[lazyweb] Searching a social network for [tact]

[trochee]

caracola starts a discussion that includes the statement "ASL has no sign for tact". This statement struck me as suspiciously snowclone-ish, and I'm curious if anybody might know about such a sign in ASL.

Some of my friends here might have resources that have more information. Any ideas of where to look? Anybody know the sign?

To complete my jargon and topic list: social networks (how), sign language (what), and snowclones (why)!

Comments

Determinism Strikes Back!

[xaosenkosmos.livejournal.com]

Maybe they just have a word that encompasses "tact" and something beyond tact which we don't have in our language, and therefore cannot conceive!!~

(Also fun in the context of snowclones: how many words does English have for rain? England is an awfully rainy place, after all...)

[tulip-tree.livejournal.com]

I know a little bit of ASL but not that particular sign. (It's not high on the list of everyday useful words, though, so I'm not surprised I don't know it!) It's also not in my dictionary, but lots of things aren't in my dictionary.

Since ASL is a different language and doesn't correspond directly (esp. in grammar) to English, there might not be a single sign that directly corresponds to the English word "tact." I'm sure there's some version of the concept, though. From what I know about Deaf culture, though, there is a different level of bluntness (possibly interpreted as tactlessness by outsiders) that is generally accepted. For example, it's okay to tell someone that they'd getting fat (which looks like exactly the example that started your friend's discussion above, although in a different culture) which would not be considered tactful by most Americans. So there may be cultural differences about what is considered tactful and how necessary tact is... but I don't think ASL is devoid of tact.

Quick googling for "ASL" and "tact" mostly brings up job ads for interpreters, etc. Tact seems to be a common requirement, so again, I'm pretty sure ASL does have the concept of tact.

If you don't get a more complete answer in a couple of days, I have a meeting on Wednesday with a prof in my department who is fluent in ASL and basically grew up in Deaf culture (he is hearing, his parents are Deaf.) I can ask him what he thinks.

p.s. By convention in the Deaf community, deaf = unable to hear, while Deaf with a capital D refers to members of a community - those deaf people for whom ASL is a primary language.

[firinel.livejournal.com]

Oh christ on a cracker *rolls eyes* you don't need to map from one language to another very specific words for the concept to be present in that culture. I don't believe there is a word for tact in ASL, no, I've certainly never come across one, BUT if I wanted to tell someone to be more tactful, I could easily sign 'don't be an asshole, be nice', and that would do adequately ;)

Also, just fyi, that thing about Deaf being more blunt? Keep it in mind with a pinch of salt - plenty of Deaf people are children of hearing people and would've been raised in a manner where saying 'you look more fat' would be unacceptable.