How do you say 'you're a punk' in sign language?

Answer 1

Note: This answer refers specifically to American Sign Language, and should not be misconstrued to refer to any other Sign Language.

Take your *dominant hand and make a "p" hand-shape, then move it over the top of the center of your head as if you were pantomiming a Mohawk: this is the sign for punk. Then point to the person: this is the sign for you.

* for most people: your dominant hand will typically be the hand you write with; i.e. if you are left handed use your left hand, if you are right handed use your right hand. If you are ambidextrous, choose a hand before each dialogue/conversation, and stick with it throughout the entire conversation: you may of course change hands at a later date. By the way, long-term signers generally have only one dominant hand, even if they are ambidextrous, because signing involves using all of the muscles in the hand.

Sentence structure is variable in ASL with short sentences:

1. YOU PUNK

2. PUNK YOU

(Facial expression and body language can change the above examples into questions. To change the above examples into questions raise your eyebrows and lean your head foreward or to the side, while maintaining eye-contact, and holding the last sign longer than the others.)

3. YOU ARE PUNK (To be verbs, such as AM, ARE, and IS are often ommitted in ASL, when they can be contextually understood.)

4. YOU PUNK YOU

(This example may also be changed to a question through facial expressions and body language, though this is not a common sentence structure for questioning.)

For the declarative connotation, you should hold the last sign longer than the others, and nod your head in the affirmative on or slightly after the final sign. The sign for "punk" is used in the pejorative or slanderous sense, as well as the literal sense. If you are teasing, you may add a slight coy smile: remember facial expression and body language is your "tone of voice" equivalent in ASL.