GR8, "Great!" (ASL spelling and number pun version of leetspeak "gr8" -- joke sign)

[@sign-language]

Hello ASL Heroes!!! Hey, I could really use your help. If you’ve enjoyed having access to an expert in ASL you can help me continue my work for you. A small monthly donation from you would instantly make a big difference here at the studio because teachers don’t earn much and I could use some help paying for server and domain hosting for Lifeprint.com. Right now you can help out a humble (not to mention kind, caring, generous, compassionate, helpful, friendly, fair, and hard-working) ASL teacher -- just go here and a few clicks later you too will be a true “ASL Hero!” www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=64QMBRBXQSV6G Thanks! - Dr. Bill p.s. Want to have your very own USB drive with four semesters worth of ASL instruction (that’s the equivalent of two years of colleges classes) for just $79.95? See "SuperUSB" in the ASLUniversity bookstore at: lifeprint.com/bookstore/bookstore.htm Take care and love to you all. :)

[@sign-language]

How to use ASL University to learn sign language for free: 1. Visit Lifeprint.com and become familiar with the ASL University website. 2. Bookmark the official ASLU KZbin master playlist: kzbin.info/aero/PL6akqFwEeSpiLwRFA3ZvuOWMwPXwI7NqA 3. For quick reviews (to prevent memory extinction) bookmark the "Signs" channel playlist page: kzbin.infoplaylists 4. If you use a desktop or laptop computer you can look up signs using this page: www.lifeprint.com/search.htm 5. If you use a mobile device you can look up signs using this page: www.lifeprint.com/search/index.htm 6. If you can’t find a sign after using the search options at Lifeprint.com then consider applying to join the Lifeprint-ASLU Facebook group and asking your question there. See: facebook.com/groups/Lifeprint.ASLU/ 7. Go through the ASLU Lessons for free: www.lifeprint.com/asl101/lessons/lessons.htm Your comments, questions, or suggestions are always welcome. To contact Dr. Bill Vicars, see: www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-layout/contact.htm Ways to support the ASL University channel: 1. Click the “thumb up” (like) icon on videos at KZbin.com/billvicars 2. Click the “subscribe” button at KZbin.com/billvicars (if you haven't done so yet) 3. Click the “Share” link and share the videos. 4. Visit the “ASLU” bookstore at www.lifeprint.com/bookstore/bookstore.htm (feel free to suggest new products that you would like to see). 5. Buy some ASL University “official” clothing at: ASLU gear: teespring.com/stores/aslu 6. Subscribe to the ASLU subscription site: asl.tc (For information see: lifeprint.com/asltc/ ) 7. Donate via: www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=64QMBRBXQSV6G 8. For other donation options, see: www.Lifeprint.com/donate.htm If you have any friends who might be in a position to do so you might want to consider inviting them to donate -- thus supporting Deaf children and the promotion of free sign language resources via Lifeprint.com

[@johnhancock8463]

thank you

[@drewmiller8825]

I love this

[@Jycatgc6282]

Didn’t catch it but @ 2nd glance in Solomon, got it❣️

[@richtaub]

Took me a second look at the video, but got it 🤓😄

[@sign-language]

I was really quite pleased to add this little gem to my idioms & puns list.

[@StudTron5k]

Nice LOL. Can use ice sk8 or jail b8 too? Is this an accepted slang?

[@sign-language]

I haven't seen the use of "8" extend to skate nor bait in ASL fingerspelling. Seems unlikely to me. The GR8 concept is barely in existence as of early 2024 and is definitely still just a "joke sign." Will see what happens.

[@floooooooooof]

Hi! I have a question. If I want to sign the word "it" but not referring to a physical thing, (maybe something that has happened, for example something like "make it look like it was an accident") would you just leave out the word 'it', or use a different sign, or point to nowhere in particular? Should I just change the word to the sign for 'that'?

[@sign-language]

There are several ways to handle "it." Quite a few people spell it. For example, it is common in the Deaf world to see people spell "Do it!" The spelling mushes together as if you are spelling: DOIT. For something like "make it look like an accident" you could sign: SET-UP LOOK-SAME ACCIDENT. or HAPPEN YOU fs-DO THAT? SHOULD LOOK SAME ACCIDENT!

[@floooooooooof]

@@sign-language Thanks! This helps.

[@Teefs001]

🤏🤞8️⃣ !!

[@martialartsnerd7673]

Are you still doing the evolution of sign video? 1800s to now?

[@sign-language]

I hope to someday do such a video depending on time, energy, and whether the content actually forms up. No timeline or projected completion date though. It is one of those things that sounded good at first but upon reflection one realizes that to do the topic justice it would be a good subject for a master's thesis or doctoral dissertation. Other challenge is I've got a large number of other projects in my queue. So for now an "evolution" video is relegated to my "someday" list of projects. I did come across a list of signs somewhat related to that idea that I had been working on earlier that might have potential as a video lesson. You might find the information of interest: www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-signs/a/anachronistic-sign-language.htm Also see: www.lifeprint.com/asl101/topics/anachrodepictive.htm

[@thrivinginamber2642]

Are there more visceral puns like Kong-Marry, but not sooooo visceral? Something spatially interactive. I think something short could be a first step in connecting facial expressiveness, something to get the epiphany across.

[@thrivinginamber2642]

Oh, you realize you uploaded this to your Bill Vicars one, was it supposed to be for Signs?

[@sign-language]

I created a "learning" version of GR8 for the main channel that included two repeats -- one of which was rather slow for demonstration purposes. I then uploaded a single play version at close to full speed to the Signs channel. Interestingly, the original full-speed version was a bit too fast to be of much use on either channel.

[@sign-language]

Hmmm. According to dictionary(dot)com, the word visceral means: of the nature of or resembling viscera. characterized by or proceeding from instinct rather than intellect: a visceral reaction. characterized by or dealing with coarse or base emotions; earthy; crude: a visceral literary style. Indeed there are various "visceral" puns out there. As time goes on I'll post "some" of them. Others I'll only show during workshops. Some I'll put in a product. In general though any sign that has (or that can be lightly abused to cause it to have) more than one meaning is a good candidate for a pun.

[@thrivinginamber2642]

Oh, "gut reaction", yeah I recently learned the sign for gut-instinct from watching Sarah Tubert signing songs, and it's also in Sandra Mae Frank's signing of the song Pride, just off screen, so it's lucky to have picked it up, as that's the song I'm learning for my ASL class, everything works-out~

[@thrivinginamber2642]

How about "Size Mom Eat-Person" seismometer~ Or is the "ER" ending in the pun refer to the machine? In one of my ASL class surveys, for "How can we make the class better experience" I put, "In a thousand years, we'll be able to answer that"~

[@cre8509]

How long has the Deaf community been using this sign?

[@sign-language]

April 5, 2024: Question: How long as the Deaf Community been using this sign? Answer: Any simple answer might inaccurately suggest there is some sort of existing broad acceptance and usage of this emergent protologism. For a definition and discussion of what a protologism is, see: www.lifeprint.com/asl101/topics/protologism.htm The GR8 protologism (or perhaps "neologism") was brought to my attention in March of 2024 by one of my interns who saw it during their day job as an interpreter when one of their Deaf clients signed it to them at the completion of an assignment to wish them a "GR8 DAY!" It is possible that the GR8 (pun / joke) sign may have been in use for a considerable length of time but if so such use hasn't been widespread nor common. I've not seen this sign prior to 2024 nor have I seen it documented anywhere prior March of 2024, neither had my wife (who is also Deaf and moderates several online Deaf / ASL - related groups), nor my intern (who is a certified, working interpreter with over a year of Video-Relay interpreting experience). Which isn't to say that "someone" hasn't already documented it. I'm not making any claims to being the first to document something I'm simply a content creator that noticed a clever little (pun / joke) sign that is delightful on its own regardless of how long it has been used or how far it has spread -- and figured I'd document it and share it with my audience so they can enjoy it / appreciate it as well. (Notice how I keep referring to GR8 as a "pun / joke" sign? I do that to help out those who are humor impaired to keep in mind that this sign is -- a pun / joke sign.) Who knows? Maybe at some point in the future it will become just "a sign." Language evolves.

[@cheese_walker]

going to try to make this a bit of a TLDR of what bill said: bit of a not universally accepted sign, only seen recently by bill. (My own opinion here, I have seen this used a lot in online spaces and video games, so its possible that this could just be someone repeating 1337 speak, (when you talk in nearly exclusively numbers) in asl.)