Signed for Dummies

Signed means that someone has written their name or put their signature on a document or piece of paper, showing that they agree with what it says or that they have completed a task or action. When someone signs something, it's like they are saying, "Yes, I agree to this," or "Yes, I have done this." It's kind of like when you draw a smiley face at the bottom of a card to show that you think it's a nice card or put your initials on your artwork to show that it was made by you.

But signing can also mean something else. It can mean using hand movements to communicate with someone who is deaf or hard of hearing. Just like we use words when we talk, sign language uses different hand and finger movements to represent words and ideas. It's like having a secret language that only some people can understand. So when someone says they are "signed," it could mean that they are fluent in sign language and can communicate with others using their hands and fingers.

Let's use some real-life examples to understand these definitions better. Imagine you and your friend have been working on a school project together and it's finally finished. Your teacher asks both of you to sign your names at the bottom of the project to show that you have completed it. So you take a pen and write your name neatly, and your friend signs their name using sign language. Both of you have now signed the project, but in different ways. Your teacher looks at the signatures and sees that both of you have agreed that the project is done and ready to be turned in.

Now, imagine you are at a party where there is a group of people who are deaf. You notice that they are all using their hands and fingers to communicate with each other. This means they are signing to each other. Even though they are not speaking with their voices, they are still able to have conversations using sign language. It's like they have their own special way of talking without using words. So when someone says they are "signed," it could mean that they are able to communicate using sign language and understand the beautiful language of hand movements.