Signing For Dummies (28 page)

English:
Chicken and spaghetti are on special.

Sign:
SPECIAL — WHAT — CHICKEN — SPAGHETTI

English:
The steak is rare.

Sign:
STEAK — R-A-R-E

English:
I’d like a potato with my fish.

Sign:
MY FISH — POTATO TOGETHER — WANT ME

English:
I’m full.

Sign:
FULL ME

Dining Out

Everyone enjoys going out to restaurants from time to time. Take a look at the signs in Table 5-6, which you can use no matter what type of restaurant you go to.
Bon appetit!

Deaf people usually point out to the server what they want on the menu. If you’re dining out with Deaf people, don’t try to take control when ordering. They’ve probably been eating in restaurants long before they met you.

Ethnic food around town

Restaurant row is just down the street. Many Deaf people enjoy these establishments, and you’d like to enjoy both the food and the company. These food Signs in Table 5-7 are just the thing to get you going — come and get it!

ASL doesn’t have established Signs for ethnic foods. If the grub is popular, you may see a variety of ways to sign it if there isn’t already an established Sign from its country of origin. In the southwestern part of the United States, Mexican food is popular, and Mexican Sign Language for this ethnic food is pretty well established in the border states.

The preceding signs are pretty descriptive whether you’re filling a taco shell, shaping a tortilla, or layering lasagna. The following sentences will work up an appetite for any eager Signer:

English:
We will eat dinner at a restaurant.

Sign:
RESTAURANT — EVENING FOOD — EAT THERE — WE WILL

English:
I like egg rolls.

Sign:
EGG R-O-L-L-S — LIKE ME

English:
Tostadas are cheap.

Sign:
TOSTADA — CHEAP