Drinking in sign language is a way of expressing one’s feelings and thoughts. It can be used to express anything from joy, to love, to sadness, to anger.
The most basic form of drinking in sign language consists of just a few hand shapes. To form the letter “D,” you start with your thumb and index finger making an “O” shape while the other three fingers are extended out. The second letter is an “R” which is formed by hooking your middle finger towards your thumb while keeping your index and ring fingers extended. The last letter is an “I” which is made by making a fist with your thumb tucked inside and resting on the side of your palm. When these three letters are put together, it forms DRINK.
There are also more advanced signs for drinking that involve facial expressions as well as body language cues such as tapping one’s toes or clapping hands. For instance, when someone wants to indicate that they are thirsty, they can use a combination of the hand signs for drink and add you head tilt accompanied by a facial expression that conveys thirstiness. Another example would be if someone wanted to tell someone else that they have had too much to drink; they could combine the hand signs for drink and then make a gesture such as crossing their arms across their chest or shaking their head ‘no’.
Drinking in sign language allows people who cannot hear or cannot easily communicate verbally to effectively express themselves without relying solely on words. Sign language allows Deaf individuals autonomy over their communication needs while also providing them with an opportunity to join conversations with those who do not know sign language by providing visual cues that can be understood even without any knowledge of the language itself.
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