERN " ba "

This sign can be used where two deaf people are arguing, and I ask what they are arguing about. What happened was, one person thought the other had pinched their money, and vice versa, but it was actually someone else.

MOUTH PATTERN " um "

Another sign: I was looking around and saw this beautiful house. I told a deaf person: "I could have bought the house, but someone made an offer before me and so I was disappointed." "Imagine if I had bought the house opposite. It would have been cool to be nearby."