ILY (gesture)

The ILY sign is a common sign in the deaf scene . It means “ I love you ”.

ILY (for English. " I love you ", "I love you") is a gesture of American Sign Language (ASL), which is also outside the Deaf scenes has spread. It has its origin in the deaf schools in the USA . Today this sign is also used by deaf people in German-speaking countries. In addition, this sign is one of the few words in a sign language that has also been spread among hearing people (as opposed to gestures that are used in non-verbal communication).

The sign is mostly used in a general sense and is intended to express a positive mood.

history

Deaf Heritage dates the origin of the ILY sign to 1905. On the other hand, deaf students in the 20th century confirm that they did not perceive this sign until the 1970s.

The ILY sign became popular when Richard Dawson showed it on the American television game show Family Feud at the end of each episode. By Jimmy Carter in turn is reported that he should copied this gesture the American Deaf and during his inauguration have shown Present there Deaf a group.

The sign was included as an emoji in the Unicode block Additional Pictographic Symbols (U + 1F91F, ?).

Structure and use

Structure of the sign ILY

In the ILY sign, the letters I , L and Y of the American finger alphabet are combined with each other in a separate sign.

The sign is mainly used informally as a general, positive "message". It should represent a positive emotion , for example it is used in group photos or in front of an audience in the sense of "Hello, everything ok" etc. In addition, it also serves as an alternative to the sign “I love you” for lovers .

Demarcation

A similar gesture of another origin without reference to the ILY sign is used in the metal scene and in Satanism as a variant of the corna sign . The thumb is closed and not stretched to the side. This differentiation is possible, but it is often confused and this sometimes leads to misunderstandings.

Web links

ILY @ Side-PalmForward in the English-language Wiktionary

Individual evidence

↑ Jack R. Gannon: Deaf Heritage. A Narrative History of Deaf America. New edition. Issued by the National Association of the Deaf . Gallaudet University Press, Washington DC 2012, ISBN 978-1-56368-514-9 (English).
^ Sign Language: I Love You . American Sign Language University.

[1] Jack R. Gannon: Deaf Heritage. A Narrative History of Deaf America. New edition. Issued by the National Association of the Deaf . Gallaudet University Press, Washington DC 2012, ISBN 978-1-56368-514-9 (English).

[2] Sign Language: I Love You . American Sign Language University.