Dirty and Pig Signs

[ammorgan]

Are the signs for dirty and pig the same thing? I watched part of Leah's Farm earlier and saw the sign for pig, then we watched the Playtime signs and saw the sign for dirty and I asked hubby if that was also the sign for pig.

[catybarra]

They are actually different. For signing "pig", all four fingers stay together almost like you are signing 14.

For "dirty" you are wiggling your fingers under your chin.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I think I got it!

[ImJAZZed14]

I believe that to be the difference too. I was actualy taught that they were the same thing though. I'm sure you'll find many Deaf signers that you'll just have to watch for context to know which they mean.

Funny story about that though.... I started learning sign when my family lived in Michigan. My brother and I attended classes at our church taught by the Sister Missionaries. Well, one day in his Sunday classes he signed COOL (which I know is different than PIG but for an 8 year old boy that JUST started learning sign....) Well, his teacher became VERY offended because she just KNEW he had called her a pig! Now, she didn't know any sign either so I think it was just a very big miscommunication!

[ammorgan]

Well they're pretty close together but I think I'd be able to tell if Alex were signing pig or dirty, depending on how he's using it.

I wasn't seeing them done at the same time so I was just going based on memory.