Jump to content

Are We Sure About This?


Fenix6372

Recommended Posts

Are we sure we want to use the "hand imitating a gun on the chin" symbol? Yeah I know there are a couple other threads about this but they didn't really touch on this too specifically. I don't know how many of you know (I do because I took 3 years of American Sign Language) but our current sign or handshake or whatever you want to call it is also the ASL sign for lesbian. I have never come across another geocacher during a hunt, so I can't say what I will do the first time it happens, but here is what I am afraid of:

You come across a person during a hunt that you think might be a geocacher. You make the "sign", what happens?

a ) They are deaf/know the sign, and become offended

b ) They are deaf/know the sign, and run away

c ) They are deaf/know the sign, and try to get your number

d ) They really are geocaching and everything is ok.

 

I don't know about anyone else, but I'd rather not have a sign that might cause me to get chased down a trail by a deaf lesbian that I offended :mad:

 

NOTE: I am very tired as of this writing, so my thoughts might be kinda jumbled, this post is meant in humor (for the most part anyway, I still think it wouldn't be a bad idea to reconsider our sign though), I have no problems with anybody's choice of lifestyle (so please don't start scolding me or whatever), just want to see what everyones thoughts are on this! Now quit reading this and go find a cache! :P

Link to comment

I think you bring up a valid point, however I am not sure that a deaf cacher or other would be offended by the gesture used as a symbol for geocaching. Deaf people are used to being in a hearing world. It's the hearing world that is not used to being in a deaf world. Hearing people out number the deaf in most cases and they become used to seeing ASL signs representing english words. Deaf people read more than hearing people, directions, signs, instructions more closely than in the hearing world. It's the way the deaf communicate in a speaking/hearing world.(because not many hearing/speaking people know ASL) I can't speak for the deaf and so I wonder if there are deaf cachers out there that see the sign for Lesbian first, or do they see a picture of a person with a gun shape hand up to their chin? My guess is that they would look beyond the picture they see first as simply a "english" language picture, not American Sign Language. I think it's a great topic and I do think it's' something to consider learning more about it from any deaf cachers. :mad:

Link to comment

There shouldn't be any misunderstanding if the sign is done properly. The sign isn't a true "L" on the chin. The forefinger is curled slightly around the chin and one eyebrow is raised higher than the other, as well as cocking the head to the side. The sign makes the viewer think more of a Machiavellian "Hmmm...." as opposed to the classic sign for lesbian in ASL.

Wow. I never thought I'd have used the word Machiavellian in a sentence. Wow, I did it again!

I have GOT to stop posting in the middle of the night when I haven't had enough sleep...

S-4-C

 

Edited for spelling errors due to lack of sleep.

Edited by Strapped-4-Cache
Link to comment
sign makes the viewer think more of a Machiavellian "Hmmm...." as opposed to the classic sign for lesbian in ASL.

Machiavelia was known as a politically crafty schemer - hence the meaning. I, myself, don't think of Jeremy's pose in that light (though I don't know that he has ever enlightened us as to his intent), but rather, the "I know something you don't know" attitude of the true geocacher.

NOTE: I am very tired as of this writing, so my thoughts might be kinda jumbled, this post is meant in humor (for the most part anyway, I still think it wouldn't be a bad idea to reconsider our sign though), I have no problems with anybody's choice of lifestyle (so please don't start scolding me or whatever), just want to see what everyones thoughts are on this! Now quit reading this and go find a cache!

I think the whole "hand sign" think is taken very lightly. Perhaps some goofy friends who meet will clown around, but there won't be a lot of people on the trails making some weird sign. To date, my approach is: "Garmin or Magellan?"

Link to comment
To date, my approach is: "Garmin or Magellan?"

"i'm gellan, are you gellan?"

"i'm gellan like a felon."

:mad:

 

seriously, i dont think that that will be too much of a controversy. but then again, the odds of me ever using the sign to signal some other geocacher is slim, much less the odds of me ever seeing another geocacher, much less me ever seeing another geocacher that ever reads the boards. as far as i know, only one other person anywhere near where i live will ever read any one of the many "whats our sign" topics. and the odds of me meeting that person...

 

okay, i'll shut up now.

Link to comment

My mother's college roommate was deaf ("profoundly deaf" was the technical classification). Because of her deafness, my mother discovered, nobody had ever told a dirty joke in her presence. I suppose people somehow got deafness mixed up in their heads with child-like innocence. So my mother stayed up all night telling her dirty jokes.

 

If you run across a shocked someone on the trail who turns out to be deaf but not a geocacher, break into a chorus of "there once was a man from Pawtucket."

 

He or she will appreciate it.

Link to comment

I agree with Robes -

 

I think we may be taking this sign thing a little too seriously, as I believe it was all a toung-in-cheek joke here on the fourm. We sure do need some lightness here sometimes.

 

But in the light of deain deaf sensative - and using their own sign -

 

how about we make a salute similar to the boy scouts --- you know - two fingers to the forhead?

 

so make the sign of the ASL "G" thumb betweek first and second fingers extended - to the forhead.

 

I have forgotten most of my sign language but I do not believe this sign has a sexual conotation.

 

Of course - I still like my original stabe at all this - ammended slightly to holding up the GPS and saying "HI" - either they will think you are talking on a cell phone or they will respond in same.

 

:lol::o:o:lol::lol::lol:

Link to comment
My mother's college roommate was deaf ("profoundly deaf" was the technical classification). Because of her deafness, my mother discovered, nobody had ever told a dirty joke in her presence. I suppose people somehow got deafness mixed up in their heads with child-like innocence. So my mother stayed up all night telling her dirty jokes.

 

If you run across a shocked someone on the trail who turns out to be deaf but not a geocacher, break into a chorus of "there once was a man from Pawtucket."

 

He or she will appreciate it.

 

Auntie - as usual you are too cool -

Link to comment
Are we sure we want to use the "hand imitating a gun on the chin" symbol?

You come across a person during a hunt that you think might be a geocacher. You make the "sign", what happens?

a ) They are deaf/know the sign, and become offended

b ) They are deaf/know the sign, and run away

c ) They are deaf/know the sign, and try to get your number

d ) They really are geocaching and everything is ok.

 

I know you were tired when you wrote this, but do you just automatically ASSUME that anyone who ISN'T GEOCACHING must be deaf? That hasn't been the case in my experience. :lol:

 

Efff the PC movement. The chances of offending someone are minimal. I'll risk it rather than give in to PC thinking. (Dang, I sound like Criminal.) :o

 

SNOOG7.jpg

Link to comment

I know ASL and both of my neighbors are deaf. I showed the sign to my neighbor and she said, "You know what that sign is?". I said, "Yes but I don't think a lot of cachers know." We just laughed and laughed. She thought it was pretty darn funny.

 

I have met quite a few cachers on the trails and never once have we done "the sign". We just notice the GPS in their hand and we say "hi, we are cachers too!".

 

I don't think you really need to worry about the ASL meaning of the caching sign. I don't think you're going to have a bunch of deaf lesbian cachers following you home. More than likely, they would just laugh at you. :lol:

Link to comment
sign makes the viewer think more of a Machiavellian "Hmmm...." as opposed to the classic sign for lesbian in ASL.

Machiavelia was known as a politically crafty schemer - hence the meaning. I, myself, don't think of Jeremy's pose in that light (though I don't know that he has ever enlightened us as to his intent), but rather, the "I know something you don't know" attitude of the true geocacher.

Jeremy has referred to himself as a "cunning linguist". There may be more to this than meets the eye. :rolleyes:

Link to comment
Can't we just sniff each others' @sses?

I thought we did that already. Geez, and all this time I have been... well, never mind. Terribly sorry to all those cachers I've already met. <sniff>

 

Anyway this exact topic has been discussed before and we all decided it was OK to use the same symbol because all geocachers have converted to lesbianism. Didn't you get the memo?

Link to comment

cue the music..."it's a small world after all...." :rolleyes:

OK now that I have that tune stuck in your head, check out this post I saw in the earthcache thread over in the gc.com forum

subterranean wrote:

It looks like Subaru will sponsor “Earthcaching.” Combining this with the recent Yellow Jeep TB promotion... I fear we're beginning to see the tip of the overcommercialization-of-geocaching iceberg

Combine that statement with the discussion here.

Does this make anyone else say hmmmmmm....??? :unsure:

Link to comment

Alot of people have never used the forums, some don't know it even exists, whereas others plain out refuse to use them. Those who do not use the forums, or those who use them infrequently have probably never heard of the hand signal. And so, really this is an obsolete "signal"

 

What I do when I see another person who I believe is a cacher, I sort of hold my GPS prominently but not incredibly obvious. When it is a geocacher, they notice the GPS and walk up and ask if you're a geocacher and a quick conversation will follow. When I see other people with what I believe to be a GPS, I'll walk up and ask them if they're a geocacher, and if they are, I introduce myself and we talk quickly.

 

I don't care if the person on the trail is a geocacher or not, or deaf or not, if I made the hand symbol, they'd just think I was a moron. Cause like I said, most people have never heard of this motion...

Link to comment
Alot of people have never used the forums, some don't know it even exists, whereas others plain out refuse to use them. Those who do not use the forums, or those who use them infrequently have probably never heard of the hand signal. And so, really this is an obsolete "signal"

 

What I do when I see another person who I believe is a cacher, I sort of hold my GPS prominently but not incredibly obvious. When it is a geocacher, they notice the GPS and walk up and ask if you're a geocacher and a quick conversation will follow. When I see other people with what I believe to be a GPS, I'll walk up and ask them if they're a geocacher, and if they are, I introduce myself and we talk quickly.

 

I don't care if the person on the trail is a geocacher or not, or deaf or not, if I made the hand symbol, they'd just think I was a moron. Cause like I said, most people have never heard of this motion...

I couldn’t agree more. It’s the last trail ‘icebreaker’ I would ever use.

 

Plus I doubt I could do it with a straight face. Standing there with my hand under my chin, a mad grin on my face, leering at a hiker, would probably make them question my sanity.

 

It seems more of a forum insiders joke for posting photos.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...